The Equalizer 3 – A Satisfyingly Safe Trilogy Finale

Out of all the older leading man led action franchises, the Equalizer franchise has perhaps been the most consistent thanks to the perfect pairing of Denzel Washington and Antoine Fuqua. Washington is indisputably one of the most charming and charismatic actors which has led him to great success and that continues to be the case today. Since just about every action franchise seemingly has to be a trilogy, cue The Equalizer 3, the finale of the Equalizer franchise and the fifth collaboration between Denzel Washington and Antoine Fuqua. As far as fans of the franchise are concerned, those simply wanting to see Denzel using his special set of skills and being an absolute badass will certainly not be disappointed. And all of that is conveniently wrapped in a neat and tidy package that is also predictable to a tee, for better or worse. The latter point should not come as a surprise to anyone as audiences want the expected, a film where they can sit down, not have to think, and decompress for 100 or so minutes. A predictable film can still get by if it executes the familiar well and that is the case here. While there could easily have been more here, that’s not what audiences want to see anyway and that awareness does go a long way.

The Equalizer 3 saw Robert McCall (Washington) recovering in a coastal Southern Italy town that he quickly became rather fond of but little did he know, just about every aspect of it was under the rule of a local mob. Still trying to reconcile with the actions of his past by helping others, that did not change despite his new surroundings. Using his special set of skills, McCall always found a way to get tied up with nefarious people thus putting a target on his own back that followed him wherever he went. But this position was something that he wasn’t unfamiliar with as he had an uncanny ability to survive. That drive led him to Italy where his latest pursuit left him wounded and then in the hands of some good Samaritans. As he healed, he became further entrenched within the town and its people as he finally found some semblance of peace. That being said, he wasn’t blind to what was really going on. Suffice it to say that he wasn’t going to let anything, let alone the mob, get in the way of what he now had. Now healed (or healed enough), he decided to take matters into his own hands and become a protector of the town. However, his actions did not go unnoticed by Marco Quaranta (Andrea Dodero), the ambitious yet impulsive younger brother of Vincent Quaranta (Scarduzio), the head of the Quaranta mob family.

Not wanting to get showed up by McCall and to be looked down upon by his older brother, he was sure to put Marco in his place, however, in the end, he proved to be the lesser of two evils. Though, as he always did, he had a plan and that plan included CIA Agent Emma Collins (Fanning) for whom he fed with vital intel about the Quaranta mob’s activities. A young but smart agent that could more than take care of herself, McCall didn’t pick her by chance and she was picked up on that. Meanwhile, Collins was fascinated by the enigma of McCall and his motives which made for a fun dynamic. Ultimately, that whole subplot was secondary as since he now had an even larger target on his back, something had to give between he and Vincent Quaranta. While it’s pretty easy to figure out who would prevail, watching that outcome play out was nevertheless as exciting as it was brutal. Washington inevitably needed some help to get through it all but it didn’t take away from the chaos of the climax.

The best part of The Equalizer 3 is of course Denzel Washington. The film’s clear main draw, he has definitely not lost a beat in the charm department. Those wanting to see him kick plenty of ass will not be disappointed but it’s that charm that wins out above all else. He doesn’t have to just be beating people up to be compelling to watch as the film’s lighter moments of him at ease and mingling with the residents of the town were as strong though the beautiful Italian countryside also helped. Shot across Italy, the country became another character in the story. The only other performance of note was Fanning as Collins. In limited screen time, she held her own alongside Washington but it would have been nice to have better integrated her into the story despite the possibility of it taking away from McCall’s story.

At the end of the day, The Equalizer 3 is essentially what most would expect which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. It’s safe but it simply gives audiences more of what they want in the purest form and that is Denzel showing off his badassery one more time and very little else.

still courtesy of Sony Pictures

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Keith Noakes

The EIC of the coincidentally-named keithlovesmovies.com. A Canadian who prefers to get out of the cold and into the warmth of a movie theatre.