The Equalizer (film)

The Equalizer is a 2014 American vigilante action-thriller film directed by Antoine Fuqua and written by Richard Wenk.[1][5] It is the first installment of The Equalizer trilogy and loosely based on the 1980s TV series of the same title. The film stars Denzel Washington in the lead role, along with Marton Csokas, Chloë Grace Moretz, David Harbour, Bill Pullman and Melissa Leo. In the film, a retired U.S. Marine and DIA agent reluctantly returns to action in order to protect a teenage prostitute from members of the Russian mafia.

The Equalizer
Theatrical release poster
Directed byAntoine Fuqua
Written byRichard Wenk
Based on
The Equalizer
by
  • Michael Sloan
  • Richard Lindheim
Produced by
Starring
CinematographyMauro Fiore
Edited byJohn Refoua
Music byHarry Gregson-Williams
Production
companies
Distributed bySony Pictures Releasing
Release dates
  • September 7, 2014 (2014-09-07) (TIFF)
  • September 26, 2014 (2014-09-26) (United States)
Running time
132 minutes[2]
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$55–73 million[3][4]
Box office$192.3 million[3]

Principal photography took place in Massachusetts from May to September 2013. The world premiere for The Equalizer was held at 2014 Toronto International Film Festival on September 7, 2014, and it was released in theaters worldwide on September 26, 2014. The film received mixed reviews from critics and grossed over $192 million worldwide. The sequels titled The Equalizer 2 was released on July 20, 2018 and The Equalizer 3 was released on September 1, 2023.

Plot

Robert McCall, a former U.S. Marine and DIA officer, now lives a quiet life in Boston, where he works at a hardware store. He helps his colleague Ralphie train to become a security guard. Unable to sleep, Robert often spends late nights reading at an all-night diner. Over time, he has befriended Teri, a teenage prostitute trafficked by the Russian mafia. The pair often talk about the books he has been reading.

One evening, while taking a stroll, Teri shares that her real name is Alina and that she dreams of becoming a singer. Her pimp Slavi abruptly arrives, hits Alina, and forces her into the car. He hands a stunned Robert his business card and drives away. Alina is badly beaten and admitted to the ICU at a nearby hospital. Upon hearing the news, Robert travels there and learns from her friend Mandy, another prostitute, that Slavi is responsible. He finds Slavi and his men at their restaurant and is bluntly refused when he offers to buy Alina's freedom. Robert expertly kills the men and leaves. Unbeknownst to him, Slavi and his men were part of a much larger syndicate led by Russian oligarch Vladimir Pushkin. Teddy Rensen, Pushkin's enforcer, arrives in Boston to investigate the attack. Aided by Boston PD detectives on Pushkin's payroll, he canvases rival gangs in the area, nearly beating Irish mob lieutenant "Little John" Looney to death to send a message.

Robert continues exacting vigilante justice on criminals he encounters. He blackmails two corrupt police officers into returning racketeering money to Ralphie's mother, and beats a gunman with a hammer after he robs the hardware store, taking a coworker's heirloom ring from her mother. Teddy kills Mandy after learning that she concealed information about Robert and lied about her friendship with Alina. He visits Robert at his apartment, posing as a police detective, but Robert does not fall for the guise. Teddy flashes a picture of the strangled Mandy before walking away, offering it as a warning. Teddy and his mercenary group fail to abduct Robert on two occasions. Robert travels to visit his DIA colleague Susan and her husband, Brian Plummer. Until now, it was long assumed that Robert died in a bombing incident long ago. He asks for Susan's help in identifying Teddy. She informs him of Pushkin's operation and that Teddy's real name is Nicolai Itchenko, a Spetsnaz operative turned Russian secret police agent. She also reveals that Nicolai murdered two of the Boston PD detectives and that one of them, Frank Masters, had not been heard from in days.

Robert tracks Masters down and threatens him into helping take down one of Pushkin's money laundering warehouses. Masters and Pushkin's men are taken into custody when the police arrive, and they find a note left by Robert to "follow the money." He confronts Nicolai again, threatening to do more damage if he continues to pursue him. He later destroys two of Pushkin's oil tankers. In response, Nicolai abducts Robert's co-workers at the hardware store to force him to meet. To Nicolai's surprise, Robert skips the meeting with Nicolai and instead kills the men guarding the hostages. Nicolai arrives with his men, whom Robert kills one by one with improvised weapons collected throughout the hardware store. As Nicolai is about to kill Ralphie, who stayed behind to help, Robert kills him with a nail gun.

Three days later, Robert finds Pushkin at his Moscow mansion, killing all his guards and tricking him into electrocuting himself to death. Sometime later, following her recovery, Alina runs into Robert. She thanks him for the money he left her, describing how she has started a new life. Inspired to continue helping others, Robert posts online ads as The Equalizer.

Cast

In addition, Robert Wahlberg and Timothy John Smith play the crooked Boston Police Department detectives.

Production

In June 2010, it was announced that Russell Crowe was trying to bring The Equalizer to the big screen directed by Paul Haggis, with Crowe intending to play Robert McCall.[6][7]

In December 2011, it was reported that Denzel Washington would star in the title role of the film version, to be financed by Sony Pictures Entertainment and Escape Artists.[6][8] Director Antoine Fuqua came on board to direct on March 21, 2013, reuniting him with Washington after their successful collaboration on the 2001 Oscar-winning film Training Day.[9] Chloë Grace Moretz was announced as a co-star on May 10, 2013; Anna Kendrick, Kelly Macdonald and Nina Dobrev were also considered.[10]

On May 31, 2013, Melissa Leo was cast in the film. Leo previously worked with Washington in the 2012 film Flight, and with Fuqua in Olympus Has Fallen (2013).[11] Coincidentally, Leo actually guest starred in a season one episode of the original Equalizer television series titled "The Defector", in which she portrayed the daughter of a former Soviet agent, who enlists McCall's help to defect to the United States. Marton Csokas was cast to play the villain on May 17.[12]

Principal photography began in May 2013 at various locations throughout Boston including Haverhill, Hamilton, Ipswich and Swampscott.[13] Filming wrapped in September 2013.[13]

In the scene where McCall attempts to suffocate Masters in his car, it is a Jaguar XJ6 revealed in the shot of the hose into the tailpipe. The Jaguar was famously used in the original television series.

On June 21, 2013, Harry Gregson-Williams was hired to compose the music for the film.[14] Varèse Sarabande released a soundtrack album for The Equalizer on September 23, 2014.[15]

The song "Guts Over Fear" by rapper Eminem featuring Sia, with production by Emile Haynie, premiered in trailers for the film.[16] The song also plays over the closing credits.

Release
Denzel Washington and Chloë Grace Moretz promoting the film at the 2014 Toronto International Film Festival

Promotion and marketing

The first official image from the film was released on December 6, 2013. On August 6, 2012, Sony had originally planned on an April 11, 2014 release date, but on July 5, 2013, the released date pushed back to September 26, 2014.[17][18] The first official poster for the film was released on April 16, 2014.[19] On April 22, USA Today revealed photos from the film.[20] On May 24, the trailer for the film was released.[21] On June 12, another official trailer for the film was released.[22] On July 16, the IMAX poster for the film was released.[23]

Theatrical release

The film's premiere was held at the 2014 Toronto International Film Festival on September 7, 2014.[24] Sony released the film in theaters worldwide on September 26, 2014.[25]

Reception

Box office

The Equalizer grossed $101.5 million in North America and $90.8 million in other territories for a worldwide gross of $192.3 million. Its net production budget was estimated between $55-73 million.[3][4]

The film was released on September 26, 2014, in the United States and earned $12.5 million from 3,236 theaters in its first opening night, including the $1.45 million it earned from 2,693 screens from Thursday night showings. On the second day, the film earned $13.5 million and $8.1 million on the third day.[26][27] Its opening day is the third biggest for Washington, tailing behind American Gangster ($15.8 million) and Safe House ($13.6 million).[28]

On its opening weekend the film earned $34.1 million ($10,816 per theater) and debuted at number one at the box office. The film broke several records at the box office during its opening weekend including the biggest R-rated debut of September, surpassing Jackass Number Two record ($29 million), the biggest IMAX opener of September, the biggest debut weekend gross for Antoine surpassing Olympus Has Fallen ($30 million), the fifth biggest domestic opening for Washington behind the aforementioned American Gangster ($43.6 million), Safe House ($40.2 million), and eventually behind its sequel The Equalizer 2 ($35.8 million) and The Magnificent Seven ($35.7 million). It was also the fourth biggest for a film released in September.[29][30][31] It earned $3.3 million from 352 IMAX theaters.[32] Audiences for the debut weekend of the film were 52% male and 48% female, with 65% of ticket buyers over 30 years old.[33]

The Equalizer earned $17.8 million overseas from 65 territories from 4,500 screens during its opening weekend with $1.4 million of the gross coming from 137 IMAX theaters.[34] The film broke several September openings record in various territories including the UK, Netherlands, Israel, and Egypt.[35] Top openings include the UK ($2.9 million), Russia ($2.7 million), Mexico ($1.4 million), Brazil ($1.3 million) United Arab Emirates ($875,000) and Malaysia ($650,000). Showings from Village Roadshow markets grossed an estimate $2.4 million with top openings including Australia ($1.9 million), New Zealand ($180,000) and Singapore ($300,000).[36][37]

Critical response

On review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, The Equalizer has an approval rating of 61% based on 206 reviews, with an average rating of 5.7/10.[38] The site's critical consensus reads: "The Equalizer is more stylishly violent than meaningful, but with Antoine Fuqua behind the cameras and Denzel Washington dispensing justice, it delivers."[38] At Metacritic, which assigns a weighted average rating, the film received an average score of 57 out of 100, based on 41 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews".[39] Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "A−" on a scale ranging from A+ to F.[40]

Writing for RogerEbert.com, Susan Wloszczyna gave the film three out of four stars, stating: "If The Equalizer lacks gravitas, it is fairly sturdy as far as pure entertainment goes ... And this film acts as an origin story with an ending that suggests a new franchise is afoot."[41] Common Sense Media gave an expert review of 3 star rating with parents and kids giving an average of 4 stars.[42] James Berardinelli of ReelViews gave the film three out of four stars, positively commenting on the pacing, further describing that it is "in no hurry to rush into things".[43] For The Globe and Mail, Liam Lacey gave a two-and-a-half stars out of four, welcoming the idea of sequels to The Equalizer, "just to watch Denzel finding new ways of getting even."[44]

Geoffrey Macnab for The Independent favorably compared the film to Washington's films with the late Tony Scott. However, Macnab criticized the plot, claiming that it "makes no sense whatsoever". Nonetheless, he left a rating of three stars out of five.[45]

Home media

The Equalizer was released on Blu-ray and DVD on December 9, 2014, by Sony Pictures Home Entertainment.[46] Later, it was released on Ultra HD Blu-ray on July 10, 2018, 10 days before the sequel was released in theaters.[47]

Sequels

The Equalizer 2
Main article: The Equalizer 2

On February 24, 2014, seven months before the release of the film, it was announced that Sony Pictures and Escape Artists were planning a sequel, with Richard Wenk penning the script.[48][49][50] In early October 2014, Fuqua said in an interview that there would be a sequel to the film only if audiences and Denzel Washington wanted it. He stated McCall was an interesting character and that the sequel could have more of an international flavor.[51] On April 22, 2015, Sony announced that a sequel would be made.[52]

In July 2017, Columbia Pictures announced that a portion of the filming would take place in the Brant Rock area of Marshfield, which took place over two weeks in November 2017.[53] The Equalizer 2 was released in the U.S. on July 20, 2018.

The Equalizer 3
Main article: The Equalizer 3

In August 2018, Fuqua announced his plans to continue the film series. The filmmaker expressed interest in the plot taking place in an international setting.[54]

By January 2022, a third film was officially confirmed to be in development, with Denzel Washington returning in the eponymous role. Fuqua will once again serve as director, while principal photography scheduled to commence some time in 2022, with Washington announcing that it would be the next movie he films.[55][56][57][58][59][60] In June 2022, Dakota Fanning was cast in a supporting role. Written by Richard Wenk, the movie will be produced by Todd Black, Jason Blumenthal, Steve Tisch and Denzel Washington. The project will be a co-production between Sony Pictures, and Escape Artists Productions.[61] The film was released theatrically on September 1, 2023.[62]

References
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