ReelBob: ‘Equalizer 2’ ★★
By Bob Bloom
If only “Equalizer 2” had focused more on its subplots and eliminated its main storyline, it would have been a much better movie.
Instead, it’s your run-of-the-mill sequel that relies on a tired and formulaic plot about rogue government agents and betrayal.
Denzel Washington returns as Robert McCall, and his solid performance keeps the film afloat.
The movie diverts from the premise of the old TV series, in which McCall helped ordinary people in distress.
That was the basic plot of the first movie, and if this sequel had continued that premise it might have been more entertaining.
Director Antione Fuqua returns and is able to create atmosphere, but he cannot really do much more with the hackneyed script.
McCall, working as a Lyft driver, helps people in small and bigger ways. He is like a guardian angel, driving around Boston and keeping an eye on its residents.
The main story really does not kick in until about 40 minutes into the movie. First, though, we are given various threads of subplots that are slowly tied together.
They finally involve McCall when tragedy touches an old friend from his past life.
From that point, “Equalizer 2” becomes a series of cliched situations and dialogue spews forth as we have seen in dozens of movies in recent years.
At more than two hours, the movie also needed tighter editing as some sequences simply drag.
The movie, at times, is sloppy with brutal and sadistic violence. McCall is more an avenger than a man seeking justice.
“Equalizer 2” is dark and unsatisfying. It lacks the moral clarity of the original and seems content on getting by on Washington’s charisma alone.
The film never jells. The main villains are cookie-cutter archetypes. No effort is made to give them any depth or personality.
What the movie needed was more interaction between Washington and those he is trying to help, such as his young neighbor, Miles (Ashton Sanders), who has artistic talents but is tempted by the gangster life to earn easy money for himself and his mother.
The movie’s opening, in which McCall returns a young girl kidnapped by her father en route to Turkey, is far more impactful than the main plot thread.
Washington glides through the movie, ignoring its weaknesses and giving his all, which keeps “Equalizer 2” from being a disaster.
However, it is time to put this franchise to bed and for Washington and Fuqua to move on to other, more worthwhile, projects.
I am a member of the Indiana Film Journalists Association. My reviews appear at ReelBob (reelbob.com) and Rottentomatoes (www.rottentomatoes.com). I also review Blu-rays and DVDs. I can be reached by email at bobbloomjc@gmail.com or on Twitter @ReelBobBloom. Links to my reviews can be found on Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and LinkedIn.
EQUALIZER 2
2 stars out of 4
(R), graphic, bloody and brutal violence, language, drug content