The Book of Eli (2010)

A lone man fights his way across America in order to protect a sacred book that holds the secrets to saving humankind.

Stylish and entertaining post-apocalyptic drama plays out like a spaghetti Western with Washington as the taciturn hero and Oldman as the sophisticated villain; big let-down when it's revealed what the "sacred book" is...

Maltin**1/2: "Washington does his best Clint Eastwood in this violent but entertaining postapocalyptic tale...Taking the "end of days" genre and wrapping it in the guise of a Sergio Leone spaghetti Western, the Hughes brothers create a lurid guilty pleasure, with a "message" thrown in for good measure."

The Equalizer (2014)

A man believes he has put his mysterious past behind him and has dedicated himself to beginning a new, quiet life. But when he meets a young girl under the control of ultra-violent Russian gangsters, he can't stand idly by - he has to help her.

Violent vigilante thriller has style ans suspense, and Denzel Washington can really pull off his role as righteous avenger, but all that said, it's still a dubious genre.

Fences (2016)

A working-class African-American father tries to raise his family in the 1950s, while coming to terms with the events of his life.

It shows that this movie is the adaptation of a stage play as its very heavy on dialogue, but the stellar performances and intelligent direction make it worth the while.

Inside Man (2006)

A police detective, a bank robber, and a high-power broker enter high-stakes negotiations after the criminal's brilliant heist spirals into a hostage situation.

Intelligently assembled heist story with some new twists, spiced with some humor, but outstays its welcome and fails to excite much.

Maltin***: "Clever reinvention of a bank-heist story...Laced with uniquely New York-flavored moments of humor and character riffs, though it overplays its hand and goes on too long. Foster brings no color whatsoever to her role as a high-stakes power broker."

Out of Time (2003)

A Florida police chief must solve a vicious double homicide before he himself falls under suspicion.

Suspenseful crime thriller with an impossibly construed plot that it's only credulity by Denzel Washington's performance of a corrupt cop we're supposed to like.

Halliwell (no star): "Unoriginal thriller, given a classier treatment than it merits."

Maltin**: "This film noir wannabe would have been made effortlessly in the 1940 and '50s but seems heavy-handed and overly contrived here. Lathan is a fine femme fatale but Washington is the last person you's cast as a patsy."

The Manchurian Candidate (2004)

In the midst of the Gulf War, soldiers are kidnapped and brainwashed for sinister purposes.

Intelligent remake of a classic, a joy to watch.

On renewed viewing: Nice-looking remake of a classic political satire updates the message and otherwise has its credentials in all departments, but the good work doesn't have the original's edge.

Maltin**1/2: "Remake of a genuinely great film puts an intriguing, modern spin on the depiction of backroom power brokers but lacks the chilling edge - and starkness - that marked the original."

Unstoppable (2010)

With an unmanned, half-mile-long freight train barreling toward a city, a veteran engineer and a young conductor race against the clock to prevent a catastrophe.

Straightforward thriller made in good and simple taste and effectively so, and never intends to be more than just that.

Maltin***1/2: "Sensationally exciting thriller...recalls DIE HARD in its focus on working-class heros in the wrong place at the right time...White-knuckle action sequences and stripped-to-essentials storytelling enhance the full-throttle impact."

Fallen (1998)

A homicide detective witnesses the execution of serial killer, but soon after the execution the killings start again in the style of the executed murderer.

A great cast of stars and good production value can't help to make the story less silly.

Halliwell (no star): "A supernatural thriller that offers little in the way of frisson: the Devil may have the best tunes, but he still has the worst films."

Maltin**: "Hybrid of supernatural and cop-thriller genre doesn't pay off, despite creepy atmosphere and solid performances. It takes much too long to get where it's going, and the finale subverts the film's own "ground rules.""

The Bone Collector (1999)

A quadriplegic ex-homicide detective and his female partner try to track down a serial killer who is terrorizing New York City.

Routine variation of a serial killer thriller; professional direction and cast plus a higher budget are the factors that make this movie slightly better than the usual crime TV episode.

Halliwell (no star): "A wearying, downbeat thriller of a familiar kind, dragged down by a script that makes little narrative sense and leaves too many questions unanswered."

Maltin***: "First-rate suspense thriller/whodunit...Not for the squeamish."