Denzel, Dwayne and basic movies
There are those who think film should be art. But it’s commerce, and even very good actors will at times bend to commercial demands. After all, if you have generated a following by appearing in big dumb action movies or throwaway comedies, then you may have the clout to make an occasional movie you care about. And I can’t really object to the commercial-movie strategy. I like commercial movies, even some badly made ones, if they provide a measure of escape. Put it another way: I’ve seen all the “Fast & Furious” movies, voluntarily. I bring this up because I saw Dwayne Johnson’s “Skyscraper” not long ago, and Denzel Washington’s “The Equalizer 2” today. Each movie is aimed squarely at the commercial moviegoer, and especially the fans of previous box-office-friendly work by these two actors. (Both allow for action-heavy trailers, although the action element of “The Equalizer 2” has been oversold in its ads.) Both are largely derivative. But that does not mean they’re complete...