Filmmaker reacts to The Equalizer (2014) for the FIRST TIME! 

Denzel is THAT dude. Want to vote on what I should watch next? Click here! www.patreon.com/jamesvscinema Watching FIRST BLOOD (1982) for the first time Friday/Saturday! Enjoy the day!

Not many actors could draw me into each movie they make but Denzel is a rare bread.. I love all the usual suspects 'Man On Fire', 'Training Day,' 'Book Of Eli' etc! but I really like some of his less talked about films such as 'John Q', 'Out Of Time', 'Deja Vu' & 'Unstoppable'... Still as long as DW's name is attached I reckon the chances are good that it will be another movie to add to my list...

BRO, Denzel is AMAZING in everything but Equalizer was a special theater experience for me in 2014. I went with my friend and we were both immersed in the world, fights blew us away and that final scene with the soundtrack... chills.

Not only is Denzel the man on screen, but he's one of the few I truly respect off screen. Living Legend.

Fantastic movie. You do need to see Man on Fire though with Denzel. Pure brilliance and brutal yet very heartwarming in places

I like to think that Denzel does BRING himself into every role he plays. But he doesn't PLAY himself, in every role. A subtle, but distinct difference.

People don't know Denzel's range because they haven't seen the breadth of his catalog. He immersed himself in the persona of Malcolm X in the movie of the same name. His portrayal of Steven Biko gives me chills (Cry Freedom). The amateur detective in Devil in a Blue Dress. They just don't know.

This movie, and RED, just emphasize the level of danger associated with old, highly experienced assassins... It also reminds me of the old saying, "There are old soldiers and bold soldiers, but no old bold soldiers."

Man on fire is also great. Loved the reaction as always.

Denzel movies always have the coldest lines, this one and Man on Fire. Oh man. "He didn't come for help... he came for permission." Also, a movie that I don't think enough people talk about, is Virtuosity, starring Denzel and Russel Crowe. That movie is a wild ride.

The film is based on the 1980's TV series of the same name. It ran from 1985-1989, lasting 88 episodes. The character, Robert McCall, was played by Edward Woodward, who's actually a Caucasian actor while McCall is played by Oscar Winning Actor Denzel Washington. There is even a reboot of the series on CBS with Queen Latifah playing Robin McCall, a former CIA operative and single mother.

Zack Hempsey’s Vengeance just makes that whole sequence. He does some real epic work.

The Equalizer trusts the intelligence of the audience. No flashbacks to McCall in younger days. No explanation of who he worked for before. We’re trusted to not need every little detail of his past in order to understand the story that unfolds.

I think people get that feeling of Denzel playing himself in all the movies because he most often plays similar characters. One of my favourite movies with him is Unstoppable probably because it is somewhat different from what he usually does. PS. Book of Eli is one of the best movies ever made, dont @ me.

Is this your first Antoine Fuqua film? He is a master at setting tone with camera angles, lighting, and use of music. This is one of my favorites I probably watch this once a month.

The man never disappoints, every character has a heart he plays. 13:29 Jet Li, or Wesley Snipes. They've been told to slow down because the camera couldn't catch up with them 😁

This movie is cool, but the second one is really amazing. It's a fantastic mix of stylish power fantasy and heartfelt character development.

I grew up watching The Equality TV show these films were a reboot of, and was surprised how well the movies kept the spirit of the series while completely changing the genre

Some of his movies i really like are, Training Day, Man on Fire, American Gangster, The Book of Eli, Deja Vu, John Q, Inside Man, Fallen, Out of Time, Crimson Tide, The Hurricane, The Manchurian Candidate, 2 Guns. There's a few more really good ones to lol. But i feel like i added to many already lmao

"He didn't come for help, he came for permission." I love that line, it's just so badass.

I remember seeing this in theaters and it's was so damn cool, loved every frame of it

Okay but now you have to watch Man on Fire (2004) to see the best version of badass Denzel (and a really great artistic film with some awesome camera work and directing choices). Keep up the great work!

Denzel is great in basically every Movie he is in, even the not so good ones. I don't know if "Plays himself" is the right term, but he does put some of him self into the characters he plays, I certainly could never see any of his characters played by anyone else after seeing him play them. You should check out, if you haven't already, some of the Films he did with Tony Scott. Especially Crimson Tide and Man on Fire some of his best works.

Fallen is a favorite of mine. Denzel doesn't do much supernatural stuff so it's pretty cool to see.

This is one of those films I watch at least once every 2 months. I dont know why... its not perfect. But I think I love the preciseness of Denzels character and the way he portrays him. And yes Denzel is THAT dude. Kind of funny how (well aged) Hollywood men (Liam/Denzel/Costner) are getting a second life as action heroes. Who would you want in your corner.... John W. Creasy (Man on Fire) or Robert McCall (Equalizer). Have to go with Creasy... the man is an artist - in death ;)

I love this movie so much and I'm glad to see you doing this one and enjoying it as much as I have!

Thanks for this. Great stuff, your joy and fun you got from this film is so great to see and share in. As always, stay awesome, stay genuine.... much love

I thought I was the only one that thought that about Denzel Washington. He do plays himself just doing different stuff with different names. He don’t do accents or play wildly different type of characters. But you believe him what ever he is doing and his characters are always so interesting because of him. He just brings so much weight and charisma it doesn’t matter. I go to his movies bc of him.

Martin Csokas doesn't get the credit he deserves in the films he's in. He always plays the characters he has extremely well. No difference here. He plays the villain so well. He's polite and assured of his power but he also isn't entirely stupid in arrogance. He's legitimately dangerous. Smart, etc. Love him as a villain.

The girl he helps out is played by Chloe Grace Moretz, who also stars in both Kick-Ass films and the modern remake of Carrie. This was followed up with a direct sequel The Equalizer 2. Other films that use a similar technique of slow motion are Sherlock Holmes and Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows

I remember going to the movies to see this and about 15 minutes in, mom and I knew we were gonna buy it

I love this movie, has that 70s vibe, a little bit campy in parts, but some of the best Russian gangsters ever, and Denzel was fantastic. Also Marton Csokas, Remote drop for me. If you liked this you will definitely enjoy Man on Fire (2004), Denzel again, excellent movie.

I love this movie! I also grew up a block away from where a lot of this was filmed, cool to see on film!

You liked this one, your going to love #2. Awesome reaction James!

Denzel is pretty much great in every film. A worthy film adaptation of the 80's TV series starring the late Edward Woodward. I can't think of many actors that could play McCall other than Washington. He stars again as McCall in The Equalizer 2, which in part goes deeper into McCall's backstory. This has become one of my favourite films.

24:43 "A little dash of Home Alone" I saw a comment about this scene, describing it as "Home Alone when the kid's done playing games".

The second one is even better! This was great! Love this reaction and movie!

Denzel Washington is a sign of quality for me. I know when I see a film that he is in, that I'm going to view an amazing film with amazing acting. Excellence all through his career.

I love Denzel, he's a fantastic actor. I haven't thought about it before, but I do think he plays himself quite often, however I don't find that as a negative.

This is one of Denzel's best. Book Of Eli, Training Day, and The Equalizer are amazing fun movies.

Awesome video!...equalizer 2 is probably my favorite of the trilogy...hope to see that reaction soon!

Denzel one of actings GOATS in one of my favorite films. I liked part II but this one was - to me at least - straight fire.

I would definitely suggest the sequel to this James. Its really good and I think youll love the editing and story. Ton of heart :D

Your reaction when he snatched that gun... I replayed that part a few times 😁

Loved the 1980s tv series with Edward Woodward. Happier times.

"At that age you have a lot more time to do these side missions" is such a good way of putting it. bars! :D

My opinion is that this movie felt in the hearth and had feeling. Not just mindless action. Much better than the second one and Nobody.

Excellent Reaction as always, your appreciation and insight you can see the gears turning...Would love to see you do Law Abiding Citizen as well as the Accountant ❤️

So now you need to watch Glory. It was released in 1989 and got Denzel his first Oscar for Best Supporting Actor. It also has Morgan Freeman and Matthew Broderick. It’s an excellent film.

YO... My man... You really need to see Part 2.. Awesome

This is a great movie. I happy that you are watching it and reacting to it.

Yo dude, you've become one of my favorite reactors because of your background in filmmaking. You bring a unique perspective to your reactions because you have that extra bit of knowledge in the art that very few other reactors have. But yeah, these two Equalizer films (with one on the way, I think) are something else. The second one is quite a bit different. The action doesn't really ramp up until Act III, but it's still a good story.

The Equalizer is one of those movies if you start watching at any point , just wait 10 minutes and you will see something awesome. Great reaction.

Props where props are due. Another great film with our boy DW.

Thanks for reacting to this. I hope you will go on to Equalizer 2.

Putting Denzel Washington in a movie means I'm going to enjoy it. Everything from Glory and Virtuosity to Deja Vu and The Equalizer movies are some of my favorite movies. Man On Fire is easily the best of them for me.

“Why am I saying porridge, how did I get here” 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

Denzel makes every single one of his characters feel believable. Like that’s a real person. His actions and motives feel authentic. As legendary as Denzel is when he is on screen it’s like all that stardom fades away and he is who he portrays. Sounds like the basics of what acting is but when you break it down who really does it better than Denzel?

Because of this film, people no longer find it strange that I bring my own special tea bags when I eat out. Props to you, Mr. Washington.

This is one of those films that you can watch over and over again. Which i have done.

Dude you'll love part 2 as well. Theres one walk-off line in part 2 that was worth the whole movie.

Can't wait for Equalizer 3!!!!

bruh. you gotta watch man on fire. its denzel's coldest role. its the pinnacle of this style of movie. dude is a demon in that.

The Little Things was a phenomenal mystery killer drama. You need to put that on a poll soon

I loved this movie! I was a great fan of the tv show from the 1980s and this movie did it justice!

And here I thought this movie was going to be about a guy who figured out his super powers had to do with sound equalizing and always knowing the perfect way to balance a stereo system in seconds. Throwing a party to show off your new entertainment system, but it sounds kinda flat? Here comes The Equalizer. New car and the bass just isn't pumping? The Equalizer says, "Only doing my job citizen." No speakers shall ever go unequalized again. Turns out it was just another shooty guy.

I saw this and Book of Eli knowing nothing what either were about and both of them have become some of my favorites.

I feel like it's fair and not really unkind to say Denzel plays "himself" in most movies. That's o.k. There are a lot of actors that get by on playing themselves - Keanu, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jackie Chan... your usual suspects in action / comedy movies. Very rarely do they transcend themselves, but they don't have to. People are content to see them do the thing that made them big. You don't have to be a Gary Oldman or a Daniel Day Lewis or a Sidney Poitier. Just be compelling or at the very least entertaining. For some reason I like Equalizer better than Nobody. Nobody feels like it's winking at the camera and has some moments where it intentionally subverts some expectations like when he picks the fight with the guys on the bus and it immediately cuts to outside the bus to show him being thrown through a window. It feels a bit more smug and self-satisfied. Both movies are presenting you with impossible, "highly-trained" assassin-type characters that are practically invincible - but the fact Equalizer takes itself seriously helps me believe it a bit more. I did like some of the editing in Nobody. Particularly the opening sequence reminded me of Edgar Wright and the way he'd shoot stuff to either express boring routine or to quickly relay information to the audience in an exciting way that would have been boring if shot flat (like making a phone call). You bring up Bourne. Frankly, I think this is a superior film to any of the Bourne movies. The character has better motivation, characterization and above all, the editing gives you time to take in the action. While this scene utilizes Western quick-cut action sequences, they're not so fast that they're disorienting. The quick-cuts in Bourne are so jarring that it's difficult to really see anything and unfortunately set a trend that would poison action movies for the better part of a decade. There have been numerous essays by people way smarter than myself about why quick-cuts in Bourne (specifically cutting before the moment of impact) may create a sense of frenetic movement but rob itself of any impact, unlike in say a Jackie Chan / Jet Li movie where you can see the strike and get a sense of power and satisfaction. I'm sure as a filmmaker you've probably seen some of the essays by Every Frame a Painting, and while I think it's probably unhealthy to just parrot what someone else said, his break downs are very concise, informative and convincing and helped me put to words what I instinctively didn't like, but didn't know precisely why until it was explained. Every Frame a Painting - Jackie Chan - How to Do Action Comedy ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-Z1PCtIaM_GQ.html

Just imagine.... The Equalizer, John Wick & Nobody.... Somehow connected in the same universe.... That would be so dope to see..👌 Great reaction james.. Love this movie ❤️

I 100% agree he's my favourite of those you listed Although I think John Wick 1 is a better overall film, Equalizer is definitely my favourite protagonist, then Nobody, then Wick, then Bourne

The song that is playing in the home Depot in the final scene where he takes out all those guys. That songs from the original equalizer TV series from the '80s.

Gotta do part 2 broski 👍🏿👍🏿👍🏿

I absolutely love this movie. I love when he said for you I’ll make an exception. There used to be a series on television called The Equalizer. That equalizer was known near as bad ass as Denzel. I would also recommend if you haven’t seen a movie called Man on Fire with Denzel.

Funny that you mention Jason Bourne, the main bad guy is the same dude Jason choked to death in the house with the phone cord in the second Bourne movie.

Love how he sets his watch

You love Denzel, your parents love Denzel. I think everyone on the planet loves Denzel. The man is a treasure and I've never seen a bad turn from him. He's in my top five

Your definitely right everything you said you are very right.💯

I really hope they continue with this storytelling in the upcoming 3rd film.

I can’t help but feel like James would enjoy Riders of Justice starring Mads Mikkelsen.

I know everyone goes for the action packed classics, but another Denzel performance that I think you will especially enjoy is: Inside Man (A Spike Lee Joint) an underrated and often forgotten classic. 🤘

i remember when the TV series came out. I was enthusiastic to see it. It was good. Edward Woodward played a great retired operative who just wanted to help people with difficult situations. I always imagined an updated version. Denzel is great in the part.

This was based on a TV show in the UK, in the 80's. Basically a 1-man A-Team.

An example of a remake eimagining done right, the show was good. This was great.

The cast was excellent!

Have you seen Glory? That movie is brilliant! That film is one of the best movies every made.

It was funny that you brought up the comparison with Jason Bourne after one of Marton Csokas/Teddy's scenes, because one of Jason Bourne's 'victims' in 'The Bourne Supremacy' was another Marton Csokas character.

Denzel is one of the greatest actors and genuine people in Hollywood. Watch him speak outside of Hollywood if you don't believe me. A national treasure and legend.

22:45 everytime i see shots like that i can't help but think of Andy Samberg and Will Ferrell singing "cool guys don't look at explosions, they blow things up and then walk away"

The scene when he is sitting across from the Russian. OMG. Both actors Washington, and Csokas. They could of made the whole first 2 acts about them taking about their pasts, and how they came to this point, and it would still be riveting. Man, that scene the tension so thick you need a sword to cut it not a knife.

19:53 I’ve replayed that moment like a thousand times it happens so quick and it’s so badass

Denzel and Tom Hanks. Two actors that I absolutely love!! Never saw a bad movie by either of them.❤

Love this movie. Action fights are superb!

This was a great experience in the theatre. The action scenes were very well put together. Denzel Washington is believable and just exudes coolness. If i could change 1 thing, i would like have heard the theme of the original show be represented here.

Hey it's Johnny Crowder. Can't recall ever seeing him in something not Justified.

Denzel is one of the GOAT's no question. So many good movies and performances

Another great movie of his that you need to check out is John Q. It also has Robert Duvall. Strong performances

I mean, this movie is all kinds of epic but what really put its over for me is the music. The score is SO good and SO perfect.

One of my favorite movies

Brawl In Cell Block 99, bro. Needs to be put on your "to watch" list. Vince Vaughn of all people is the brutally efficient bad-ass protagonist. No comedic tics or quirks, man is a straight-up beast and his acting is really very good. Don Johnson shows up in a showy cameo and chews the scenery, which was [bleeping] awesome! Vince Vaughn almost always plays a hyper, comedic version of himself. Not in this. He is scary af. IRL, dude is 6'5" and weighs 240 - a big intimidating fella. In this movie, he is brutally savage. Nobody in the US makes good B movies anymore. Brawl In Cell Block 99 is a great B movie. Watch it!

I really really love this movie and this type of movie where it's just some random guy you know nothing about him something bad happens and he decimates all Taken is the same way Nobody and John Wick. They all have that type of genre and I love it this is why you never judge a book by its cover you have no idea who people are.