The Denzel Washington movie storming the Netflix charts
Remarkably for someone who spent decades as one of Hollywood’s most popular and bankable action heroes, Denzel Washington was more than 40 years into his career before he made a sequel.
Not that the lack of a signature franchise prevented him from becoming one of the all-time greats, with Washington a unique blend of powerhouse thespian and bankable movie star. When he turns to drama, then he’s got a decent shot at winning awards. When he locks and loads, though, audiences can’t get enough.
One of the increasingly rare stars who can open a film at the box office based entirely on their involvement and nothing else, viewers clearly haven’t grown tired of watching the two-time Academy Award winner kick ass and take names, with The Equalizer currently in the midst of a second wind on Netflix.
It’s a well-known fact of life that household names and action flicks are among the most reliable draws on streaming regardless of what platform it is, and they don’t come much more enticing than seeing Washington single-handedly decimate a small army of faceless goons in slick, stylish, and brutally violent style.
Adapted from the popular TV series of the same name that spanned four seasons and 88 episodes between 1985 and 1989, Washington steps into Edward Woodward’s shoes as Robert McCall, a retired intelligence operative with a mysterious past who dusts off their particular set of skills to help those in need.
In this instance, it’s Chloë Grace Moretz’s teenage sex worker Teri, who McCall forged a bond with thanks to their fondness for visiting the same diner. After discovering that she needs a way out of her predicament, he takes it upon himself to bludgeon his way to the top of the food chain like an avenging angel, setting him on a collision course with Marton Csokas’s Teddy that’s only going to end one way.
The Equalizer came within touching distance of $200million at the global box office following its release in September 2014, and finally gave Denzel those follow-ups he’d always been missing when it went on to launch a trilogy. At long last, the icon had a multi-film series he could call his own, and it stands to reason they’ll win big on Netflix should they follow in the footsteps of the original and arrive on streaming.