Antoine Fuqua's movie adaptation of Edward Woodward's TV series uses the main character (played here by Denzil Washington) and the basic premise of a man with a past who helps those in need. Beyond that it's a well-crafted thriller that is more James Bond than Robert McCall.
The story begins with a prostitute enslaved to Russian mobsters but escalates quickly and inexorably after that. That's actually the principal problem with the film -- the only constraint shown is in Washington's character. It reaches its nadir in a scene towards the end when an action initiated by McCall would have resulted in the deaths of probably hundreds of innocent lives. It was at that point that the film crossed the line for me.
The advertising for this film is overwhelming downtown. It seems that you can't turn a corner without being confronted by one of three different posters. Clearly the studio is putting a lot of support behind it, likely hoping that it will make up for the lacklustre box office receipts during the summer. It's a shame, as there are much better films being shown this week that deserve some of that attention.
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