The Equalizer Monologues

A man who believes he has put his mysterious past behind him cannot stand idly by when he meets a young girl under the control of ultra-violent Russian gangsters.

Who I am, or what I am? Who I am is complicated. What I am is a little easier. I'm a threat. I alter outcomes.

When you look at me, what do you see.

The answer's nothing. I have no feeling about you one way or the other. You're like… like lint or a bottle cap. You're just a thing to remove.

Well, Mr. Looney, I appreciate your candor. It's refreshing, and that makes me understand that you're not smart enough to have done this.

Which brings me to my next issue. We pay you 15 percent to do business here. The additional 10 percent you steal, we ignore. We anticipated it, as you people are such clichés. The fact that you're a rat to the Feds is also tolerable, Little John.

What we will not tolerate is... getting nothing for our money: no information, no protection... no assurances. You understand, Little Johnny?

Who I am? Or what I am? Who I am is complicated. What I am is easier, I'm a threat. I alter outcomes.

I want images from every security camera within a six-block radius. If you have any trouble call that number... and it will be taken care of. Phones charged and on. I tend to call at odd hours. Now, if you could drive me to my residence.

Let me apologize for my conduct. It was a long flight on short notice, and I... I like to focus, to work quickly. The deaths of Mr. Pushkin's men have interrupted his operations here. Imports, movements of goods, have all ceased. That's unacceptable. I am the one Mr. Pushkin calls in when people like you fuck up. I'm accountable now.

You have taken Mr. Pushkin's money for years. Money that comes with conditions. Non-negotiable conditions. Problem you're having with me is you still think you matter. You don't. I'm all that matters. And so we're clear. I'm not here to say "please." I'm here to tell you what to do.

Be ready for business. We open tomorrow.

Well, I'm still sifting through things, but the killings were spontaneous. Whoever did this specialized in killing. I've rarely seen skills like this. I don't think it's someone we've encountered before.

When you pray for rain, you gotta deal with the mud too.

I've done some bad things in my life, Nicolai… Things I'm not proud of. I promised someone I love very much that I would never go back to being that person… But for you, I'll make an exception.

Oh, it's about a guy who thinks he's a knight in shining armor. The only thing is, he lives in a world where knights don't exist anymore.

That girl, Alana… She's gonna go on living. You… You're gonna bleed out all over this funky floor… All over 9,800 dollars.

The men I killed, your men... I gave them a chance, they made their decision... Now I'm giving you the opportunity to make yours.

My wife did. She... She was working through the 100 Books Everybody Should Read. She made it to 97, so I figured... I'd give it a shot... And one day we'd have something to talk about when we get together.

Take singing lessons. Then I'm gonna open a donut factory. I am… What? Why you laughing?

Tomorrow you'll have returned all the money you extorted from those people. You'll tell them it will never happen again. Do that, and this video will never be seen... Don't, and a half an hour later you'll watch the uncut version on every news outlet in the area. Now I'm offering you a chance to do the right thing. Take it.

There you go. Thank you very much. There you go. Mr. Pushkin thanks you very much. We're going out of business. Closing down shop. Mr. Pushkin thanks you very much. There you are, sweetheart. Here you go. You're welcome. Accept these parting gifts on behalf of Mr. Pushkin. There you go. Three, two... Look at that, perfect... One. Thank you. Thank you, sweetheart.

Your heart's beating three times the normal rate because you're losing so much blood. About 30 seconds, your body's gonna shut down… and you're gonna suffocate. Alina, the girl you beat half to death, her life will go on. Yours is gonna end right here, on this funky floor… over $9,800. You should have taken the money.

26 one-thousand... 27 one-thousand... 28 one-thousand... I'm sorry.

Why waste city services when I got two corrupt cops right in front of me?

Your hands. If you really work on power lines, your hands wouldn't look like that. We gotta be waiting for somebody else.

What if that were me? You gonna leave me to die of smoke inhalation? I'm a buck-90. How you gonna pull me out of a burning building if you can't pull a tire 20 yards?