Shots of Denzel Washington caught in stone-cold stillness do little to aid our sense of empathy. Then again, The Equalizer finds director Antoine Fuqua absorbed by matters which have nothing to do with emotion or sentiment. His picture carries a heart as empty as a bottomless pit.

Washington has played the lone avenger many times. I enjoyed his work in Ricochet opposite the delightfully unhinged John Lithgow. By comparison, The Equalizer feels spineless. As Robert McCall - the ordinary Joe, nice guy next door, etc. - he utterly fails to overcome his character’s rigid sociopathic tendencies. As such, he’s completely cut off from feelings of remorse or anger. Also, his special forces training seems oddly convenient.

In a picture so dramatically unmemorable, the highlights end up being few and far between. For instance, a recurring visual reference to Edward Hopper’s 1942 painting Nighthawks fails to register any sense of isolation or loneliness. In fact, the only relief to be found centers squarely on the shoulders of Chloë Grace Moretz (Hugo), and her youthful energy steals the picture’s thunder. Admittedly, it’s fun watching her swap stories, opinions and philosophies with Washington, despite this narrative approach not going deep enough.

I remember very little about the 1980s television series which forms the basis for Fuqua's offering. Apparently, Stewart Copeland’s theme seems to have lingered fondly in viewer’s minds, even though I feel it’s a tacky throwaway. As for the 2014 update, I have these parting words of advice:

The next time someone wants to fight, they might want to remove those shot glasses from the room first. 

(Released by Columbia Pictures and rated “R” for strong bloody violence and language throughout, including some sexual references.)