Denzel Washington is in fine form in The Equalizer, and the film shows off the very specific qualities that make him among our last true-blue movie stars. In a world of softened around the edges and cut to PG-13 action thrillers, The Equalizer is refreshingly R-rated not because it is drenched in gore and nudity but because it is an adult film with adult content and adult themes and thus deserves an adult rating. The Equalizer, or whatever Robert McCall ends up actually calling himself in The Equalizer II, has earned a chance to further prove that he is a cinematic hero that we both need and deserve.