THE EQUALIZER 2 (2018)

Directed By: Antonie Fuqua 
Written By: Richard Wenk 
Based On Characters Created By: Michael Sloan & Richard Lindheim 
Cinematography By: Oliver Wood 
Editor: Conrad Buff 


Cast: Denzel Washinton, Ashton Sanders, Melissa Leo, Bill Pullman, Pedro Pascal, Orson Bean, Sakina Jeffrey 

Robert McCall serves an unflinching justice for the exploited and oppressed, but how far will he go when that is someone he loves?

This is the fourth time that Denzel Washinton has worked with Antoine Fuqua and it shows in Washington’s performance as he seems more at ease and laid back.

I have found most who I know who liked the first film dislike this film. Even where as a sequel you know what to expect. I personally find this one more enjoyable. As it allows for more Suspension of disbelief. Even if the film is predictable when it tries to be mysterious.

The main problem with this film is that it feels like a film that never needed to be made. Though that is also how I felt about the original. This feels more like a cash grab but at least I can say this film.

At least is more entertaining and better made. As this feels like what the first film should have been at least.

Watching this film it reminds me of how exciting action sequences can be. As fun battles can be fun in films if we wonder how a smaller number is going to overcome a much larger number and is creative int he way it is styled and done. Think of how much you might enjoy a sword fight in a film because there is an effort put forth but the problem with some action films is that the gun battles are not noteworthy. You know usually how they will turn out. They choose not to be too graphic. So that there feels like there are no real consequences.

Now while I can at least say this sequel is done more stylish and artistically. It doesn’t exactly serve the same fate as the first film where one of the map. Problems was Denzel Washington’s character faced no real threat. It was more than him and his character just playing cool. It was more like he was the slasher in a slasher film who we stayed with and the villains were the victims as they constantly seemed scared of him. Now that works in some films but in that film supposedly a typical action it took any suspense and excitement out of the film.

At least here the film has plenty of suspense even as you have no doubt Denzel will win in the end and whole here he does break a sweat it’s more out of an investigation by and figuring things out. As well as trying to be a mentor and inspire even if that part of the film leads to a third act victimizing.

Here the film tries to go into his past but most of the action of the first half of the film is setting up him And his good deeds for others and strangers. While setting up it’s Conspiracy plot. Where it ends up feeling like THE KINGSMAN where there is a double cross that you can kind of see coming and worst of all by the same actor who did it in that film.

It also dispatches a character who felt like it was just an actor doing a favor from a paycheck in the first place, but give the actor credit that in the few minutes of screentime here creates a compelling character but also another victim to their menagerie of types they seem to play in these bigger budget action films

Grade: C