Equalizer 2, The (IMAX in some cinemas)

Stars: Denzel Washington, Pedro Pascal, Bill Pullman, Melissa Leo, Jonathan Scarfe. Ashton Sanders, Sakina Jaffrey, Orson Bean

Director: Antoine Fuqua

A further adventure of Robert McCall (Washington), part-time cab driver and part-time government enforcer, in a standard, thoroughly routine thriller.

We're treated to a couple of pre-mainstory incidents, James Bond-style, that emphasise how deadly McCall is, so we expect the bad guys to take a licking when McCall's contact and friend (Leo) is killed while investigating the deaths of a Belgian agent and his wife.

In his spare time, McCall does good deeds while remaining the ice-cold 'equalizer' of the title, and becomes a father figure to an artistic delinquent he calls Mouse (Sanders), presumably in affectionate tribute to a character created by Washington's favourite author Walter Mosley. There's a whiff of Mosley here, but it's smothered by a conventional, shoot-em-up story in which there's never any doubt that McCall will bring the enemy agents to justice or, rather, unpleasant deaths.

Washington coasts through his role, doubtless saving the pennies for a more personal project. A climax set in a town abandoned in the face of impending flood waters brings things to a predictably violent conclusion.

David Quinlan

USA 2018. UK Distributor: Sony (Columbia). Colour by Company 3.
121 minutes. Widescreen. UK certificate: 15.

Guidance ratings (out of 3): Sex/nudity 0, Violence/Horror 2, Drugs 2, Swearing 3.

Review date: 12 Aug 2018