The Equalizer

The Equalizer is Denzel Washington doing John Wick before John Wick, playing Robert McCall, a retired black ops agent living a quiet life as a Home Depot employee who is drawn back into violence when he encounters a young woman being exploited by the Russian mob. Washington’s quiet, methodical menace is terrifying — he times how long it takes to kill a room full of men, then works to beat his record. The Home Depot climax, where McCall weaponizes power tools against Russian gangsters, is one of the most creative action finales of the decade. Antoine Fuqua directs with dark, rain-slicked style, and Washington’s controlled fury makes every kill feel deliberate and earned.