Filmtracks Traffic Rank: #1,678
Written 12/20/14
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Buy it... if you have a history of appreciating Harry
Gregson-Williams' sibling scores for Tony Scott thrillers, this entry
really no different from the established equation.
Avoid it... if you demand to hear some of Stewart Copeland's
original television theme (or much of any stylistic influence) in this
adaptation score, a somewhat disappointing but understandable
decision.
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Gregson-
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The Equalizer: (Harry Gregson-Williams) Running for
88 episodes in the late 1980's, the "The Equalizer" was a generic
vigilante justice television show featuring a former government
operative who comes out of retirement to aid helpless victims in
crime-ridden America. The 2014 film adaptation of the same name follows
the show's framework pretty well; it's the kind of equation in which
audiences know exactly what they are going to get. Nothing more, nothing
less. After director Paul Haggis and actor Russell Crowe bowed out of
the project, Antoine Fuqua took the helm and Denzel Washington landed in
the titular role, raising hopes that another film of the quality of
2001's Training Day could emerge. In this version of the tale,
Washington is the former operative resigned to a peaceful life working
at a Home Depot (they call it something else in the movie, but let's get
real) and keeping to himself. When a young prostitute he befriends is
brutalized by her pimp, he decides to take action, finding himself at
odds with the Russian mafia and killing a whole slew of people in
creative hand-to-hand combat. Washington seems to enjoy these types of
performances; they are littered throughout the last dozen years of his
career, and viewers will find significant parallels between this entry
and the various Tony Scott endeavors in which Washington starred. At
least this one offers a unique perspective on how to use Home Depot
merchandise to kill other human beings, with graphic depictions of such
creativity for all to enjoy. Not surprisingly, another carry-over from
the Scott/Washington collaboration is composer Harry Gregson-Williams,
who has toiled in the previous few years without substantial accolades.
He too seems content earning his way with projects like this, and though
his thriller music will never compete favorably with his fantasy works,
at least he has tackled the thriller genre enough times to write
effective music for it in his sleep. Scores of this variety are easily
interchangeable, and The Equalizer is a simple and effective but
unquestionably boring extension of that sound. Hire a string section,
overlay it with thumping electronic loops for the chase sequences,
sampled noises for scary synchronization points, slight electric guitar
for the element of "don't mess with this asshole" coolness, and piano
for the auxiliary character reflection and there you go. No need for
anything else. How Gregson-Williams employs those ingredients becomes
the issue.
The question most people will want answered is
regarding Stewart Copeland's storied theme (or any other influence from
the show's scores) and whether that identity has carried over to the
film. Unfortunately, no. But something has to be said in favor of that
choice, because Copeland's theme was already a bit aged culturally and
stylistically by the time the show ended. It would have been neat to
hear Gregson-Williams find some way to adapt the melody into his work,
sure, but Copeland's identity was too rooted in the 1970's generation of
hip vigilante music to really suffice in this updated version. Where
Gregson-Williams fails is in finding some alternative sensibility
relating to style with which to emboss this score into the spirit of the
film. That's not to say he should have stolen wholesale from David
Arnold's urban music capabilities, but some movement in that direction
would have been welcomed. This is especially true given that the lead
character has shifted from being a white guy to a black one with
arguably more mysterious swagger. As is, Gregson-Williams' score only
offers the absolute most basic accompaniment necessary to enhance the
suspense of the environment and story. Outside of a few infusions of
gritty electric guitar, there is little to suggest that this
professional killer in the role of protagonist has any sense of
confidence whatsoever. The movie suggests that this style exists, of
course, making the score a missed opportunity. You can't really argue
with the basic foundation of the composer's music, however. There's
plenty of electronic thumping for the urban setting, and the strings
offer some organic suspense. He applies a piano sparingly to enhance the
character depth. At times, as in "Concerned Citizen," he tunes the
synthesizers to produce a vaguely foreign sound, perhaps addressing the
Russian element of the story. On album, the 50+ minutes will test your
patience. Thematically, listeners will be attracted to the first two
tracks, which address the main character's loneliness, and the
conclusive "The Equalizer," which finally unleashes some sense of
self-confidence in its development of the primary theme for the film.
Enthusiasts of Gregson-Williams' electric cello sequences will be
rewarded with a satisfying performance of the theme in that last cue.
With a sequel to
The Equalizer immediately planned after the
fiscal success of the initial film, one has to wonder if the enhanced
style of the final cue will be developed in subsequent movies now that
the character has accepted his role in society to such an extent that he
can advertise his services. Even as an origin score of sorts, this one
takes too long to get off its ass.
** @Amazon.com: CD or
Download
Bias Check:
For Harry Gregson-Williams reviews at Filmtracks, the average editorial rating is 3
(in 40 reviews) and the average viewer rating is 2.98
(in 55,240 votes). The maximum rating is 5 stars.
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