Denzel Washington slays in uninspired ‘Equalizer,’ reviews say

Action heroes of a certain age seem to be in vogue in Hollywood at the moment, with Liam Neeson kicking butt in the “Taken” movies, Pierce Brosnan back in the spy game in “The November Man,” and Sylvester Stallone and friends shooting up the “Expendables” franchise. Up next is Denzel Washington in “The Equalizer,” a big-screen adaptation of the 1980s CBS show about an ex-spook turned avenging angel, which opens Friday.

A remarkably consistent actor, Washington is once again earning fine notices for his work in the film, which is directed by Antoine Fuqua and co-stars Chloe Grace Moretz. But while Washington shines, the rest of the movie is incredibly violent and lacks originality, according to early reviews.

The New York Post’s Lou Lumenick writes, “There’s nothing terribly original about the script by Richard Wenk (who co-wrote ‘Expendables 2’ with Sylvester Stallone), but Washington is a master at putting his own inimitable and stylish spin on even the most familiar situations.”

Lumenick adds that Fuqua, who directed Washington to an Oscar in “Training Day,” here “stages some terrific action sequences,” and ultimately the film “demonstrates beautifully why Washington is a thinking man’s senior action hero.”

The Wrap’s James Rocchi calls “The Equalizer” a “street-level film that shoots for punch-to-the-face thrills (both literal and figurative).” He agrees that the script “might be a little on the nose with its metaphors, and there are a few moments of action that verge on self-parody.” But seeing Washington reunited with Fuqua “is reason enough to celebrate, as well as the film’s resolutely R-rated violence and its moody, Boston-based urban noir look and feel.”

In a more measured review, the Village Voice’s Alan Scherstuhl says, “The Equalizer” is both “gloriously dumb” and “hilariously violent.” Fuqua, he says, “steadily parades his big moments, and the movie works as unhinged spectacle. As a thriller it’s less certain. Once he’s revealed as an impossibly skilled killer, McCall [Washington’s character] never seems in danger for a moment.”

Scherstuhl adds, “The movie’s only tension comes from our wondering when — and in what horrible way — he’ll kill the next guy. … It’s great if that’s what you’re into, but is this the best use our culture has for a talent like Denzel Washington?”

Variety’s Scott Foundas says “The Equalizer” is “ponderously overlong and not even half as much fun as it should have been,” although he concedes that the film “still gets a lot of mileage out of Washington’s unassailable star presence.” Foundas continues: “In scene after scene here, the actor locates something vital in the character, a fraught moral compass spinning behind McCall’s seemingly impassive eyes. But Washington deserves better, and so does the audience.”

The [New Orleans] Times Picayune’s Mike Scott writes, “Washington is super in the role, offering just the right blend of fierce ruthlessness and gentle nobility. In his hands, ‘The Equalizer’ … ends up as a heart-pumping and fist-pumping ride, a sort of Jason-Bourne-meets-Batman mashup that you can’t help but root for.” The movie “doesn’t boast the same edge that ‘Training Day’ did,” but Fuqua and Washington “are clearly more interested in entertaining audiences this time than in collecting award-season hardware.”

The Associated Press’ Jocelyn Noveck is less impressed, calling “The Equalizer” a “mediocre thriller” in which “we get to see Washington kill a lot of people. Yawn. OK, he does it in somewhat inventive ways. Still: Yawn.”

Noveck adds, “You could do worse than watch Washington kick butt for two hours (actually, a little more). But it would be a lot more interesting to watch him struggle while doing it.”

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