Starring: Denzel Washington, Marton Csokas, Chloë Grace Moretz, David Harbour, Haley Bennett, Bill Pullman
Director: Antoine Fuqua
Rated: R (Restricted)
Studio: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
Release Date: December 30, 2014
Run Time: 132 minutes
Film: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Blu-ray: 4 out of 5 stars
Extras: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Can Denzel Washington do no wrong? This guy is a machine cranking out hit after hit recently. “The Equalizer” is no different either. It also teamed him up with “Training Day” director Antoine Fuqua again. This film is fast, in your face and brutal. Washington is at his best and really delivers an amazing performance. The film also features a solid supporting cast including Chloë Grace Moretz, Melissa Leo and Bill Pullman. There is already talk about a possible sequel, I am on board if Denzel is!!
Official Premise: McCall (Denzel Washington) has put his mysterious past behind him and is dedicated to living a new, quiet life. But when he meets Teri (Chloë Grace Moretz), a young girl under the control of ultra-violent Russian gangsters, he can’t stand idly by. Armed with hidden skills that allow him to serve vengeance against anyone who would brutalize the helpless, McCall comes out of his self-imposed retirement and finds his desire for justice reawakened. If someone has a problem, if the odds are stacked against them, if they have nowhere else to turn, McCall will help. He is The Equalizer.
Sony released this film as a combo pack with a Blu-ray and digital HD copy. The 1080p transfer is awesome. It is as gritty as the film itself, yet at the same time really sharply stylized. The DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 is nothing short of epic. The action sounds amazing and works really well. There are some great special features starting with two Behind-the-Scenes Featurettes. “Home Mart: Taking Care of Business One Bolt at a Time” looks into the climactic sequence. “Children of the Night” features Moretz talking about her character.
There is a three features that are exclusive to Blu-ray, “Vengeance Mode”, Photo Gallery and four more Behind-the-Scenes featurettes. “Inside The Equalizer” talks about bringing Robert McCall back to life. “Denzel Washington: A Different Kind of Superhero” features the actor discussing the demands of the role. “Equalizer Vision: Antoine Fuqua” is a chat with the director. Lastly “One Man Army: Training and Fighting” focuses on the stunts with Washington, Csokas & stunt coordinator, Keith Woulard.
