The Equalizer

A hardcore Robin Hood for the 21st century, who manages to use his deep knowledge of the hobby market to the hilt in his battle with the biggest scumbag. It's not that The Equalizer isn't entertaining or bloody enough, it's more that at times it oozes with overblown and primitively cheesy action "for effect". The level of emotional heroism here is really over the top, and much more than an action thriller it feels at times like a slightly failed comic book adaptation. A weaker 3 stars. (11/14/2019)

A superbly executed action film where Fuqua's ability to direct great scenes and Denzel's ability to carry the entire film shine through excellently. He's exactly the kind of hero you want to root for. What really bothered me was Chloe Grace Moretz's disappearance from the scene for over an hour. And it's not just because I really like that girl; it also harmed the story. (12/15/2014)

After six long years and a second viewing, I have to raise my rating because this film starring Denzel Washington deserves every bit of praise it can get. Antoine Fuqua knew exactly why he cast this legendary actor in the lead role; Denzel delivers perhaps the best performance of his career, following Man on Fire and Training Day. His seemingly unassuming portrayal of an older, innocent-looking guy working at the warehouse completely dissolves when the film unleashes its first action scene, revealing what a top-notch professional Robert McCall truly is. The dialogues are among the sharpest in the genre recently, and you really savor the exchanges (especially between Denzel and Csokas). Martin Csokas stands out as one of the most terrifying villains of late; his expressions truly send chills down your spine at every turn. The action is impactful, unexpected, brutal, and above all, inventive (the finale at the warehouse with the fire sprinklers is one of the most effective scenes in recent years). Sure, it’s exaggerated, but the execution is so precise and perfect at its core that giving it less than five stars would be a grave injustice. For me, it’s a 9/10. P.S. One of the best soundtracks for action films; Harry Gregson-Williams has outdone himself again. (01/11/2021)

A commercial for essential DIY tools in a well-fitting outfit by Antoine Fuqua. Denzel is cool again, even though he’s getting on for sixty, he’s still got it. Csokas is unusually precise and makes a respectable rival. The way the atmosphere is painted is textbook standard. The darkness is added to by the endeavor to punish the world. The intro is a little slow, but the ending good and bloody. And tracking down anything imaginable is super. Now, off to Walmart to buy yourself a hammer, a saw or a rivet gun. (12/20/2014)

The Punisher: Hornbach Edition. The better the first half is, which holds back, relies on the characters and has a nice old-school trace, the worse the second is, because it ruins everything. In the second half, Denzel is just an invincible chimera that takes himself too seriously and that makes him an uninteresting character. Literally, the nail in the coffin is footage when, instead of uncompromising gradation, it fades away because of so many endings that even the Return of the King would get up and go home. (05/29/2018)