A review by Brooks Rich
I hate that more people have not seen this film. Antoine Fuqua is one of the most talented action directors to come out of the 2010s'. People might think Training Day is his best film but I content this film is easily his best. I think people ignored this film because it was a remake of a television show. This is more than a remake. This is stunning character study hidden in a taut action thriller.
Denzel Washington plays Robert McCall, a man with a mysterious past who works at a big box hardware store in Boston. At night he goes to a local diner where he interacts with a young prostitute played by Chloe Grace Moretz. When she is viciously beaten by her employers, McCall tries to buy her freedom from her life of prostitution. When they refuse McCall kills them. He soon has the Russian mob after him as he's killed one of their main hubs of their Boston network. The mob drastically underestimates McCall however.
Denzel isn't just playing a mysterious badass action hero. He's playing a man haunted by his past. He does not enjoy using violence. He does it only as a last resort. He is a good man at heart. A good man who happens to be highly trained in the art of killing. McCall is one of Denzel's best characters in my opinion. He's a complex character, a man haunted by his past and what he's capable of. Throughout the film we see him reading books from a list of the greatest novels ever written. We find out he is doing this so he has something to talk about with his late wife when they are finally reunited.
The cast behind Denzel are outstanding. This was Chloe Grace Moretz's first grown up role and she kills it, holding her own against Denzel. The main antagonist, Teddy, a brutal enforcer for the Russian mob, is played by Martin Csokas. He plays Teddy with a chilling intensity, making him a perfect foil for McCall.
Fuqua shoots the shit out of this movie. He's always had a good visual eye and this is the most gorgeous film he has ever made. There's not a wasted frame in this film. From the dialogue scenes to the action set pieces, every shot is deliberate. At times it feels like Fuqua is making a Tony Scott film. It has this slick feel to it.
This film is violent. The climax especially is a flurry of violence as McCall brutally dispatches Teddy's men. As an audience we feel every kill so we understand why McCall is haunted by his abilities. It wouldn't have the same impact if McCall just used guns. The violence has to be visceral.
This is one of the best films of the last decade. I stand by that statement. It's well shot and well thought out. If you can tolerate the violence, watch this film immediately.
I hate that more people have not seen this film. Antoine Fuqua is one of the most talented action directors to come out of the 2010s'. People might think Training Day is his best film but I content this film is easily his best. I think people ignored this film because it was a remake of a television show. This is more than a remake. This is stunning character study hidden in a taut action thriller.
Denzel Washington plays Robert McCall, a man with a mysterious past who works at a big box hardware store in Boston. At night he goes to a local diner where he interacts with a young prostitute played by Chloe Grace Moretz. When she is viciously beaten by her employers, McCall tries to buy her freedom from her life of prostitution. When they refuse McCall kills them. He soon has the Russian mob after him as he's killed one of their main hubs of their Boston network. The mob drastically underestimates McCall however.
Denzel isn't just playing a mysterious badass action hero. He's playing a man haunted by his past. He does not enjoy using violence. He does it only as a last resort. He is a good man at heart. A good man who happens to be highly trained in the art of killing. McCall is one of Denzel's best characters in my opinion. He's a complex character, a man haunted by his past and what he's capable of. Throughout the film we see him reading books from a list of the greatest novels ever written. We find out he is doing this so he has something to talk about with his late wife when they are finally reunited.
The cast behind Denzel are outstanding. This was Chloe Grace Moretz's first grown up role and she kills it, holding her own against Denzel. The main antagonist, Teddy, a brutal enforcer for the Russian mob, is played by Martin Csokas. He plays Teddy with a chilling intensity, making him a perfect foil for McCall.
Fuqua shoots the shit out of this movie. He's always had a good visual eye and this is the most gorgeous film he has ever made. There's not a wasted frame in this film. From the dialogue scenes to the action set pieces, every shot is deliberate. At times it feels like Fuqua is making a Tony Scott film. It has this slick feel to it.
This film is violent. The climax especially is a flurry of violence as McCall brutally dispatches Teddy's men. As an audience we feel every kill so we understand why McCall is haunted by his abilities. It wouldn't have the same impact if McCall just used guns. The violence has to be visceral.
This is one of the best films of the last decade. I stand by that statement. It's well shot and well thought out. If you can tolerate the violence, watch this film immediately.
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