The Equalizer 3
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ 1/2 (out of 5)
Denzel Washington and Antoine Fuqua have been a successful cinematic combination over the years. From Training Day to The Magnificent Seven, this Academy Award-winning actor and director have established a partnership that has survived throughout the decades. At the heart of their combined works has been The Equalizer franchise, which has refined the television inspiration and made Robert McCall synonymous with vigilante justice.
This final chapter has the former DIA (Defence Intelligence Agency) and Marine working to enact his own definition of due process of the law in Sicily. Yet, as he attempts to walk away from his latest assignment, Robert is wounded and must get help in a local village. The retired agent connects with the local community as he recovers from his injuries. Despite cultural barriers, the villagers and the man establish a bond that eventually is threatened by the Sicilian Mafia. As McCall does all he can to fend off the actions of the organised crime syndicate, he does reach out to the CIA agent Emma Collins (Dakota Fanning) to assist in more significant issues threatening the country.
As with any franchise, there may be a built-in audience to support each new chapter, but it must offer something new to gain new followers. Antoine Fuqua brings all of the familiar tones, justice, and violence that have defined this series while taking it to Europe. The cultural nuances of the people and the villains provide a fresh landscape to introduce his vigilante. Thus proving that evil resides wherever mankind exists and that we all hope for things to be made right, too. This form of storytelling is where this director excels, especially when he is given access to one of the greatest actors of our time as his muse.
Like many of the ageing action heroes throughout cinematic history, Robert McCall is seeing his twilight years. Denzel fills the shoes of this unassuming defender of the defenceless and carries this film with gravitas. Thankfully, the script does lean into his vulnerabilities as he ages and proves that he does need help throughout the film. Yet, this final chapter proves to be an example of the best for last for a franchise. This character's balance of action, relationships, and finality allows this series to finish well. Albeit a familiar storyline, The Equalizer 3 is a satisfying franchise conclusion that may even garner new fans who would enjoy revisiting the previous films to understand the finale’s significance.
Reel Dialogue: Are you good or bad?
One question asked of Robert McCall was if he was a good or bad man. He answered, I don’t know. The driving force of this franchise is the beetle between good and evil. Still, despite his positive intentions, the vigilante has past issues that qualify as evil.
This aspect of this character shows how all humans have this inner turmoil that connects us to the dark and light side of life. The question could be: who determines what is good or bad in this world?
If we are honest with ourselves, the only place to find the answer is outside our existence and our limited viewpoint. This franchise unmasks the dark and lighter side of this world, but leaves the viewer wondering who is good and evil in this world. If you genuinely want to find the answer, the first step would be to engage with what God has to say about both good and evil in the words of the Bible. Then, contact our team to discuss how this applies to life.
The word becomes film
Russ Matthews' new book is a modern-day parable that introduces a radically easy way of talking about God’s story
If you order the book today you will also receive a complementary study guide that is only available with the purchase of the book (Print or ebook)