When the big screen version of TV's "The Equalizer" made its debut in 2014, the reviews were largely mixed, but the movie proved to be a fan favourite and also a huge financial success at the international box office. Much of the success is, of course, due to Denzel Washington's committed lead performance as the no-nonsense Robert McCall. His role has since become an action icon and now, we will be seeing more of him in its sequel released today! And to coincide with "The Equalizer 2", here are the 5 reasons why Denzel Washington is such a commanding presence and a bada** in this movie franchise.
Denzel Washington may have an illustrious career playing different types of roles over the course of his 41 years' worth of acting experience, but there is always one thing about him that we often see in his performances: his signature swagger. He has long mastered that particular mannerism and body language in popular movies like "Crimson Tide", "Training Day", "Man On Fire" and "The Book Of Eli", which is why he naturally inhabits the role of Robert McCall in "The Equalizer" franchise with such an engaging onscreen presence.
What makes Denzel's Robert McCall such an intimidating figure is his dead-eyed stare. The one where "you do not want to mess with him because bad things are going to happen to you in the end" kind of stare. He mastered that expression well enough and it's hard enough to imagine anyone else try to carry the role of Robert McCall with the same level of commitment like Denzel does.
Denzel may have prior experience playing various action roles in the past, but he isn't exactly born as an action star, and yet, he always shows enough dedication to his role that makes you convinced he can actually handle a weapon or engage in a fight like a true martial artist. In "The Equalizer" movies, director Antoine Fuqua made the right choice to not shake the camera during the action sequences but instead, he framed them in a crisp manner that allows us to witness every move made by Denzel.
Another thing that made Denzel's Robert McCall such an iconic character is the way he disposes of his enemies with different choices of weapons available in his possession. For instance, in the first "Equalizer", McCall takes down the bad guys using an ashtray, a book and yes... even a corkscrew in one particularly wince-inducing violent moment that you have to see it for yourself to believe!
Denzel's Robert McCall is a man of few words, but when he speaks, particularly upon facing his enemy, his dialogue would often serve as a precursor for an impending doom to come. This is particularly evident in the first "Equalizer" where McCall meets the main antagonist of the movie, Teddy/Nicolai (Marton Csokas) during the restaurant scene, where he "makes an exception" for resorting into violence again. That scene alone does not contain any action and yet, Denzel makes the conversational moment evoke with enough dramatic tension. "The Equalizer 2" is now showing in cinemas nationwide!