Name: The Equalizer 3
Genre: Action, Thriller, Crime
Released: 2023-08-30T00:00:00+00:00
Cast: Denzel Washington, Dakota Fanning, Eugenio Mastrandrea, David Denman, Gaia Scodellaro

The opening shot of The Equalizer 3 is a brutal, unflinching close-up of Denzel Washington’s Robert McCall squeezing the life out of a gangster in a Sicilian winery vault. It’s a moment that sets the tone for Antoine Fuqua’s latest action thriller: visceral, relentless, and utterly committed to its brand of vigilante justice.

What we have here is another chapter in the ongoing saga of McCall, a retired government assassin who can’t seem to escape his violent past. This time, he’s in Southern Italy, drawn into a web of local crime after befriending the residents of a small coastal town called Altamonte. The plot hinges on McCall’s discovery that his new friends are being terrorized by the Camorra, a powerful mafia syndicate looking to gentrify the town for their own gain. It’s a story that feels familiar, but Fuqua and Washington manage to inject enough energy and intensity to keep it engaging.

The film’s strengths lie in its action sequences, which are brutally efficient and shot with a kinetic energy that makes them feel both realistic and exhilarating. The fight choreography is top-notch, and Washington’s physicality—even at 68 years old—is nothing short of impressive. One standout sequence involves McCall taking on a group of Camorra thugs in a narrow alleyway, using the environment to his advantage with a series of brutal, no-holds-barred strikes. It’s a scene that showcases Washington’s ability to convey both strength and vulnerability, making it one of the film’s most memorable moments.

The performances are solid across the board, with Washington once again proving why he’s one of the most compelling actors working today. His McCall is a complex figure, torn between his desire for redemption and his inability to turn away from violence. Dakota Fanning also delivers a strong performance as CIA officer Emma Collins, providing a much-needed emotional anchor amidst the film’s more explosive moments.

However, The Equalizer 3 isn’t without its flaws. The story feels formulaic at times, relying heavily on familiar tropes and predictable beats. The pacing is uneven, with long stretches of exposition and character development that slow down the momentum built by the action sequences. Additionally, some of the dialogue feels stilted and unnatural, detracting from the film’s otherwise immersive atmosphere.

The film also suffers from a lack of originality in its approach to the action genre. While the fight scenes are well-executed, they often feel like retreads of similar moments from previous films in the franchise. The soundtrack, while serviceable, doesn’t elevate the material in any significant way, relying too heavily on generic synth beats and bombastic orchestral swells.

In the end, The Equalizer 3 is a solid, if unremarkable, entry in the action thriller genre. It delivers on the promise of intense, well-choreographed fight scenes and strong performances from its lead actors, but it ultimately falls short in terms of originality and narrative cohesion. For fans of Denzel Washington and Antoine Fuqua’s previous collaborations, there’s enough here to satisfy.