It’s saying something that my favorite part of Ridley Scott’s Gladiator II wasn’t one Paul Mescal, but instead one of this generation’s greatest living performers, Denzel Washington. He was even widely considered a front-runner for an Oscar nom this year. Upon his snub, he remarked to The New York Times, “On the day you didn’t get a nomination for an Oscar, you’re working on Othello on Broadway.” Incredible.
It helps that Gladiator II is one in a long line of worthwhile Denzel Washington vehicles. The two-time Oscar winner loves a character drama as much as he does some action schlock. Seriously, no one does it quite as well as he does. It should come as no surprise, then, that one of Washington’s most successful franchises in recent years recently fought its way into the Top 10 Prime Video charts.
Per Prime Video: Denzel Washington returns to one of his signature roles in the first sequel of his career. Robert McCall serves an unflinching justice for the exploited and oppressed.
First of all, first sequel? Thanks, Prime Video synopsis. I didn’t know that. Nonetheless, both The Equalizer and The Equalizer 2, at different points this past week, have floated toward the top of the Prime Video charts, equalizing the playing field and fending off the likes of You’re Cordially Invited.
The sequel is one of Denzel Washington’s most successful movies ever, grossing an estimated $190 million against a $62 million budget. Action thrillers in recent years are regularly of the John Wick lite variety, so it’s always refreshing to see something so old school in its sensibilities. The Equalizer films are lean and mean, and The Equalizer 2 might just be the best of the bunch.
Critical reviews were less kind, with the Rotten Tomatoes critical consensus reading, “The Equalizer 2 delivers the visceral charge of a standard vigilante thriller, but this reunion of trusted talents ultimately proves a disappointing case study in diminishing returns,” though audiences had a much better time with Washington’s first sequel.
The Equalizer 3 is currently streaming on Netflix, though you can catch the first two in the series on Prime Video now. I promise you, it’s worth it. Bring on The Equalizer 4, which is confirmed to be in development, by the way. If you check them out, let me know what you think over on @Chadiscollins.
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