The Equalizer 2 (Rated R)
Denzel Washington, 63, broke his decades-long “no sequels rule” to reprise retired CIA operative Robert McCall in The Equalizer 2. This time, McCall brings vigilante justice to bear on killers of McCall’s long-time colleague and confidante. Director Antoine Fuqua also returns, mining 50 shades of bloody revenge, including, say, death by credit card. Reteaming, this frequently collaborating pair works for Sony. In 2014, the first Equalizer grossed $192 million on a $55 million budget. Look out Liam Neeson (66); the race for supreme senior butt kicker is on!
Mamma Mia: Here We Go Again! (Rated PG-13)
The original Mamma Mia grossed $616 million, mostly scooped up in foreign markets, thanks to Swedish pop group ABBA’s enduring, worldwide appeal. Ten years on, the group’s songs again tell Donna’s (Meryl Streep) story—this time, largely of her past—as well as her daughter Sophia’s (Amanda Seyfried) present-day search to find herself. Colin Firth, Pierce Brosnan and Stellan Skarsgård return as Sophia’s potential fathers, but the big surprise is Cher’s appearance as Donna’s estranged mother. This being Cher’s first film in eight years, the singer—resembling an aged Lady Gaga—brings her husky swells to ABBA’s breezy creations.
Unfriended: Dark Web (Rated R)
Matias (Andrew Lees) juggles Skype game night with friends (played by Betty Gabriel, Rebecca Rittenhouse, Connor Del Rio and Savira Windyani) while secretly carrying on a Skype conversation with his deaf girlfriend (Stephanie Nogueras). Then, Matias stumbles upon a hidden folder depicting the torture and killing of young women. He shares the find with his friends, only to learn the flagged folder has led the killer straight to each of them. A stand-alone sequel to Unfriended, once again the Internet channels dark and dangerous forces. Computer and phone screens depict the story, but paper-thin characters leave us unable to invest in the outcome.
