The Equalizer isn’t a terrible movie, as action sagas go. It just doesn’t nearly live up to what it aspires to be, which is a smart, classy update of the 1980s TV series of the same name, about an ex-government agent who spends his retirement as a sort of ultra-violent avenging angel, rubbing out villains who treat good people badly.

You really don’t have to do much to make an action flick work. Give us a good guy to root for and a bad guy to despise, and we are happy. The Equalizer does exactly that. You will certainly enjoy the film with your friends. But be prepared to sit through an excruciatingly long second half.