The Equalizer 2

You want to know something interesting? This movie is Denzel Washington's first sequel. He's done plenty of blockbusters in the past including his work with Antoine Fuqua and Tony Scott, so material is never a factor. He's drifted between action and drama most of his career. So why now? Well The Equalizer is was his first giant unexpected hit and the suits had to be clamoring for more. So here we are. How is it?

Again we join Robert McCall, a former Marine and intelligence asset who lives in two worlds. In one he's a day laborer (this time around he's driving for Lfyt), and in the other he's a guardian angel of death for people in peril. But when one of his friends ends up dead, McCall will have to reopen old wounds to get answers.

The first Equalizer wasn't ground-breaking but it skated by with its hero's unique presentation, Fuqua penchant for bloody action scenes, and a dedicated performance from Denzel Washington.

The second film gets those last two right. The action scenes are more of the same. Washington gets to quickly parry his opponents attacks or disarm them, and then break bones. There's usually a build up where someone thinks they have the upper hand or tell him "get out of here old man" and he makes them pay for their insolence. It's mostly middle age krav maga with a finale t offers up more of the R-rated Home Alone fun.

Where 2 stumbles is plotting and characterization. The movie's main plot is a mystery-revenge story. It's very predictable, but it could give the audience insight about McCall, his background, what his deal is (is he OCD or not?) and help him find purpose moving forward. There's hints at this, but very little is explained. The movie doesn't need to explain everything about McCall, in fact a little mystery is fun. But we should know more about his motivation and thinking than, they killed my friend I'll kill them now.

And that's before we get to a series of unnecessary plot threads that distract from the main story. Some of these diversions feel like excuses to have actions scenes when the main plot doesn't require one.

Also, this almost never happens but...I recognized one of the bad guys...from the last movie. Like I vividly remember Denzel having a drag out fight in the not Home Depot with this guy before cutting him up with broken glass. And he's one of the main bad guys again. I'm sure he's a stunt guy, but they could at least have changed his hair up to make him look different. It's a small thing, but it took me out of the finale for a bit.

Granted, if you're coming to see The Equalizer 2 you're not coming for originality and death. You're coming to see Denzel monologue at people and then break their bones and The Equalizer delivers that.

Verdict: Disposable, But Watchable

Though longer, slower, and less interesting than I would like, Washington and the action scenes do just enough to make this a middle of the road affair. 5/10.