The final scene of The Equalizer where McCall reunites with Alina always struck me as a little off, and I just discovered why – it was supposed to appear in the middle of the movie. The Equalizer movies have been a robust series for Denzel Washington, in addition to being the first sequels he’s ever signed up for.

The original is still the best, which features Washington’s retired DIA agent Robert McCall using his skills to help people out of trouble. This includes saving teenager Alina (Chloë Grace Moretz) from the Russian mafia. The pair reunite in The Equalizer’s ending, where Alina updates McCall on her life and implies she knows he was the one who saved her.

It’s a lovely little scene that caps off McCall’s arc throughout the film. Still, there was something about this ending that always felt odd to me, like it was a last-minute reshoot that ignored chunks of the story. Having listened to screenwriter Richard Wenk, I now realize the scene originally came much earlier.

The Equalizer’s Current Ending Originally Came In The Middle Of The Movie

The Alina reunion was meant to inspire McCall’s turn to vigilantism

On the SpyHards podcast, Wenk recalled watching an early cut of the reunion between McCall and Alina in the middle of The Equalizer. Knowing he had saved Alina from the mafia and set her up for a new life is what pushed Washington’s тιтular avenger to continue helping people.

Wenk watched this footage with director Antonie Fuqua, and they both realized it worked far better as the actual ending. I can’t fault their logic here, since his friendship with Alina and seeking revenge after she’s beaten and hospitalized is what sparks McCall back to life. Closing out with the two saying goodbye is a great capper to their story.

Wenk pointed out that despite the placement of the moment making sense in the screenplay, it was clear this scene belonged at the end. It also spoke to the hidden themes Wenk created for The Equalizer, with the first film being about “purpose,” the second film exploring “peace,” and the final entry covering “place.”

The arc of The Equalizer involves the retired and lonely McCall rediscovering his sense of purpose, which is to help people. The Equalizer 2’s “peace” theme explores McCall making peace with his violent past and his wife’s death, while the third movie’s “place” theme sees McCall finding his new home and stepping away from his violent ways.

I Can Understand Why The Equalizer’s Ending Was Changed, Even If The Timeline Is Confusing

McCall must have only just flown back from Russia

Now I know why The Equalizer’s ending feels a little off I can overlook its place in the movie’s timeline. It pays off a key relationship, and underlines that McCall is doing some good. Alina will no doubt have trauma left over from her experiences, but at least her life is now her own to lead.

Still, on the latest rewatch, there are timeline issues with this scene’s placement that bugged me. This scene happens after McCall has cut a bloody swatch through Russian gangsters, including staging a mᴀssacre at the home improvement store where he worked. Soon after, he flew to Moscow to kill the big boss.

Logically, McCall should have upped sticks and gotten out of the city, not only to avoid the police but also Russian mobsters seeking revenge. Instead, he’s just hanging around his neighborhood like nothing has happened, which is how Alina finds him.

Even if McCall saved his co-workers from the Russian mob, it feels like a stretch that they would cover for him after he turned their workplace into a meat grinder. That’s also the fact Robert’s actions got Alina’s friend Mandy (Haley Bennett) killed, which doesn’t seem to upset Alina that much.

These are only nitpicks on my part and come from having seen The Equalizer many times. Most viewers wouldn’t notice (or frankly, care) about these details, but they are interesting artifacts from the scene’s original placement.

I Think The Equalizer’s Final Sequel Tease Is A Mistake

Craiglist did not return for The Equalizer 2

In his SpyHards chat, Wenk also points out the final sH๏τ of The Equalizer, where McCall responds to a Craigslist message asking him for help, was a studio demand. This is a callback to the original Equalizer TV series, where people would contact McCall (played by Edward Woodward) via telephone.

Wenk decided to take the concept and character in a different direction, with The Equalizer movie having little in common with its source material. The studio was fine with this for the most part, though they insisted on a reference to the show’s “Odds against you?” advert, which is why the film closes with Washington’s McCall answering the ad.

I’m glad The Equalizer sequels ignored this teaser, because it’s just… lame. The film has done such a good job setting itself apart that this last-minute callback is distracting, and the notion of a sequel seeing McCall constantly responding to Craigslist requests doesn’t sound like a fun time.

The Equalizer 2 instead found McCall as a Lyft driver, which is often how he came across people in need of his equalizing skills. This was a much better way to keep the character grounded without having to shoehorn references to the show. If there’s one moment I wouldn’t mind being chopped from The Equalizer, it’s the Craigslist teaser.

Source: SpyHards