The Equalizer 3 (2023) – Review/ Summary

General Information

Director(s)	Antoine Fuqua
Screenplay By	Richard Wenk
Based On	N/A
Date Released (In Theaters)	September 1, 2023
Genre(s)	Action, Crime, Drama, Thriller
Film Length	1 Hour 49 Minutes
Content Rating	Rated R
Noted Characters and Cast
Robert McCall	Denzel Washington
Enzo	Remo Girone
Emma	Dakota Fanning

Film Summary

This content contains pertinent spoilers. Also, images and text in this post may contain affiliate links. If a purchase is made from those sites, we may earn money or products from the company.

In Sicily getting justice, Robert McCall underestimates one person and nearly dies. However, he is rescued by a small coastal town doctor named Enzo, and during his recovery, he falls in love with small-town life. However, as the local mafia starts making a move, McCall tries to ignore them, but the further they take things, the less he is able to control himself and has to do what he has always done.

Character Descriptions

Please Note: This character guide is not an exhaustive list of every cast member, and character descriptions may contain what can be considered spoilers.

Robert McCall

Long retired but still finding himself using the skills he gained, Robert has found himself in Italy doing what he does best, but while he originally goes because of work, an injury pushes him to have a vacation. The kind that makes it seem, that while his home is in America, his life could be in Sicily.

Enzo

Enzo is the main doctor for a small town in Italy and has been the physician for generations of local families and probably assisted with the birth of at least two generations for the majority of locals.

Emma

Emma works for the United States government and becomes McCall’s go-to so that he can remain retired but get government assistance for what he is trying to accomplish.

Review

Our Rating: Mixed (Divisive)

Highlights

Not As Many, But Still, Cool Kills

Thankfully, we still see McCall do his signature stopwatch-timed kills, but not to the extent shown in the first two films. With McCall getting older and increasingly uncomfortable with murder being one of his first solutions to handle things, there is more restraint. Not to the point of feeling like any kills seen are earned, but you are given a sense that things are made to be less flashy, less notable, but just enough to feel like sustenance.

On The Fence

Reliant On Denzel To Drive A Thin Story

While there is a connection to previous entries in the trilogy, for the most part, this send-off is about seeing Denzel Washington play the character one last time and be an action hero. For when it comes to the story of a mob threatening a small town they want to turn into a resort? There isn’t much in the way of new characters or plot points to really drive your interest. And while, as noted, there are still McCall-styled kills, there is a lack of enthusiasm behind them so that, when it comes to “The Equalizer 3,” it is all about Denzel Washington’s charm more than the talents of the writers of the previous “The Equalizer” movies.

Fanning Feels Wasted

Considering Denzel Washington and Dakota Fanning’s history, you’d think they may want to tap into the chemistry we saw in “Man on Fire” if not have things be a bit tongue-in-cheek. Well, while you do get a master and protégé dynamic, which includes Washington often looking like a proud papa, things aren’t taken to the point where you feel like Fanning is utilized to the utmost degree.

Now, the benefit of this is her not being set up to be the next Equalizer. However, considering Washington has a heavy load to carry, considering the baton of being “The Equalizer” felt effectively transferred to Queen Latifah, he could have used someone like Dakota Fanning to make this send-off notable rather than a conclusion to an arc that seemingly was already closed.

Recommendations

If you like this movie, we recommend:

1. John Wick
2. Sherlock Holmes
3. The Equalizer (TV Series)

Check out our movies page for our latest movie reviews and recommendations.