The Equalizer

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2:33

The Equalizer

R

Released Sep 26, 2014

2h 12m

Action

Mystery & Thriller

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Popcornmeter

61%

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204 Reviews

77%

Popcornmeter

50,000+ Ratings

Robert McCall (Denzel Washington), a man of mysterious origin who believes he has put the past behind him, dedicates himself to creating a quiet new life. However, when he meets Teri (Chloë Grace Moretz), a teenager who has been manhandled by violent Russian mobsters, he simply cannot walk away. With his set of formidable skills, McCall comes out of self-imposed retirement and emerges as an avenging angel, ready to take down anyone who brutalizes the helpless.

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Critics Consensus

The Equalizer is more stylishly violent than meaningful, but with Antoine Fuqua behind the cameras and Denzel Washington dispensing justice, it delivers.

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Shadow and Act Staff

Shadow and Act

The film is worth seeing to watch Denzel deliver his trademark slow burn gaze.

Rated: 3.5/5

Sep 14, 2022

Full Review

Dwight Brown

National Newspaper Publishers Association

This paint-by-numbers film, though powerful when you watch it, largely thanks to its lead actor, has no lasting emotional affect.

Mar 7, 2017

Full Review

Katie Kilkenny

The Atlantic

The movie's all about reading, especially with a critical eye, but when you take too close a look at its disparate parts, they neither add up nor have anything constructive to teach.

Jul 19, 2016

Full Review

Matt Brunson

Film Frenzy

The Equalizer is about as subtle as a pneumatic stapler shot to the temple. But who wants subtlety when one can bask in the glory of Denzel obliterating remorseless degenerates left and right?

Rated: 3/4

Nov 25, 2023

Full Review

Sebastian Zavala Kahn

Me gusta el cine

Washington shines, playing McCall as a clean and orderly man, whose OCD doesn't prevent him from getting his hands dirty with the blood and grime of Boston's most rotten. He is a killing machine that almost never fails. Full review in Spanish.

Rated: 4/5

Oct 17, 2023

Full Review

Ruth Maramis

FlixChatter Film Blog

Denzel’s immense gravitas and quiet power elevate this beyond a run-of-the-mill violent action thriller.

Rated: 3.5/5

Sep 1, 2023

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Aleksandar D

A weekend action movie. Ok.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

01/17/25

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Charlotte W

Bit of a slow start and was expecting alot more action

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

01/04/25

Full Review

Skyfire J

Denzel lifts every project he is in, and this is no different. He is amazing...the rest of the movie...well it kinda worked for 30 minutes. Classic revenge story with a competent protagonist, but then it goes off the rails and meanders for another 2 hours. There are so many plot holes, strange shifts in character behavior, and unexplained events that you just sort of check out of the movie until it is over. I started this series by watching Equalizer 3, and I loved it. Not sure how a sequel ever got green lit after this mess of a movie.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

01/02/25

Full Review

Mate P

The Equalizer has a pretty solid script, but it has terrible editing and pacing. The main character is the definition of a person with perfect moral. He is ruthless, but he kills to save people. The themes of caring, kindness, giving people a chance are not complicated, but important. The story is predictable, but engaging. On the other hand, the movie is not. The editing is terrible. The fight scenes are just bad, because I couldn't see anything. The pacing is also horrible. The beginning was good, it had a lot of similarities to John Wick and I though that would be the slow part, but the fight sequence in the end was a lot more boring, I fell asleep several times. The cinematography was sometimes gorgeous, but in a few scenes, it was just pretty bad. Denzel Washington is a terrific actor and he created an interesting character, his performance was great. The Equalizer is pretty boring, I think it could've been a lot better with a shorter runtime and well-edited fight scenes.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

12/20/24

Full Review

Benyamin M

Classic Denzel Washington. Does amazing work in this one as always. Good action aswell.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

11/23/24

Full Review

matthias s

I’d been wanting to see *The Equalizer* for a while, and it didn’t disappoint. Denzel Washington is incredible, bringing a level of intensity and depth to his role that only he can. The plot is straightforward, but that simplicity works to the film's advantage—it lets the action and characters shine without unnecessary twists. The action sequences are impressively crafted, balancing grit and style, and there’s just enough humor woven in to keep it from feeling too heavy. The supporting cast is strong, and you can’t help but root for Washington's character as he takes on the bad guys with a quiet, commanding force. It’s incredibly badass, and at the end of the day, sometimes you just want an entertaining, well-made thriller that delivers on thrills. I had a great time with it, and that’s all that mattered!

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

11/09/24

Full Review

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Antoine Fuqua

Director

Denzel Washington

Robert McCall

Marton Csokas

Teddy

Chloë Grace Moretz

Teri

David Harbour

Masters

Bill Pullman

Brian Plummer

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The Equalizer: Official Clip - Head of the Snake

2:07

The Equalizer: Official Clip - A New Start

2:47

The Equalizer: Official Clip - Evening Tea

2:54

The Equalizer: Official Clip - Her Life Will Go On

1:30

The Equalizer: Official Clip - Pay It Back

2:58

The Equalizer: Official Clip - Brick by Brick

4:48

The Equalizer: Official Clip - Deadly Diner Patron

2:29

The Equalizer: Official Clip - Disrespect the Badge

3:15

The Equalizer: Official Clip - Just Kinda Lost

3:26

The Equalizer: Official Clip - Walking Terri Home

1:58

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Synopsis

Robert McCall (Denzel Washington), a man of mysterious origin who believes he has put the past behind him, dedicates himself to creating a quiet new life. However, when he meets Teri (Chloë Grace Moretz), a teenager who has been manhandled by violent Russian mobsters, he simply cannot walk away. With his set of formidable skills, McCall comes out of self-imposed retirement and emerges as an avenging angel, ready to take down anyone who brutalizes the helpless.

Director: Antoine Fuqua
Producer: Todd Black, Jason Blumenthal, Denzel Washington, Alex Siskin, Steve Tisch, Mace Neufeld, Tony Eldridge, Michael Sloan
Screenwriter: Richard Wenk
Distributor: Sony Pictures Entertainment
Production Co: Escape Artists, Mace Neufeld Productions, Zhiv
Rating: R (Some Sexual References|Language Throughout|Strong Bloody Violence)
Genre: Action, Mystery & Thriller
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Sep 26, 2014, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Jun 28, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA): $101.5M
Runtime: 2h 12m
Sound Mix: Datasat, Dolby Digital

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