The Equalizer 3 review: Cathartic action movie set in a stunning location

The Equalizer 3 is the final instalment of the action trilogy directed by Antoine Fuqua and starring Denzel Washington. Set against the dramatic backdrop of Italy’s Amalfi Coast, the movie sets the beloved retired government agent turned vigilante against the Camorra, aka the Sicilian mafia.

Where can you watch The Equalizer 3 in the UAE?

The Equalizer 3 is currently playing in cinemas across the UAE, such as VOX Cinema and Reel Cinemas.

The Equalizer 3 review

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Rating: 3.5 out of 5.

THE GOOD
+ Denzel Washington
+ Great cinematography
+ Highly entertaining

THE BAD
– The CIA sub-plot

The film starts at a secluded winery where criminal Lorenzo Vitale (Bruno Bilotta) arrives with his young son. All his men have been killed, and the one left alive is terrified of whatever force killed his colleagues. Lorenzo goes to the basement, where he sees a lone Robert McCall (Washington), who gives him exactly nine seconds to hand over the keys to the vault.

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Unsurprisingly, Lorenzo doesn’t listen, and he and his men pay with their lives. As he exits the winery with whatever he wants from the vault, Lorenzo’s child unexpectedly shoots Robert in the back. Injured, Robert makes it to the mainland before passing out in his car. He’s found by police officer Gio (Eugenio Mastrandrea), who takes him to the village doctor, Enzo (Remo Girone).

While Enzo is nursing him back to health, Robert starts getting attached to the village of Altamonte and its people, including the coffee shop owner Aminah (Gaia Scodellaro) and fishmonger Angelo. The picturesque village does have a slight  Camorra problem, led by brothers Marco (Andrea Dodero) and Vincent (Andrea Scarduzio). Now, Robert has no choice but to intervene and give the good people of Altamonte their peace back. 

Meanwhile, Robert is also closely involved in a CIA investigation after he informed CIA agent Emma Collins (Dakota Fanning) of the illegal drug operation Lorenzo was running from the winery. 

Violent and exciting

During his decades-long career, Denzel Washington isn’t known for starring in sequels. Reprising the role of Robert McCall not once but twice shows how close to his heart this franchise (and working with Fuqua) is. And that’s plain to see in the excellent way he adds nuance to his character. While Robert McCall is terrifying (and the kill scenes are reminiscent of the slasher genre), he’s also a good man desperate for redemption. 

The Equalizer 3 is a decent action feature. The bad guys are evil enough to ensure the audiences have 0 empathy for them when they get their comeuppance, the kill scenes (none of those can be called fight scenes) are cathartic, and the scenery is stunning. It has all the elements we’ve come to expect from the franchise, and it makes for enjoyable viewing. 

It would have been better if the other characters had some depth. And the film could have done without the whole CIA side plot altogether. It felt like filler content written at the last minute to give Dakota Fanning something to do, and I found those parts boring. It overcomplicated a narrative that was doing just fine without the CIA story. 

However, the movie offers plenty of action, violence, and Denzel Washington at his best to compensate for the less-than-exciting scenes. To top it off, The Equalizer 3 has the near-perfect cinematography only an Oscar-winning Robert Richardson could achieve, he even made the gory shots look artistic. It’s worth seeing on the big screen for the visuals alone. 

What are other critics saying about The Equalizer 3 (Video Reviews):

Chris Stuckmann enjoyed all the Equalizer installments and described Antoine Fuqua as a “masterful filmmaker.”

Jeremy Jahns had nothing but praise for the movie, particularly Denzel Washinton’s excellent performance. 

3C Films thought the film was overall good, but wasn’t keen on Dakota Fanning’s sub-plot.