Not seeing the first movie wasn’t a barrier to enjoying Denzel Washington’s The Equalizer 2, where he plays Robert McCall, former government assassin. The plot immediately establishes his need to help other people in trouble with both extreme force and uncanny intelligence. He is still mourning the death of his wife by getting involved in the lives of other people. The death of a close friend drives him and the movie toward a violent climax.

McCall’s empathy for other people in trouble is always evident even when he is kicking ass. At one point in the movie, he mentors Miles, an artistic troubled youth played with sly charm by Ashton Sanders who has also been in Moonlight and Straight Outta Compton. The mixture of humanity and action helps you maintain your interest throughout the film.