One of the attractions of the Equalizer franchise, besides Denzel’s charismatic lead, is its emphasis on beautiful settings and appealing characters. Here the setting is the picturebook town of Abrani, set in a canyon on Italy’s Amalfi coast (standing in for Sicily in the plot), beautifully filmed by Antoine Fuqua’s fluid camerawork. The mafia-harassed locals in need of Denzel’s skills are equally well-drawn. Even when there’s little going on in the plot, it’s good to spend time with them while we follow Denzel wandering around town getting to know them. You’ll want to visit. It’s almost a travelogue. As for the mafia baddies… they’re suitably nasty and really need to be equalized by our hero. Disappointments? Government sidekick Dakota Fanning has little to work with and the climax is a damp squib. Despite that, the journey there is beautifully realised and a joy to watch. Keep ‘em coming, Antoine.
By now you know exactly what you're going to get and this doesn't disappoint. A highly entertaining action thriller and in this case a beautiful southern Italian setting. Denzel Washington reprises his role as the ADHD suffering former CIA black ops man who likes to right wrongs but is a troubled man due to the unbelievable amount of people he's iced over three films. He's reunited here with his Man On Fire (2004) co-star Dakota Fanning, who I have to say is a little underused but this is Washington's show. As McCall he's still out there dishing the violence on the bad guys and he's in Italy where after being wounded is recuperating in a lovely little town, befriended by the locals and ready to finally settle down for some well earned peace and quiet. Unfortunately the local mafia boss is a nasty piece of work and McCall decides to rid the town of him and his henchmen. This is done with some toe curling violence, beautifully choreographed and all great fun and what we expect with an Equalizer film. It's full on action and bloody and entertains from start to finish. If you enjoyed the first two then this will not disappoint.
I think people unaware of what this film offers need to be warned that as per the title of this review, this is a very violent and gory film complete with limb and head amputation and masses of blood everywhere.
That warning aside, these Equalizer films are also extremely unrealistic in a similar vein to other's such as Rambo, with one man seemingly unstoppable against an army of baddies. I think here though 'The Equalizer 3' takes the medal because we now have an older man single handily thwarting a mass of much younger, fitter, mafia types and achieving something that the CIA with all their resources seem unable to do. Stepping back and analysing the film and to me it's too far fetched and laughable if not for the gore. Of course, we don't always want realism.
Now, after that damning review, there is obviously something to these films that's adhering to people. We all want a super hero, whether it's Superman, Rambo, The Equalizer etc., they all fit the bill. I remember watching the 1985 Equalizer TV series with Edward Woodward, and despite it being a little corny, there was still the thrill of watching someone thwarting bad people to help the person in the street for no monetary gain. This series did not have the gory violence of course, but is the same character with the same agender.
I admit, I'm not a lover of gore and seeing pools of blood and heads falling off bodies etc., and if the argument is that it makes the film more believable, then that does not hold up for me considering the whole concept of the story is not in the slightest plausible. I think had the film less gory violence it could have been more suitable for a wider audience and still maintain the fun aspect of good over evil however unbelievable ,and after all, we don't always want to watch realism.
On the plus side, the filming location is a joy to watch, and Denzel Washington's performance as the meticulous avenger questioning what he's done in the past and what needs to be done now adds depth to the character which otherwise could just be seen as a killing automaton.
I gave three stars as despite the gore, I watched it to the end, I always like to see the baddies lose! However, unlikely to give it a second viewing.
There’s something both grand and simple about how The Equalizer 3 weaves itself better than the previous sequel. It could be the change of scenery, the more straightforward procedural approach, or the more understated performance by Denzel Washington returning to the lead role. There are fewer moral monologues and fewer spewed moral lessons in Robert McCall’s violent quest as a do-gooder. It still has that aspect of fighting for a community amid gangsters, but there’s a key to making this formula more intriguing: McCall isn’t fighting on his home turf.
In this entry, Robert has taken off for Italy to investigate what happened to the stolen money of a cyber-crime scheme. His trail leads him to the den of dangerous men, which McCall makes short work of. He doesn’t, however, shoot the grandson of the enforcer, letting the kid run off after having shot him. With McCall injured and near death, he recovers in the coastal Italian town of Altamonte. While enjoying the simple pleasures of the food and people, he tips off the CIA about a secret drug trade going on with the local gangsters. From there, the fireworks fly as McCall plays enforcer for the residents and local police being assaulted by these violent goons.
McCall becomes more intriguing in this action thriller because he becomes way more aloof and shadowy with his actions. He only comes out of the darkness to thread the CIA closer and take out some henchmen who are clearly going to murder some innocent people. He never forms an intimate bond with the villagers, which is treated as a cross-cultural moment. There are no corny scenes of Washington trying to learn Italian from a sweetheart waitress or teaching a small kid to dance so that he has a reason to save these people later. The unspoken love of people trying to enjoy life is all the insensitivity he needs to confront some gun-toting goons.
This understated setup keeps the film on track with its progression of busting a drug operation and appreciating the spectacle of McCall’s many kills. The enforcer has grown more confident and refined so that he doesn’t waste too much time monologuing about his skills before each impressive takedown. We, the audience, have seen two movies worth of this guy timing his assassinations to be expertly crafted and creatively executed. So the moment McCall starts the clock, there’s some good action on the way, and the film doesn’t disappoint in this department. McCall’s highlights include shootings, stabbings, and a clever hanging that finds a goon crashing through a stained-glass ceiling.
In the realm of action franchises featuring middle-aged stars, The Equalizer 3 succeeds at still feeling exciting and less dreary as a thriller. Director Antoine Fuqua plays up his strengths by staging compelling action and effectively using Washington for more intimidating swagger than blistering banter. At the point where most action series feel like they’re out of gas, this one feels like there’s enough in the tank for another trip.