The Equalizer

Columbia Pictures | Release Date: September 26, 2014

7.0	USER SCORE Generally favorable reviews based on 452 Ratings

USER RATING DISTRIBUTION

Watch Now

Stream On

Buy on

Stream On

Expand

Review this movie

VOTE NOW

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Please sign in or create an account before writing a review.

Check box if your review contains spoilers

0 characters (5000 max)

User Reviews

User score By date Most helpful

AGarcia732Dec 31, 2014

The Equalizer is "revenge-porn", but not much else. Maybe "The Equalizer" just isn't my cup of tea, but I'm surprised it got as many favorable reviews as it did. The movie felt kind of aimless, pointless, and unmeaningful IMO (just asThe Equalizer is "revenge-porn", but not much else. Maybe "The Equalizer" just isn't my cup of tea, but I'm surprised it got as many favorable reviews as it did. The movie felt kind of aimless, pointless, and unmeaningful IMO (just as Robert's life was portrayed in the film). Robert McCall is just a widowed man living through the motions, not doing much except visiting diners at 2 AM, reading all the books on a list of 100 classic "must-read" novels, chatting politely with strangers, helping people out, and keeping his apartment very clean. Robert (and the movie) have no sense of clear direction or purpose. And suddenly comes the one (actually, multiple people/events) destined to send him back into his old ways, and one thing leads to another. Besides exacting brutal justice on helpless goons with his "very particular set of skills" and simultaneously leaving lots of very obvious loose ends that are just BOUND to catch up with him, (enforcer & problem-solver/Russian villain) Teddy also impulsively kills for no reason! (He murders a Irish mob boss, which SHOULD start a gang war, but doesn't.)

There are quite a bit of reckless actions done throughout this movie, and most of them hard to ignore. Besides the aforementioned logical fallacies, its hard to believe that of all the times Robert McCall witnessed injustice in his life (since having faked his own death as a former black ops commando), one random act of violence perpetrated against a stranger makes him go back to his former ways. NOTHING before that ever even slightly tempted him to exact violent and brutal justice? If he could so easily do good (as he takes down baddies and cripples a criminal empire with ease), why hadn't he done it before?

The film has action and gore, yet even that fails to be entertaining--as Denzel/Robert is far too badass to ever even feel threatened. He seems super-human, which makes it hard for you to connect/relate to him. Victims in the movie don't have enough development to have the audience sympathize with them. As the action is not suspenseful, the plot hard to believe, and the characters underdeveloped/only used to advance the plot, The Equalizer doesn't have much going for it. It's too long and mundane. It doesn't even bring much new material to the table, similarly to Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit. Both do little to establish themselves as different from the many movies out there. The Equalizer is too reminiscent of other vigilante/action films (TAKEN!), and it even reminds me of Home Alone (mostly during the finale)! Denzel's acting style is the only saving grace of the movie.

Remember the Titans, Man on Fire, and 2 Guns were better Denzel Washington films, and Olympus Has Fallen was a more satisfying product from director Antoine Fuqua. I don't hate "The Equalizer", but it was a "flimsy pretext" stretched to last two hours and filled with meaningless violence (mostly used to establish the film as grisly and dark). It's a "rejected Taken plotline" repurposed to give Sony an unnecessary action movie franchise. This should remain a stand-alone film. It honestly doesn't warrant a sequel. I hate to say this, but "The Equalizer" feels like a "regurgitated cash-grab".

I have reviewed 36 other movies, including the 2014 films: The Interview, Exodus: Gods and Kings, The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1, Dracula Untold, The Maze Runner, The Expendables 3, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Guardians of the Galaxy, The Giver, Sharknado 2, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, Transformers: Age of Extinction, Edge of Tomorrow, X-Men Days of Future Past, Godzilla, Blended, The Amazing Spider-Man 2, Divergent, Transcendence, Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit, The Lego Movie, and more.

I review TV shows, such as: The Flash, Arrow (Season 3), Gotham, The Last Ship, Sleepy Hollow, Marvel's Agents of SHIELD (Season 1 and 2), The 100, I Wanna Marry Harry, Crisis, Gang Related, and more. I also have reviewed the mobile Android games: Minecraft Pocket Edition, Clash of Clans, and Five Night's at Freddy's.

(P.S, some of the quotes are from other online text sources.)… Expand

3 of 5 users found this helpful32

All this user's reviews

02summitNov 22, 2014

This is a remake of Man on Fire without the fire. Weak at best Another regurgitated cash grab. A good movie to watch at home on a Monday night when its too cold to go outside, the football game is a replay, all the painting is done, theThis is a remake of Man on Fire without the fire. Weak at best Another regurgitated cash grab. A good movie to watch at home on a Monday night when its too cold to go outside, the football game is a replay, all the painting is done, the dishes are washed,........… Expand

3 of 5 users found this helpful32

All this user's reviews

yrcrazyOct 1, 2014

Horribly cliched and predictable and despite the storyline being poor it still managed to drag on for two hours. No surprise in guessing the nationality of the bad guys and no surprise the main character kills everything in his path. UsualHorribly cliched and predictable and despite the storyline being poor it still managed to drag on for two hours. No surprise in guessing the nationality of the bad guys and no surprise the main character kills everything in his path. Usual big budget film that insults the intelligence of its viewers.… Expand

5 of 9 users found this helpful54

All this user's reviews

sambullusSep 29, 2014

generic shoot em up, which would be straight to dvd without its famous lead actor. The acting is good, but the script, direction and tone are poor. The action scenes are badly edited which, given that the movie has no reason to exist exceptgeneric shoot em up, which would be straight to dvd without its famous lead actor. The acting is good, but the script, direction and tone are poor. The action scenes are badly edited which, given that the movie has no reason to exist except for action, makes the entire thing pointless. Most annoyingly Denzel is a typical modern Hollywood "hero"- an unstoppable killing machine.… Expand

5 of 9 users found this helpful54

All this user's reviews

Seth19Sep 29, 2014

The Equalizer is a decent film, nothing amazing , Training Day, American Gangster, Man on Fire, Malcolm X, The Hurricane. Remember the Titans, Best Denzel Washington Movies

4 of 8 users found this helpful44

All this user's reviews

metalic-surfaceOct 4, 2014

don't trust imdb prepaid rates

in short terms - poor story about ex-superman and one-man-army now from CIA (of course). main character doesn't have any problems in his life.

p.s: Marton Csokas looks like a Hitler :D

4 of 8 users found this helpful44

All this user's reviews

ApolscDec 13, 2014

"Man on fire, expendable edition" if you wanted more of those fun scenes where Denzel humillated corrupted mexican polititians or thugs well this movie is just about that. It barely has a story, Denzel is a one man army ready to destroy the"Man on fire, expendable edition" if you wanted more of those fun scenes where Denzel humillated corrupted mexican polititians or thugs well this movie is just about that. It barely has a story, Denzel is a one man army ready to destroy the whole Russian crime organization. Really bad and excesively long.… Expand

3 of 6 users found this helpful33

All this user's reviews

hadioushiJan 3, 2015

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. At first you'd think this movie was well thought of. But the more you watch the less you feel for the characters. In the beginning, the story is emotional with all the sad tales and you'd actually have some sympathy for the characters. But then the whole movie loses it's purpose after the protagonist (Denzel) starts killing people. Moretz is nowhere to be seen even though she's one of the main reasons this is happening. Towards the end, it was plain awful. He just heartlessly kills everyone in such brutal manner that the trouble the thugs caused didn't even compete. Just another cliche action movie… Expand

2 of 4 users found this helpful22

All this user's reviews

Starkiller1976Sep 28, 2014

I have to say this film is the biggest pile of crap I've ever seen, with or without Denzel Washington , and he did good films, and Chloë Grace Moretz another crappy role.

7 of 16 users found this helpful79

All this user's reviews

Bane23Sep 26, 2014

You do realise they chose to do these movies right? I think they're at that age when they just don't give a damn what they make, as long as it keeps the cash flowing. Just look at the expendables!

6 of 15 users found this helpful69

All this user's reviews

Lena18Oct 6, 2014

This movie is really dumb , Denzel Washington he is looking at his enemies the same as the Terminator, and Chloë Grace Moretz copied Jodie Foster in the bar scene in Taxi Driver (1976) , and i hate the slow action scene.

6 of 16 users found this helpful610

All this user's reviews

GarfoodleSep 26, 2014

It's like the expendables,but but really bad. Dont watch this movie,because,you know,it's really bad. Also,it's braindead up the arse and back. I mean,really?

8 of 26 users found this helpful818

All this user's reviews

Jordan20Sep 26, 2014

Chloe Moretz did so many remakes movies i lost count, maybe we see Liam Neeson in The Equalizer 2, and Denzel Washington in A Walk Among the Tombstones 2

6 of 21 users found this helpful615

All this user's reviews

KenmeiOct 11, 2015

Extremely middle of the road movie and definitely not one of Denzel's finest moments. There's too much same old same old for me here and even that is not done very well. This movie is compared to Man on Fire alot, one of Denzel's finestExtremely middle of the road movie and definitely not one of Denzel's finest moments. There's too much same old same old for me here and even that is not done very well. This movie is compared to Man on Fire alot, one of Denzel's finest moments I think, and it doesn't hold a candle to that movie. Bout the only thing this movie has going for it is that it's easy to sit down and enjoy. How much you enjoy it really depends on your love of action and/or Denzel movies honestly but it's very easy to follow and it clearly does not want you thinking about the various plot holes too much. There are plenty of other Denzel movies to watch instead of this one. Stay far away from this clunker.… Expand

0 of 3 users found this helpful03

All this user's reviews

SEROJMar 12, 2016

Action movies cliches celebrate together one of the most typical action movies ever! So predictable, so boring and disgusting at times. If fighting/shooting scenes are all you're looking for... go ahead.

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

All this user's reviews