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It kind of only recently dawned on me just how odd the Equalizer film series has been. It’s based on a network TV show from the 80s, starring one of the best, and last true movie stars in the game, and it’s this unapologetically pulpy action adaptation with kills that feel ripped right out of a slasher movie. Don’t get me wrong, these films rip, in that dad movie kind of way. But of course, all good things must come to an end, which brings us the the final installment of this now trilogy of action movies, The Equalizer 3, which features the return of both director Antoine Fuqua and screenwriter Richard Wenk.
Following an injury after annihilating a drug den in Sicily, Robert (Denzel Washington) gets taken in by a doctor Enzo (Remo Girone), who helps him as he recovers in a quaint coastal town in Southern Italy. He soon finds that he likes the quiet, communal life in the town, and he is quickly endeared to the locals, such as the cop who initially found him, Gio (Eugenio Mastrandre), a local restaurant worker Aminah (Gaia Scodellaro), or Angelo (Daniele Perrone), the owner of a fish market who gives Robert a fish on the house for being a friend of Enzo. It’s all good vibes in this town.
But as these movies tend to go, there is more danger lurking under the surface, which comes in the form of Vincent (Andrea Scarduzio), the head of a mob who often has his brother, Marco (Andrea Dodero), do the dirty work of picking up extortion money from many local businesses, including Angelo, who get beaten up for being unable to provide the payment for that he owed. Robert starts to observe the way many of the townsfolk are oppressed by Vincent’s gang. He just needs the time to fully heal before he can take any action, in the mean time, he is in communication with a junior CIA analyst named Emma (Dakota Fanning) to bring some outside assistance with the drug operation that’s going on in the region, as well as make for a cute Man On Fire reunion.
As indicated by my review for The Equalizer 2, my feelings on this series has been somewhat middle-of-the-road, but I’ve actually grown to appreciate the thrills and simple charms behind them. It also helps to having someone as effortlessly charismatic as Washington carry the whole thing on his shoulders, but Fuqua is no slouch either. This might be the best of the three in terms of sheer craft. The pacing feels more solid; editor Conrad Buff shows a surprising amount of restraint and patience, as the film builds to the small handful of action scenes. Robert Richardson does sturdy work in his second collaboration with Fuqua as the cinematographer.
When the action does hit, it’s incredibly satisfying. The sound design is great, the actual SFX is stellar, and Washington’s delivery of some of the coldest lines you’ll ever hear is truly a sight to behold. The bad guys are so ridiculously bad, you eagerly anticipate their demise at Robert’s hands, and boy, does it deliver. Even starting off with Robert sticking the barrel of a revolver into a dude’s eye before pulling a trigger and seconds later shotgunning a drug lord right in the ass just puts you in a gleeful blood lust that only seasoned guys like Fuqua and Washington can pull off.
I’m not gonna call The Equalizer 3 a great movie, but it is a good and engaging vigilante action movie. Some of its themes about ageing, finding peace living a non-peaceful life, and whether someone who has unleashed such violence – even in the name of good – is deserving of finding peace does resonate here and there, but it’s largely due to the commitment of the performances more than the words on the page. The film, probably more than the last two, really get what makes these movies so appealing, and any narrative shortcuts that are taken – like in the villain’s character development – are ultimately in service of of hitting those beats that will make the audience laugh, cheer, and pump their fist. It’s not easy task even for the best filmmakers out there, but Fuqua, Washington, and co. are up to the task.
The Equalizer 3 is now out in theaters.