Film Review: The Equalizer

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Antoine Fuqua, Chloë Grace Moretz, Denzel Washington, director Antoine Fuqua, Film Review, Film Review: The Equalizer, Films, Liam Neeson, Marton Csokas, movies, reviews, Robert McCall, The Equalizer, Vladimir Kulich

A remake of a 80s TV series The Equalizer is familiar ground for Denzel Washington. The aging action hero, unlike Liam Neeson, has been saving the world from bad guys since the beginning of his career and his latest collaboration with director Antoine Fuqua is no different.

Robert McCall (Denzel Washington) works at a hardware store by day and sits and reads in a Hopperesque diner at night. Sticking to a routine is obviously some sort of coping mechanism but when McCall meets prostitute Lena (Chloë Grace Moretz) is tightly wound world begins to unwind, and all it takes is 28 seconds.

McCall decides to help Lena and takes out Lena’s Russian pimp but by doing so he unwittingly gets involved in a massive Russian crime syndicate. Unhappy about his loss of revenue the head of the organisation, Puskin (Vladimir Kulich), sends his enforcer Teddy (Marton Csokas) to kill the unknown troublemaker and soon people are killed, things are blown up and body parts end up where they really shouldn’t.

As the plot slowly lumbers on to a showdown in the hardware store you can’t help but wonder about the invincibility of McCall, could a 59-year-old really be as deadly as Denzel unwaveringly portrays him to be?

And that sums up The Equalizer’s weak spot: it just isn’t believable. While Denzel does cut a good figure as a close to retiring age ex CIA agent, his shirts can’t quite hide his middle-age spread and this doesn’t really convince us that he could highhandedly take down the Russian Mafia.

But the action sequences are entertaining, the showdown shot in a very unique location and Chloë Grace Moretz tugs at your heartstrings as call-girl Lena.

The Equalizer is engaging enough but just can’t quite reach the needed sizzle to make a really good action film. But it is obvious that there is an intention to follow The Equalizer up with a sequel, and who knows maybe the next storyline will be kinder to the aging action hero.

Film review: 2 Guns

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2 Guns, Blake Masters, Denzel Washington, entertainment, Film Review, Film review: 2 Guns, Films, James Marsden, Mark Wahlberg, Paula Patton, summer blockbuster, Valtasar Kormákur

Do you know the saying: Never rob a bank across the street from a diner with the best donuts in three counties? Well Bobby Trench  (Denzel Washington) and Marcus ‘Stig’ Stigman (Mark Wahlberg) do, so they blow up the diner! With this explosive opening scene 2 Guns sets the tone for an action filled summer blockbuster.

Bobby and Stig are a team, or at least the seem to be one. But when the bank heist goes wrong they soon discover that they are not who they said they were.  Both are undercover, Bobby from the DEA (Drug Enforcement Administration) and Stig is naval intelligence, and both are investigating a Mexican drug lord called Papi Greco (Edward James Olmos).

This is just the first twist of many throughout the film. However it’s not the plot that makes for good viewing but the relationship between the two main characters.

Like in so many other “buddy” films director Valtasar Kormákur has paired an unlikely couple and created enough friction to keep the viewer interested. Combined with well-written quips by screenwriter Blake Masters and Wahlbergs off –the-cuff remarks 2 Guns is entertaining, funny and, true to its graphic novel roots, a little violent.

However there are several flaws.  Why does no one ever notice Bobby and Stig hanging around well-to-do suburbs in a very loud and obvious-looking Dodge? How did Stig’s commanding officer Quince (James Marsden) find out about the bank Tres Cruces? And what happens to the police without their donuts?

A bigger issue is Paula Patton. As Washington’s love interest and handler Deb, she may be very beautiful but she is neither a femme fatal nor  damsel in distress and leaves the viewer wondering what she is doing in the film other than getting in the way.

But overall 2 Guns is entertaining and if you like a good ‘buddy’ movie in the vein of Lethal Weapon or Die Hard you’ll properly enjoy 2 Guns.

flights, films and free donuts

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Denzel Washington, donuts, Dublin, film, food, magical summer, Mark Wahlberg, photography, travel, two guns

After six week of a hot German summer I got on a plane and flew back to Dublin yesterday morning. As always when returning home from a trip there are mixed feelings. On the one hand I was looking forward to my bed, home and friends but on the other hand the six weeks just flew by, faster then I ever thought was possible.

As I sat at the gate in Hamburg waiting to board my flight, my thoughts traveled back to Berlin and all the wonderful things I had done and seen. But with my camera and laptop tucked away in my hand-luggage and my flea-market finds stowed away in my suitcases I have enough physical reminders of a magical summer.

The flight back to Dublin was only a little bumpy but the smooth landing made up for it. And even though my car needed a jump-start after resting for six weeks I made it back home with all my treasures still in one piece.  All down to the good wrapping and packing I did back in Hamburg, but it still felt a little like Christmas morning as I opened up the bundles.

As luck would have it I had an invite waiting for me to go to a preview screening of Two Guns last night, a perfect start back into everyday life. After all what girl has two hunks like Denzel Washington and Mark Wahlberg welcoming them back home?

The film was good (review to follow) but I have to admit the thing I enjoyed most about my spontaneous trip to the cinema was the surprise donuts we all got. The reason for this delicious treat was hidden in the film but whatever the reason as the icing melted on my tongue and the soft center caressed my pallet I suddenly understood peoples obsessions with the delicious rings of dough. And if you ever visit Dublin keep your eyes open for Empire Donuts, an Irish brand that has perfected these American treats.

a film and free treat. the perfect evening out … courtesy of Entertainment 1 and Empire Donuts

Film Review: Flight

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action film, action thriller, Charlie Anderson, Denzel Washington, Director Robert Zemeckist, Don Cheadle, drama, entertainment, film review flight, film reviews, Films, flight, John Goodman, Kelly Reilly, movies, reviews, Robert Zemeckist

When pilot Whip Whitaker (Denzel Washington) miraculously lands a plummeting plane in an open field all eyes are on him and a hero is born. However the newly found spotlight has a dark side too, as it shines a light on Whitakers alcohol and drug abuse. While the authorities try to find out what caused the crash, Whitaker lobbies to ensure that no who learns the truth about his addiction.

Flight may have been advertised as an action thriller but in reality it is a character–driven drama about a man struggling to admit to himself that he has a problem. Sadly it just isn’t a very good drama, although Washington is capable in his role as the flawed Whitaker. The plot is not very strong and the writing is littered with clichés.

Thankfully there is an array of good actors, even in minor roles, to distract from the poor writing and sallow characters. Don Cheadle as Hugh Lang, Whitaker’s union lawyer and Bruce Greenwood as Charlie Anderson, Whitacker’s only friend, help liven up the sluggish flow of the story, even if it seems that Cheadle has been paid to say “kill the tox report” as many times as possible. A pleasant comic relief is John Goodman as Whitacker’s dealer Harling Mays, with his Rastafarian bag filled with drugs. Sadly Kelly Reilly as Whitacker’s love interest Nicole is underused and does not add to the story at all.

The strongest and most captivating sequence of Flight is undeniably the plane crash scenes. However as this happens about a third into the film the viewer is left deflated watching a functioning alcoholic fall off the wagon again and again till he finally can admit to himself what is wrong.  And even though it is honest in its depiction, no pity party for the leading man but no routing for him to sober up either, Flight is very mundane.

Director Robert Zemeckist may have had good intentions but to lure action fans into buying tickets with trailers filled with misdirection seems a little unfair. So disappointment is guaranteed, as Flight just isn’t very good and probably would have been better as the action thriller the viewer expected to see.