“The Equalizer 2” is a perfect example of a sophomore slump. On Rotten Tomatoes, the sequel has a rotten 52% critics score. While it’s not the lowest-rated Denzel Washington film on the platform (that honor goes to the 1990 comedy “Heart Condition”), it’s still a mediocre performance from the actor and frequent collaborator Antoine Fuqua. In fact, it’s their lowest-rated collab to date. Fans also gave the film the cold shoulder — it has a 61% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes, making it the lowest-rated flick in the series.
In the sequel, McCall tries his best to keep a low-profile, but soon must avenge his friend Susan (Melissa Leo) after the latter is murdered. With revenge on his mind, he goes out on a deadly quest to find justice. The sequel is available on Hulu. While critics were pleased with Washington’s rousing, brutal performance, most couldn’t ignore how “The Equalizer 2” was more of the same without much innovation. Matthew Lickona of the San Diego Reader was particularly dismissive over the picture, writing, “It’s not much of a movie – more a parade of rah-rah triumphs obscuring a batch of logical oddities – which makes Washington’s committed performance stand out like the heavenly host in the night sky over Bethlehem.”
Ultimately, “The Equalizer 2” is a classic case of filmmakers and creatives not knowing how to improve upon its predecessor. Released in 2018, the sequel was still a major hit for Sony Pictures, grossing just over $190 million on a budget of $77 million.
