Mr. Movie review: EQ2 is the rare sequel that’s better than the original
“The Equalizer 2” — or “EQ2” as it is also known — is the sequel to the 2014 original. Well, it’s original if we can say a movie based on a so-so TV show from the 1980s is the first of its kind. The TV show picked up a lot of Emmy nominations — and one win — for star Edward Woodward. Not sure why. It was so — um — TV.
“EQ2” isn’t bad for an action flick but will never come close to winning, or even being nominated for awards.
Washington’s Robert McCall is ex-CIA, supposedly dead and goes to great lengths to help the helpless. You might say McCall is addicted to do-gooding. In the first film, McCall worked at a hardware store. Now he’s a driver for a rideshare company.
Longtime Washington collaborator Antoine Fuqua directs. The first film’s writer, Richard Wenk, puts pen to this one, too. His story teases you with this good deed and that before getting McCall — and you — to the point.
A longtime friend is murdered while investigating some dastardly doings in Europe by people who knocked off an agent and his family. It’s up to McCall and his former partner Dave — who thought he was dead — to uncover the mystery of her death.
I didn’t love or hate the first movie. It was too long, had cliche characters and a plot with nowhere to go. “The Equalizer” was — however — monster hit enough to deserve a second shot.
No surprise, the sequel is also packed with cliche characters, is a bit too long and has nowhere to go that you haven’t been before. The reason it works is Washington.
He’s not the best action hero ever, but he’s not bad. It doesn’t hurt that the camera loves him and that we don’t see Washington as a movie star. He’s one of us. Washington has this natural, easy-going persona that makes you believe he could easily be your next door neighbor and the two of you could enjoy a beer together on your porch, or his, on a hot summer’s day.
That relationship impossibly also lets you believe Washington could be a cold-hearted killer.
His charisma spells winner no matter what the subject. Also helping to sell this one is “Moonlight’s” Ashton Sanders, who plays a budding artist that McCall is dedicated to helping. Sanders’ Miles is impressionable and could end up in the clutches of one of the city’s street gangs.
Their chemistry is terrific, and their side story gives the movie its cement and a much needed anchor.
A quick aside: It’s wonderful to see Orson Bean in a movie. The former perennial game show contestant and stage and TV character actor is very good as an old man trying to find a painting of his sister.
Movie name: ‘The Equalizer 2’
Director: Antoine Fuqua
Stars: Denzel Washington, Pedro Pascal, Ashton Sanders, Melissa Leo, Bill Pullman, Orson Bean, Jonathan Scarfe
Mr. Movie rating: 3 1/2 stars
Rated R for mature themes, violence and language. It’s playing at the AMC Classic Kennewick 12, the Fairchild Cinemas Pasco and Queensgate 12s and at Walla Walla Grand Cinemas.
5 stars to 4 1/2 stars: Must see on the big screen.
4 stars to 3 1/2 stars: Good film, see it if it’s your type of movie.
3 stars to 2 1/2 stars: Wait until it comes out on DVD.
2 stars to 1 star: Don’t bother.
0 stars: Speaks for itself.
This story was originally published July 19, 2018 at 1:12 PM with the headline "Mr. Movie review: EQ2 is the rare sequel that’s better than the original."