The Equalizer (2014)

P10549100 v v8 at — September 7, 2014 (TIFF)
September 26, 2014 (United States)

The Equalizer is a 2014 American vigilante action-thriller film directed by Antoine Fuqua and written by Richard Wenk. It is based on the 1980s TV series of the same title and the first of three films starring Denzel Washington. The cast includes Marton Csokas, Chloë Grace Moretz, David Harbour, Bill Pullman, and Melissa Leo. Washington plays Robert McCall, an ex-Marine and DIA officer, who reluctantly returns to action to protect a teenage trafficking victim from the members of the Russian mafia.

Principal photography took place in Massachusetts from May 2013 to September 2013. The world premiere for The Equalizerwas held at 2014 Toronto International Film Festival on September 7, 2014 and it was released worldwide on September 26, 2014. The film received mixed reviews from critics and grossed $192.3 million worldwide. The sequels The Equalizer 2 was released on July 20, 2018 and The Equalizer 3 was released on September 1, 2023.

Storyline[]

Robert McCall, a former Marine and retired DIA/DCS officer, lives in Boston and works at a big-box home improvement 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, where he befriends Teri, a teenage sex worker trafficked by the Russian mafia.

One evening, Teri shares that her real name is Alina and that she dreams of becoming a singer. Robert and Alina take a stroll, but Alina's pimp Slavi abruptly arrives, hits her and forces her into a car. Slavi hands Robert a business card for their escort service before driving away.

A few nights later, a badly injured Alina is admitted to the ICU at a nearby hospital. Upon hearing the news, Robert learns from her friend Mandy that Slavi is responsible for her condition. Finding Slavi and his men at their restaurant, he is bluntly refused when he offers to buy Alina's freedom. So he swiftly kills them all.

Unbeknownst to Robert, Slavi and his men are part of a much larger crime syndicate led by Russian oligarch Vladimir Pushkin. Teddy Rensen, Pushkin's enforcer, arrives in Boston to investigate the attack. Aided by Boston police detectives on Pushkin's payroll, Teddy canvasses 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 the criminals he encounters. He blackmails two corrupt cops into returning racketeering money to Ralphie's mother and beats a gunman with a hammer after he robbed the hardware store, taking a coworker's heirloom ring from her.

Teddy kills Mandy after learning that she has concealed information about Robert. He visits Robert at his apartment, where both try to intimidate each other. Teddy and his goons later try to kidnap Robert, who eludes them.

Robert's former DIA colleague, Susan Plummer, identifies Teddy as Nicolai Itchenko, formerly of USSR secret police, with Spetsnaz background. He has murdered two of the Boston police detectives who failed to kidnap Robert; a third, named Frank Masters had not been heard from for days. Susan also briefs Robert on Pushkin's operation.

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 find a note left by Robert to "follow the money." He confronts Nicolai again, threatening to commit more damage if he continues to pursue him.

Robert destroys two of Pushkin's oil tankers. Nicolai abducts Robert's coworkers at the hardware store to force him for a meeting. To Nicolai's surprise, Robert skips the meeting and kills the men to ensure the safety of the hostages they were guarding. Nicolai arrives with his men, but Robert stealthily kills them with improvised weapons collected throughout the hardware store and later kills Nicolai with a rivet gun to save a cornered Ralphie.

Three days later, Robert finds Pushkin at his Moscow mansion, kills the guards and tricks him into electrocuting himself. Alina, following her recovery, runs into Robert and shares that she has started a new life with the money that was left at her hospital bed by him. Inspired to continue helping others, Robert responds to online ads requesting help, calling himself The Equalizer.

The Equalizer (2014)

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