In the interlude between large-scale tentpole movies and the annual Oscar contenders, the film industry traditionally witnesses a steady decline in notable releases. That said, the beginning of autumn has served up some intriguing surprises over the years including the likes of Neil Blomkamp’s District 9. For this year, though, that space is set to be occupied by Antoine Fuqua’s The Equalizer.
Starring Denzel Washington as former black ops agent Robert McCall, the film sees Washington’s character return to the game for one last job. That job involves rescuing a young girl named Teri — played here by Chloë Grace-Moretz — who has found herself caught up in a gang of ruthless Russian mobsters.
Admittedly, The Equalizer has had its fair shares of hiccups on the road to production. Initially, the adaptation of the 80s procedural was to be brought to the big screen by Paul Haggis, then Rupart Wyatt and thereafter, subversive filmmaker Nicholas Winding Refn. Ultimately, though, directing duties fell into the hands of Fuqua, who called upon his old companion Washington — who worked alongside the director for Training Day — to step into the shoes of McCall.
After all, judging by this most recent footage, Washington disappears into a no-holds-barred vigilante like milk into coffee, but it remains to be seen whether the final product is more than the sum of its parts. Fuqua no doubt has an astute eye for action following his work on Shooter and End of Watch, so here’s hoping his latest effort proves to be the September surprise we’ve been longing for.
Denzel Washington will look to even the odds when The Equalizer hits theatres on September 26th. Until then, be sure to check out the latest trailer above and poster for the film below.
