Denzel Washington is the kind of legendary actor that will make you believe in anything. No matter the scenario, his tremendous talents will pull you close and never let go. He’s the closest to a sure thing at the movies. Teaming up once again with one of his favorite directors, Antoine Fuqua (The Equalizer, Training Day), they get away with a solid sequel in The Equalizer 2. The plot hasn’t changed that much and we hope Washington’s Robert McCall doesn’t either.
Fuqua takes his time by following McCall around, observing the personal connections he makes. Good or bad, he meets a lot of interesting people. So, whether he’s driving around as a Lyft driver or kicking ass on a train going to Turkey, it’s just another day for this badass. Just a heads up for Denzel fans looking for an action-packed movie—this ain’t it. Don’t get me wrong, there’s definitely bloodshed, but EQ 2 is more about McCall’s personal journey than the body count.
In the original, McCall was a man of mystery. All you needed to know was he fought for those who could not. A good guy with unwavering morals who was not to be fucked with, particularly when he sets his watch. Now four years later, he’s still all of that, but Fuqua and Washington want to dig a little deeper. And who can blame them? No one wants a repeat of what they have already seen. The stakes have to be raised in some way, even if part of the fun of the first one was not knowing anything. A vigilante with no past is incredibly more intriguing. Even so, in this one you know where he’s been and what the repercussions of loss, grief, and redemption can do to a man.
Mystery solved.
It takes a good little chunk of time to get to the main story, which gets truly personal for McCall. His only true friend Susan Plummer (Melissa Leo) is killed for getting too close to an investigation. And if you think McCall won’t find out who did this and make them severely pay for it then you haven’t been paying attention to what he is capable of. Don’t feel too sad though, he does find a new friend in Miles (Moonlight’s Ashton Sanders) by being a mentor, setting an example for what Miles should be and steering him away from winding up dead on the streets.
As mentioned earlier, EQ 2 doesn’t shy away from violence. When it’s in effect, the thriller is relentless and brutal. That’s nothing new if you’re a fan of its predecessor. Essentially, that is what it all comes down to. If you enjoyed what you saw in The Equalizer then this should not leave you unimpressed. It’s an accomplished sequel that builds on the man who punishes the sick bastards out there.
Also, did you know this is Denzel’s first sequel ever? Pretty incredible since I’m sure you have all been craving for a John Q 2 or a follow-up to Philadelphia like I have. His humanity and unmatched ability to talk the talk and walk the walk with such expressive force is why The Equalizer 2 is a cool, unflinching flick. Without him, it wouldn’t stand a chance.
Brandon Vick is a member of The Music City Film Critics’ Association and the Southeastern Film Critics Association, the resident film critic of the SoBros Network, and the star of The Vick’s Flicks Podcast. Follow him on Twitter @SirBrandonV and be sure to search #VicksFlicks for all of his latest movie reviews.
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