The Equalizer 2

It’s been over 20 years since the TV series The Equalizer (1985-89) made its debut opposite Denzel Washington’s popular St. Elsewhere. Now, Washington plays shadowy Robert McCall, the titular ex-CIA Black Ops assassin-turned-vigilante. In 2014’s The Equalizer, righteous McCall was a grieving widower determined to wreak vengeance for a victimized teenage prostitute (Chloë Grace Moretz). This time, McCall is a Lyft driver in Boston who comes to the aid of passengers in danger—such as when some spoiled, rich kids get their kicks by drugging and raping a defenseless woman. McCall brutally slices one with his own credit cards, muttering, “I expect a five-star rating.” And there’s Sam (Orson Bean), a Yiddish-speaking Holocaust survivor who wants a painting the Nazis stole from his family. But McCall’s bigger concern is Miles (Ashton Sanders), an aspiring artist who is considering joining a street gang. Miles lives in the same apartment complex as McCall, who hires him to re-paint a defaced mural. McCall has remained close to former CIA handler Susan Plummer (Melissa Leo), who—aside from her husband (Bill Pullman)—is the only person aware that McCall is still alive. When Susan goes to Brussels with colleague Dave York (Pedro Pascal), she meets an untimely demise, catapulting McCall into action (he’s next on the hit list) that includes a fight during a Category 5 hurricane in coastal Massachusetts. Directed by Antoine Fuqua, this is a cliché-cluttered, avenging hero melodrama that feels fragmented due to unfocused subplots. Optional. (S. Granger)