The Equalizer

A gag in The Wolf of Wall Street was one character's obsession with the 80's vigilante for hire show The Equalizer. If any one called during the show the character got mad ... and converse with the caller in an overly-polite voice.

And now, The Equalizer has made its way to the big screen. Just don't call anybody while they're watching this movie, OK?

Robert McCall (Denzel Washington) is a model employee at a Boston Home Depot HomeMart. By day, he's a pal to his co-workers. By night, he reads alone at his apartment and hangs out at the local diner. One regular customer at the diner is a call girl, Teri (Chloë Grace Moretz), who's employed by some Russian Mobsters. Meanwhile, his co-workers at the Not-Home Depot wonder what he used to do.

One night, McCall discovers Teri is abused by her employers. When she lands in the hospital, McCall decides to do what he used to do: brutally beat up bad guys. McCall takes out his calm, collective rage against the Criminal Underworld. Meanwhile, the evil Russian Don Pushkin (Vladimir Kulich) dispatches his enforcer, Teddy (Martin Csokas), to go after McCall.

Antoine Fuqua, who directed Washington in his Oscar-winning role in Training Day, gets another fine performance out of his star. As usual, Denzel's easy-going style endears him to the audience. There's some compulsive behavior (such as continually timing his fights) that pops up during the movie. It's as if to say "that helps explain why he's driven to fight." Overall, he's nice, but don't wrong him or anyone else he knows.

The film is 131 minutes long, yet its pace varies. By the time McCall meets his former superiors (Melissa Leo and Bill Pullman) for a heart-to-heart, I thought it was almost time for the climax. It sped that fast. But I checked my watch and discovered an hour passed. There was another hour left. The actual climax set inside the Fake Home Depot showed McCall at his most brutal and creative.

Anyone unfamiliar with The Equalizer TV series will have no trouble following the movie. Its very straightforward plot relies on the show's basic premise, not continuity. You'll understand Robert McCall once you step out of the theater, rather than after you return home.

I have never watched an episode of the show, but The Equalizer movie is a clear, stylized thriller. Its star's performance sells the movie, which is enough to overcome its slight overlength. And that's a major positive.