Overview
A retired commando steps out of the shadows to deliver justice.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- Graphic
- tense
- measured
- violent
- action movie night
- crime thriller marathon
What critics said
Critics broadly found the film stylish and entertaining, with Denzel Washington’s performance and Antoine Fuqua’s direction offsetting a thin, familiar revenge narrative.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Robert McCall fakes his death and abandons his former life before returning to action to protect Teri and other helpless people.
McCall becomes an informal solution for victims who cannot obtain justice through ordinary authorities.
McCall’s quiet routines and calculating demeanor give way to carefully controlled but graphic confrontations.
The story moves through ordinary American spaces while exposing a brutal Russian gang and connected criminal operations.
Films like The Equalizer, and why
Man on Fire
shares the vigilante thriller framework, morally driven protagonist, measured action, and corruption-focused revenge plot
Taken
shares a retired operative drawn back into violence, R-rated action, and a protective bond with a vulnerable young person
John Wick
shares stylish urban vigilantism, criminal conspiracy, and a highly capable protagonist dispensing rough justice
Movie Details
- Director
- Antoine Fuqua
- Release Date
- 2014-09-24
- Runtime
- 132 min
- Rating
- 7.3 / 10 (10232)
Cast
- Denzel Washington
- Marton Csokas
- Chloë Grace Moretz
- David Harbour
- Haley Bennett
- Bill Pullman
- Melissa Leo
- David Meunier
- Johnny Skourtis
- Alex Veadov
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- HBO Max Amazon Channel, YouTube TV, HBO Max
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Spectrum On Demand, Plex
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is The Equalizer about?
- A seemingly retired commando reignites his lethal skills to protect a vulnerable young woman and punish a brutal criminal network.
- What is The Equalizer like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of The Equalizer as measured, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is The Equalizer violent?
- Yes. Ember rates the violence in The Equalizer as graphic.
- What did critics think of The Equalizer?
- Critics broadly found the film stylish and entertaining, with Denzel Washington’s performance and Antoine Fuqua’s direction offsetting a thin, familiar revenge narrative.
- Which films are like The Equalizer?
- Films with a similar feel include Man on Fire, Taken, and John Wick.
- How long is The Equalizer?
- The Equalizer runs 132 minutes.
- Where can I watch The Equalizer?
- In United States, The Equalizer streams on HBO Max Amazon Channel, YouTube TV, HBO Max.
