The =-iser

I haven't seen the original series, so this, in many ways, fits the standard format of "man with action past has a quite life until his skills are needed again" mould. In that regards, this isn't an original movie.

In this case, the tipping point is a prostitute that McCall knows(-ish). She gets beaten up, so he takes revenge. Then revenges other minor things he comes across. In the mean time, the pimps were actually Russian crime connected, so they get involved, and slowly the two forces come up against each other.

One issue with this movie is that McCall is presented as a stone cold bad-ass, with no emotional restraint or compulsion not to kill those he goes up against. And so... there's no doubt at all that he will win. With other action pieces, there's usually something to show the leading man is vulnerable, and usually a scene where he gets beaten up, but not really here. He's in control all the time, so there's no tension.

Acting-wise, Denzel Washington is good, and I also like Marton Csokas as the bad guy stone hard-arse. They are basically the same character with slightly different takes on whose side they are on, and both work well on screen. And we also get surprise Bill Pullman!

Decent movie, but not outstanding.

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