The Equalizer 2, with Denzel Washington, Pedro Pascal, Melissa Leo and Ashton Sanders, directed by Antoine Fuqua.
4/5
Based on the old TV series, this is the second Equalizer movie with Denzel Washington in the role of Robert McCall, a former black-ops spy who corrects problems the authorities cannot or will not be able to deal with.
Now a driver for hire with Lyft, McCall learns of the murder of his former handler and close friend, Susan Plummer (played by Melissa Leo) and sets off on a mission to punish those responsible.
It’s action all the way and, in the first scene McCall uses his unique ability to foresee all the angles and dangers as he rides the express train from Egypt, dressed as a practising Muslim.
A father who has abducted his daughter is taking her with him to Istanbul and, unfortunately for him, his daughter is also the daughter of the owner of McCall’s local bookstore. After first offering a chance of redemption on his own terms, an offer that is refused, the father sets his henchmen on McCall who dispatches them quickly and efficiently, taking the girl to be reunited with her mother.
In another scene McCall sees that a group of young business executives have been drugging and raping interns and, again, McCall sorts out this problem with his usual insight of being able to assess the situation before the fighting begins.
McCall is living humbly in an urban housing complex in Massachusetts and intervenes in the life of a local youth, Miles Whittaker (Ashton Sanders) who is perilously close to joining a street gang and proving himself by committing a drive-by shooting. At this time he hears of the brutal murder of Plummer (“I’m the only friend you’ve got,” she reminds him on an occasion before her murder), and sets off to render his own brand of justice on the perpetrators.
The main story is centred around the search for who killed his friend, and takes McCall to Europe where he discovers that not everything is as it seems, and old friends have become guns for hire to the highest bidder.
The acting in this movie is great and the storyline is fast paced and exciting. Washington’s character is as fair as he is ruthless with those who he deems have violated his moral code.
If you enjoyed the first movie then you should definitely go see this one.
