- Director: Antoine Fuqua
- Actors : Denzel Washington, Dakota Fanning, David Denman
- Studio : SONY
- Country of Origin : USA
- Number of discs : 1
- MPAA rating : R (Restricted)
- Media Format : Digital_copy, Blu-ray, Subtitled
- Run time : 109 minutes
- Release date : November 14, 2023
Denzel Washington won his second Academy Award
for his first collaboration with director Antoine Fuqua, so it is not
surprising that the pair have worked together multiple times since. In addition
to remaking The Magnificent Seven, the star and director have turned 1980s
crime series “The Equalizer” into a successful action franchise. The first two
installments were action-packed, turning the network-safe show into some of the
most intense American action films of the twenty-first century. While The Equalizer
3 slows down the pace of the narrative to close out the film series, there
is still enough brutal action to satisfy fans.
After an
unexplained opening sequence in which former U.S. Marine and DIA officer Robert
McCall (Washington) infiltrates a winery in Sicily occupied by a crime enforcer,
an injury leaves him incapacitated in a small fictional Italian village named Altamonte.
After being discovered injured by local law enforcement agent Gio Bonucci (Eugenio
Mastrandrea) and treated by the town’s doctor Enzo Arisio (Remo Girone), McCall
feels indebted to the citizens who quickly accept him into the community.
An opportunity
to pay back the town back comes when members of the Italian organized crime
group known as the Camorra begin harassing the citizens of Altamonte. McCall realizes the crime
group is attempting to harass the villagers out of their homes in a development
scheme, and steps in with his signature skillset. Although the film is a slow
burn, it leads up to a climactic showdown between McCall and the criminal
organization. This is where the franchise’s signature graphic violence is
implemented, even if isolated from the character-building first two acts.
In many ways it
is Washington’s performance that makes the violence more palatable, because he
is convincing as a kind man capable of vicious violence in the service of
justice. The type of retribution McCall serves may be morally questionable, but
the film makes the villains pure evil rather than complexly written characters,
so the audience is less inclined to care about their fate. The Equalizer 3
does a decent job of balancing character-driven drama and spectacle-driven
action, even if they often feel as if they would naturally belong to two
different narratives. Those who enjoy the cruel violence may also find the slow
pace of the film’s character development and sentimental approach to a resolution
for McCall tiresome. Similarly, those who enjoy the subtleties of Washington’s
dramatic performance may not have a taste for the violence the narrative devolves
into.
The Blu-ray release
of The Equalizer 3 also comes with a digital code to stream the film through
the Movies Anywhere App. Exclusive to the Blu-ray disc is over fifteen minutes
of deleted scenes, for anyone who enjoyed the slower pace of the third film and
want more of the character development and filler sequences. The special
features also include a featurette about frequent collaborators Fuqua and
Washington, and another about the reunion between Washington and co-star Dakota
Fanning following their starring roles together in Man on Fire (2004).
The remaining featurettes cover the action sequences, the shooting location of
the Amalfi Coast, and the character of Robert McCall. There is also a lyric
video of “Monster” by Jacob Banks. Exclusively sold at Walmart, the Blu-ray
release is also available in a steelbook case.
Entertainment Value:
7/10
Quality of
Filmmaking: 7/10
Historical
Significance: 5/10
Special Features: 7.5/10
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