THE EQUALIZER
US, 2014, 132 minutes, Colour.
Denzel Washington, Marton Czokas, Chloe Grace Moretz, Johnny Skourtis, David Harbour, David Meunier, Bill Pullman, Melissa Leo.
Directed by Antoine Fuqua.
The story of a vigilantes saint? The initial emphasis of the film is on the saint, the latter part is on the vigilante, in brutal in his killings but attempting to be rational and moral in his decisions for killing.
Denzel Washington has been appearing in action shows for several years, as he approaches the age of 60. He brings that impression of integrity that he has offered in many of his films. Director Antoine Fuqua directed Washington to an Academy Award in 2001 in Training Day, where, in fact, he was a policeman but the film villain.
This film is loosely based on a television series starring Edward Woodward.
The first impression that Denzel Washington makes is of a benign, serious, loner, sympathetic friend called Robert Mc Call. He lives quietly in an apartment, absolutely neat and orderly at all times. Off he goes to work in a warehouse, sympathetic to many who work there, especially Ralphie, an overweight young man who has ambitions to be a security guard. At night, he can’t sleep and goes over to a nearby diner to read a book, currently The Old Man and the Sea. He chats with and befriends a young girl who is obviously a prostitute (Chloe Grace Moretz). It is in sympathy for her and the treatment she has been given by a group of Russian thugs, especially her pimp, that Robert gets involved in helping her.
Involved is rather meek word for what he actually does. Quietly going to their restaurant, going into the office, checking out the four men who are there, especially the leader who has been brutal to the girl. They laugh at him, he looks at his watch, and within less than a minute they are all dead.
The Russians send their Equalizer or, perhaps better, their Leveller, who uses the local thugs on behalf of the Moscow-based boss, to find out who did the killings, suspecting Irish and Italian groups in the city. A bit of roughing up makes them realise they are not responsible.
Nikolai, the Leveller (Marton Csokas is very persuasive as a sociopathic villain the with a smooth-talking and urbane manner, but otherwise ruthless) actually tracks down, using CCTV footage, this African- American who does not seem at all like someone who executes and with such accuracy and method.
As we probably suspected, Robert was an FBI agent, skilled in killing, but opting out because of his wife and her illness. He goes to visit former agents, good cameos from Melissa Leo and Bill Pullman, gets information about the Leveller. So all we have to do is wait for the final confrontation.
While Robert is still something of a saint in his moral attitudes for wreaking vengeance, the killings themselves become much more brutal, seemingly pandering to a strong appetite for visual violence in the audience. Some of it stretches credibility, but by this stage the film is something of a 21st century Death Wish.
1. 21st century urban action? The city and crime? International gangs, Russians? Police work, honest and corrupt?
2. Robert as a lone avenger? A kind of vigilantes saint? His past, the audience not knowing it for some time, FBI, his work, killing, his love for his wife, her death, his changing – but becoming the Boston Equalizer, a kind of vengeful Robin Hood?
3. The film derived from a television series? Adapted? Hero and villains, the owner, uncompromising, vigilantes, allowing people the opportunity for choice and repentance? action and executions?
4. Audience sympathy for Robert, as a person, his principles, his confrontation of evil, destruction and villains, the edifying loner and worker? In action?
5. The increasing brutality of the executions? Necessary for the plot? Or pandering to audience response to violence? Brutality?
6. Audiences being patient at the start? The introduction to Robert, his very neat house, shaving and dressing, breakfast alone, tidiness, washing up, his meals? Unable to sleep well, walking to the diner in the early hours, reading the books, the hundred books to read before you die, his wife’s example? The new books, The Old Man and the Sea and the discussions with Alina? Alina always at the diner, the young prostitute, dress, her manner, her clients, Salvi as the boss, his ruthlessness, the fat client and the car, her pretending to be friendly? Her being beaten? Robert and his response? His kind words, urging her to be herself, anything she wanted to be, his being her mentor?
7. During the day, his job, on the floor, the practical work, the goods? Friendship with Ralphie, his sandwich, urging him to diet, to be ready for the security job, the exercise and dragging things along the ground? Jenny, nice, repartee in the canteen? The hold-up, giving up her ring? Robert and his quiet and fruitful life?
8. Alina, giving him the CD of her songs, her being bashed, at the hospital, talking with the other prostitute? His decision to go to Salvi’s restaurant, walking in quietly, offering the money for Alina, allowed only a month, Salvi and his spurning Robert, the other gangsters?
9. The gentle talk, the guns, Robert giving himself 60 seconds, his fighting ability, speed, deadliness? Giving Salvi the chance to repent, his refusing, dying?
10. Ralphie leaving work, Robert finding him, fire, his work for his mother, her having to pay protection money, the corrupt cops, the challenge, Robert confronting them, offering the chance to repent? The giving the money back? But the Russians killing them and putting their bodies in the boot of the car?
11. The hold-up, Jenny sad, her ring, Robert calm, getting the number plate? The return of the ring? The confrontation left to the audience imagination?
12. The investigations, the killings, the news on television?
13. The arrival of Nikolai, his being superior to everyone, the American reaction, his putting them down? In himself, the range of henchmen? His responsibility to Pushkin? The encounter with the Irish, the boss answering him back, his brutality and violence? Sending a message to the other groups?
14. Nikolai confronting everyone, no information about who was responsible for the deaths? His ordering everybody to get the surveillance tapes, seeing Robert? His confrontation with Alina’s friend, getting the information from her, killing her?
15. Seeing Robert, at the diner, then visiting his house, pretending to be police, Robert asking him for his card? Robert watching him from the window, going off in the limousine?
16. Robert going back to work, fearless, the baseball game, his happiness for Ralphie and his getting his security guard job?
17. Going to the mansion, visiting his FBI friends, Brian and the welcome, information about his arranged death and funeral, Susan, her going to get the information about Nikolai? Warning him? Saying that Robert had come to ask their permission to pursue Nikolai?
18. The restaurant, Robert present, the thug, the lights going out, killing him?
19. The restaurant with Nikolai, telling him the story of his background, the foundling, in the family with the good father who was compassionate to him all the time, yet Nikolai killing and robbing him? His motivations? The absolute psychopath?
20. Robert cracking down Frank, confronting him in his house, in the car, the carbon monoxide, sitting and watching? The transition to Frank’s leading him to the warehouse, the amount of money, the Asian women counting it? Robert paying off the workers? His confronting the man in charge, the guns, further information, tying them up? The roomful of gangsters bound? Phoning the police, the squad arriving, the arrests?
21. Nikolai and his thugs, taking Ralphie and the others hostage, in the factory? Contacting Robert, the bus, the empty bus, the limit of 30 minutes? Robert arriving, destroying the guards, into the warehouse, the thugs gradually being picked off? The growing brutality of the deaths, barbed wire, screwdriver? His getting the hostages out, putting out the lights, Ralphie charged to put them on again, his coming back, dragging Robert?
22. The final confrontations, alone with Nikolai, the fight, to the death?
23. Meeting Alina, her change of clothes, and a day job, buying the book, her gratitude towards Robert for giving her a new life, her thanks?
24. Robert, resuming his life, his routines? An equalizer – and Robin Hood for the oppressed of Boston?
