Justice Served with Style
‘The Equalizer’ revolves around Robyn McCall – a normal single mother with a hidden background whom assists people who have no one else to turn to. Handing the role of a housewife turned a superheroine, McCall turns into one-woman army in the midst of crime-ridden New York. She is an angel and a demon for justice alongside a past and the personal redemption storyline.
The show is synonym with justice, female empowerment, and redemption shaded with neonoir motifs. It’s joyous and it’s violent and itForcefully balances the playfulness with the weight of having a personal life while trying to take down a criminal syndicate. The show is heavily driven by a raw and uninhibited representation of crime that exists within cities, with a cloak of suspense that is associated with a modern ‘vigilante’ type series that brings back the ‘one man army’ trope.
Queen Latifah brings immense power into the role of Robyn McCall in this series. Her performance is got a deal of strength and sensitivity in a role that is somewhere between the housewife and the avenging angel. The cast, backed by Tory Kittles and Adam Goldberg, look pretty convincing while epitomizing high-stakes drama. All the characters return something personal to the show and make the program more emotional.
Consequently, Solvan Naim, Randy Zisk, and Eric Laneuville turned the show into an excellent drama with the elements of an action series that have room for character development. Together the two demonstrate a mastery of drama where big things happen and little moments matter, setting up every scene, Bengali or otherwise, without presenting the show as a slog.
The music fits the concrete jungle and various action sequences of the show perfectly. The music supports the dramatic parts and at the same time raises more profound scenes, which incorporate the heartbeat of New York into the movie.
The camerawork showcases the dual nature of the city, swift lights, and dark corners. It utilizes a color choice that intensifies the neo-noir tone, optimizing the use of shadow and light to create a suspenseful mood.
A bright choice of wardrobe for the characters and complex, highly detailed set design give a plausible vision of the world of constant crime and justice. Opulent wardrobes symbolize a private sphere over the unforgiving outside world McCall transitions into; the use of special effects, another plus as they don’t overdo themselves in the action scenes. They are rather employed to add the degree of drama or the increase in the tension, to give the viewer strict feeling of adrenaline thrill in the extreme showdowns of McCall.
The most noticeable and effective is the work on editing where the story does not lose its glance holding the presumable pace. By doing so, it keeps the audience engaged with both the shoot-em-up action and the character drama on show. This rhythm maintains tension in the series but provides viewers with some focus on McCall’s character.
Conversations are intense, and intense words are spoken most of the time, moving the plot forward decisively. The script allows exposition in conversation, and manages to put natural-sounding, casual and intense dialogue on par with one another.
In a broader sense, the action drama in ‘The Equalizer’ works well but this is weighed down with cliches and might at times feel formulaic. Yet, the grace of Queen Latifah and good direction let the show not to look clichéd and plain. We get the feelings of ego while getting the thrills of entertainment that’s smart and warm without being sentimental.
