Columbia PicturesDenzel Washington and Chloë Grace Moretz are captivating to watch on-screen in their flick The Equalizer, even though the rest of the film has been met with mixed (if not disappointing) reviews.
Antoine Fuqua, who also directed the Oscar winner in Training Day, surely may have tried to cast this revenge thriller to the best of his ability—but critics have come forward claiming that there's little substance to the rest of the movie.
The Equalizer, based on the 1980s CBS show of the same name, follows a former black ops commando who is forced to come out of his self-imposed retirement to save a young woman in danger—cue Moretz's character.
The movie also stars Marton Csokas, David Harbour, Melissa Leo, Bill Pullman and Haley Bennett.
Let's take a look at what the critics have to say about The Equalizer:
• The Los Angeles Times' Oliver Gettell says that while Washington is "a remarkably consistent actor" who "shines" as the lead role, the "movie is incredibly violent and lacks originality."
• The Equalizer was called both "gloriously dumb" and "hilariously violent" by the Village Voice's Alan Scherstuhl. He adds that Fuqua "steadily parades his big moments, and the movie works as unhinged spectacle."
• "There's nothing terribly original about the script by Richard Wenk (who co-wrote Expendables 2 with Sylvester Stallone), but Washington is a master at putting his own inimitable and stylish spin on even the most familiar situations," Lou Lumenick of The New York Post writes.
• The Wrap's James Rocchi says it's hard to take Washington and the rest of his co-stars seriously, explaining that the script "might be a little on the nose with its metaphors, and there are a few moments of action that verge on self-parody."
The Equalizer hits movie theaters on Sept. 26.