I just finished watching The Equalizer and I think I’m going to have to buy this one!  While the film shares some similarities with Denzel Washington’s Man on Fire, this is definitely not the same film, Denzel plays a strait laced former black ops operator who is forced to use his skills to defend the innocent around him and protect himself.

The film starts out well, you get to know the key players and understand how they all play parts in the main characters life, the nice part is this is done in such a way that you don’t get bored, you stay focused and engaged in the film during this setup process.  This alone impressed me since I’ve seen countless films that fair horribly at this and loose me before I’m even half way though the film.

Once you reach the meat of the story you’re totally draw in, there is humor, drama, suspense, and action, and it’s all balanced so well that you never have time to dwell or burn out on one before your on to the next feeling.  Some of the things that happen in the film are a little over the top but not so much that you can’t believe it could happen, this is what I really like about this film, it’s a little over the top you grounded enough that you can believe that someone with the skills this man has could pull it off.

I’ve read some reviews saying that Chloe Grace Moretz was hard to believe, and I don’t see that in fact I think she did a wonderful job, so good in fact that I was surprised to see she was so young.  I really thought she was at least in her mid twenties, not 17!

Denzel Washington was perfect, he took the revenge seeking of Man on Fire and mixed it with the quiet cold efficiency of Jason Bourne and made the guy next door the most dangerous nice guy you’ll ever meet.  His ability to make you believe him is astounding, he can make you laugh in one scene then make you tense in anticipation in the next scene.  He really make this film.

The story was good, it was set up well and believable.  It moves along at a nice pace, not so fast that it skips over important things, but not so slow that you feel like it will never end.  I will say there one part that drew me out of the film, I won’t give anything away but I will say this, he walks away from an explosion that even if he had been able to survive being that close to it it would have at least knocked him down.  That is the only thing I didn’t like about this film, other that that I thought it was great and will probably end up buying it very soon.

So if you liked Man on Fire or the first three Bourne films, see this film.  You’ll really enjoy this film about a quiet and complex man doing what’s right with the skills he has.