The Stream: The plot is predictable and gets boring between the action sequences.

The Big Screen: The action sequences are thrilling and bloody, if you like that sort of thing.

The Final Bill: There’s nothing special about this third and potentially final installment of The Equalizer.

– Trip Fontaine
Director: Antoine Fuqua
Writers: Richard Wenk
Stars: Denzel Washington, Dakota Fanning, Eugenio Mastrandrea
Genre: Action, Crime, Thriller
Rating: R for strong bloody violence and some language
Runtime: 1 hour 42 minutes
Production Companies: Columbia Pictures, Eagle Pictures, Escape Artists, ZHIV Productions, Sony Pictures Entertainment
Platform: In theaters September 1, 2023
Notable Trailers: Expend4bles, A Haunting in Venice, Dumb Money, The Book of Clarence

What’s up, Streamers! The summer is over, but that doesn’t mean there is nothing to see at the theaters. There are more sequels than you can shake a stick at. One of those sequels is being called the final installment of The Equalizer franchise, The Equalizer 3. Your not-so-friendly, neighborhood vigilante is back and administering justice in his own special way. This time in Italy. Here’s how it goes.

Robert McCall (Denzel Washington) has traveled to Sicily on a mission to recover some stolen funds. Of course, he had to massacre a set of henchmen at a secluded winery in order to achieve his mission. In the course of his escape, McCall is severely injured and barely survives thanks to an Italian police officer, Gio (Eugenio Mastrandrea) and a small-town doctor. During his recovery in the small Italian village, McCall becomes acquainted with the locals and discovers a nefarious plot by the local mafia attempting to take over the town and terrorize the people. As the Equalizer, McCall has got to do his duty and rid the town of the criminal element. Bloody, vigilante hijinks ensue.

Antoine Fuqua directs The Equalizer 3. He’s a reliable action movie director, but the problem with The Equalizer 3 is that the plot is so rote. There really isn’t anything special or particularly interesting about this installment in the franchise. I don’t have a problem with knowing how the movie will go if it is interesting in the execution. Unfortunately, there is too much downtime between the very bloody, action set pieces. I got pretty bored in those lulls. McCall is an interesting character, but we don’t learn anything new about him. Denzel is reliable as usual, but I hate to say that he seems a bit old for what’s required of this character. Finally, the Italian sights aren’t even shot that well. The movie looks dark, which might be to emphasize the gritty nature or it might be to disguise how old Denzel has gotten for this role, but either way it’s not inviting to look at. In fact, it’s pretty forgettable overall.

Ultimately, The Equalizer 3 is a forgettable installment of an otherwise interesting movie franchise. The main character does the same thing he’s done in previous movies – only this time in Italy. The action is good and bloody, but those scenes are too few. The plot is otherwise predictable and boring. I can only suggest a handful of popcorn for this one.