The final scene ofThe Equalizerwhere McCall reunites with Alina always struck me as a littleoff, and I just discovered why - it was supposed to appear in the middle of the movie.The Equalizermovieshave been a robust series for Denzel Washington, in addition to being the first sequels he’s ever signed up for.
The original is still the best, which features Washington’s retired DIA agent Robert McCall using his skills to help people out of trouble. This includes saving teenager Alina (Chloë Grace Moretz) from the Russian mafia.The pair reunite inThe Equalizer’sending, where Alina updates McCall on her lifeand implies she knows he was the one who saved her.
It’s a lovely little scene that caps off McCall’s arc throughout the film. Still,there was something about this ending that always felt odd to me, like it was a last-minute reshoot that ignored chunks of the story. Having listened to screenwriter Richard Wenk, I now realize the scene originally came much earlier.
The Equalizer’s Current Ending Originally Came In The Middle Of The Movie
The Alina reunion was meant to inspire McCall’s turn to vigilantism
On theSpyHardspodcast, Wenk recalled watching an early cut of the reunion between McCall and Alina in the middle ofThe Equalizer. Knowing he had saved Alina from the mafia and set her up for a new life is what pushed Washington’s titular avenger to continue helping people.
Wenk watched this footage with director Antonie Fuqua, and they both realized it worked far better as the actual ending. I can’t fault their logic here, since his friendship with Alina and seeking revenge after she’s beaten and hospitalized is what sparks McCall back to life.Closing out with the two saying goodbye is a great capperto their story.
Wenk pointed out that despite the placement of the moment making sense in the screenplay, it was clear this scene belonged at the end. It also spoke tothe hidden themes Wenk created forThe Equalizer, with the first film being about “purpose,” the second film exploring “peace,” and the final entry covering “place.”
Denzel Washington is set to return for at least two moreEqualizersequels.
The arc ofThe Equalizerinvolves the retired and lonely McCall rediscovering his sense of purpose,which is to help people.The Equalizer 2’s"peace" theme explores McCall making peace with his violent past and his wife’s death, while the third movie’s “place” theme sees McCall finding his new home and stepping away from his violent ways.
I Can Understand Why The Equalizer’s Ending Was Changed, Even If The Timeline Is Confusing
McCall must have only just flown back from Russia
Now I know whyThe Equalizer’sending feels a little off I can overlook its place in the movie’s timeline. It pays off a key relationship, and underlines that McCall is doing some good. Alina will no doubt have trauma left over from her experiences, but at least her life is now her own to lead.
Logically, McCall should have upped sticks and gotten out of the city by the ending, not only to avoid the police but also Russian mobsters seeking revenge.
Still, on the latest rewatch, there are timeline issues with this scene’s placement that bugged me.This scene happensafter McCall has cut a bloody swatch through Russian gangsters, including staging a massacre at the home improvement storewhere he worked. Soon after, he flew to Moscow to kill the big boss.
Logically, McCall should have upped sticks and gotten out of the city, not only to avoid the police but also Russian mobsters seeking revenge. Instead, he’s just hanging around his neighborhood like nothing has happened, which is how Alina finds him.
Even if McCall saved his co-workers from the Russian mob, it feels like a stretch that they would cover for him after he turned their workplace into a meat grinder.That’s also the fact Robert’s actions got Alina’s friend Mandy (Haley Bennett) killed, which doesn’t seem to upset Alinathat much.
These are only nitpicks on my part and come from having seenThe Equalizermany times. Most viewers wouldn’t notice (or frankly, care) about these details, but they are interesting artifacts from the scene’s original placement.
I Think The Equalizer’s Final Sequel Tease Is A Mistake
Craiglist did not return for The Equalizer 2
In hisSpyHardschat,Wenk also points out the final shot ofThe Equalizer,where McCall responds to a Craigslist message asking him for help, was a studio demand. This is a callback to the originalEqualizerTV series, where people would contact McCall (played by Edward Woodward) via telephone.
Wenk decided to take the concept and character in a different direction, withThe Equalizermovie having little in common with its source material. The studio was fine with this for the most part, though they insisted on a reference to the show’s “Odds against you?” advert, which is why the film closes with Washington’s McCall answering the ad.
I’m gladThe Equalizersequels ignored this teaser, because it’s just… lame. The film has done such a good job setting itself apart that this last-minute callback is distracting, andthe notion of a sequel seeing McCall constantly responding to Craigslist requests doesn’t sound like a fun time.
The Equalizer 2instead found McCall as a Lyft driver, which is often how he came across people in need of his equalizing skills. This was a much better way to keep the character grounded without having to shoehorn references to the show. If there’s one moment I wouldn’t mind being chopped fromThe Equalizer, it’s the Craigslist teaser.
Source:SpyHards
The Equalizer
The Equalizer is a crime-focused action-thriller franchise initially created by Michael Sloan and Richard Lindheim. The franchise began with the 1985 series that followed Robert McCall, a retired intelligence agent who uses his deadly and varied skillset to help those that society cannot save. The film franchise has stood out as the most iconic, with Denzel Washington in the role of the new Robert McCall, with a reboot television series starring Queen Latifah as Robyn McCall.
Cast
The Equalizer is an action thriller directed by Antoine Fuqua starring Denzel Washington as Robert McCall, a former intelligence operative who lives a quiet life in Boston. When he encounters a young girl named Teri, played by Chloë Grace Moretz, threatened by violent Russian gangsters, McCall comes out of retirement to use his skills to restore justice. The film reimagines the 1980s TV series of the same name.
