Denzel Washington is noted for never doing a sequel, so it's a pretty big deal that he's been convinced to go around again as Robert McCall, the vigilante killer haunted by his past.
This time around it's not just business as usual, because things get pretty personal very quickly.
Former marine and Special Ops man McCall now lives in an apartment complex in Massachusetts, working as a Lyft driver and continuing to help the less fortunate with the assistance of his friend, Susan Plummer (played again by Melissa Leo).
After coming to the rescue of several folk - including a bookshop owner and a Holocaust survivor - things settle down a little bit for McCall. He starts mentoring Miles Whittaker (Ashton Sanders), a young neighbour with an artistic but troubled background.
But it's not long before bad things happen again and the smile is wiped off McCall's face.
Along with DIA operative Dave York (Pedro Pascal), McCall's former teammate in Special Ops, Susan Plummer is called to investigate the apparent murder-suicide of an agent and his wife in Brussels.
But when they return to their hotel Plummer is inexplicably killed by two assailants. And once the tragic news reaches McCall, there's only thing on his mind: revenge.
As you'd expect from an action film directed by Antoine Fuqua, the pace is pretty relentless and the fight scenes are top-notch, but the added bonus here is McCall's character development through his relationship with Myles, superbly played by Sanders.
If you like action with a bite more bite, this is for you. Once again, Richard Wenk supplied the script, and he's managed to add another layer to McCall while piecing together an enjoyable urban western.
It's also a better yarn than the first Equalizer movie and Denzel Washington's in rattling form. But when is he ever not?
