The Equalizer 2

This sequel to The Equalizer, itself based on the 1980s TV series, is more of the same, with (too) familiar screenwriting, a compelling lead character, and inventive action scenes. Director Antoine Fuqua, screenwriter Richard Wenk, and star Washington reunite for The Equalizer 2 as if they'd never left, slipping back into their well-worn roles with expert ease. Wenk cooks up a nifty, James Bond-like "unrelated incident" opening, just to show that McCall's skills are still sharp (and he still uses his stopwatch like a boss). There's also an easily identifiable "surprise" villain and a very basic good-vs.-evil, honor-vs.-betrayal plot.

Washington finds McCall's sympathetic center, spending time listening to and observing his Lyft customers, quietly moved by their small joys and sorrows. But the real reason to watch is Fuqua's expertly staged action sequences, including the opening scene on a train in Istanbul, a tense home-invasion sequence in which Miles hides inside McCall's secret room, and especially the storm-swept showdown. McCall meets the bad guys in his seaside hometown, where the wind is so strong the soundtrack echoes with the groans of structures being tested on their foundations and the spatter of rain. The Equalizer 2 is ultimately as weightless as any of a dozen action thrillers made in the 1980s, but it's also enjoyably diverting.