The Equalizer 3 review

The Equalizer 3 is not a franchise limping to its final act. If anything, the third installment of the series makes a very strong case for at least one more chapter.

Star Denzel Washington and Director Antoine Fuqua had never done a sequel to any of their massively successful films until this series. That’s helped make The Equalizer so special. It’s a rarity and one audiences can’t take for granted. It’s a good thing that this partnership has delivered far more than expected.

Equalizer 3 kicks off with a gripping opening sequence in Southern Italy. Washington’s Robert McCall has left major carnage in his wake. And he’s got just a few more victims left.

Fuqua doesn’t rehash the popular bits from the previous two films. Franchise fans know the methodical method in which McCall calculates how to take out overwhelming odds and it remains highly effective. Now, Fuqua lets viewers fill in the gaps. We don’t have to see all the death and action play out. Sometimes it’s more effective leaving some elements up to the imagination.

This mission is different as McCall lets his guard down too quickly and gets critically wounded. Fortunately for McCall, he’s saved by a kindly police officer Gio (Eugenio Mastrandrea) and Enzo (Remo Girone), a skilled doctor who understands the need for secrecy. McCall can’t bounce back to full strength immediately allowing screenwriter Richard Wenk to give the brutally efficient killer a new perspective on life.

And with the majestic views and captivating architecture, it’s not a bad place to set up a new chapter.

Over time, McCall starts considering Enzio and Gio friends as well as the friendly waitress Aminah (Gaia Scodellaro), who’s written just short of being a love interest. His new peaceful existence is threatened when the local mafia start getting more aggressive with their shakedowns and protection money racket.

Maybe the best part of the film is it featured some truly despicable, irredeemable villains. Andrea Scarduzio and Andrea Dodero are the alpha villains, playing brothers Vincent and Marco, who are terrorizing the town through intimidation and outright physical violence. They’re not charismatically cool or even get a whiff of great witty dialogue. They’re loathsome awful people who McCall can’t kill off soon enough.

In the real world where concepts like fairness and justice seem like wishful thinking it’s nice to watch a movie where bad dudes have to pay legit consequences for their actions.

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Since he’s still recovering, McCall can’t immediately jump into action especially when there’s more layers to this racket than initially appears. McCall reaches out to CIA analyst Emma (Washington’s Man on Fire co-star Dakota Fanning) to bring the situation to her attention.

The scenes with Washington and Fanning are the film’s most intentional to showcase his boundless charisma. Fanning is game, giving Emma enough agency that she doesn’t shrink on screen with a focused pursuit of uncovering the case.

There’s an irony in the film taking place in Sicily as the final act has a definite Godfather vibe to it.

Fuqua’s restraint in holding off on too much violence from McCall’s end pays off. To some extent this is McCall getting pulled back into a life he’d rather leave, but the awful antics of the brothers ensure he’s got no choice but to get bloody once again. For the restraint for most of the film, Fuqua doesn’t hold back when it comes to letting the brutal violence unfold in an unflinching manner.

Washington displays a cold, detached prowess as McCall is taking out bad guys. It’s almost like he’s entering a killing trance and he’s just taking out annoying obstacles in his path.

The Equalizer 3 shows this franchise still has enough in the tank for a fourth chapter. If it’s good enough for John Wick, the fourth time can be the charm for Robert McCall as well.

Rating: 9.5 out of 10

Buy The Equalizer 3 now on 4k Blu Ray at Amazon and get the exclusive Steelbook at Best Buy.

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