The Equalizer franchise returns with its third and final entry – where director Antoine Fuqua and Denzel Washington deliver enough charm and jaw-dropping brutality to not only overshadow some of the weaker qualities of the film, but also make it an entertaining trilogy-ender.

The film sees franchise lead Robert McCall (Washington) take his vigilantism to a new country but face harsh obstacles in the process. While on a secret mission in Sicily, Robert is unexpectedly wounded and on the verge of dying. That is until he’s saved by a local doctor named Enzo (Remo Girone) – who lets Robert stay with him in the small Sicilian village he resides in while he heals. Although Robert doesn’t plan to stay there for long, he ends up connecting with the peaceful atmosphere and sense of community he sees in this village. It’s strong enough to not only make him want to stay but become a protector of this place and its people after a local crime boss named Vincent Quaranta (Andrea Scarduzio) causes devastation and death to maintain his power.

For those that simply love watching Washington in this role and the brutal action that comes from Fuqua’s vision in this franchise, you’ll get your money’s worth. There’s nothing better in The Equalizer 3 than seeing Washington be a compelling, terrifying, and sometimes comical force on-screen. His ability to shift from being a daunting fighter whose cold stare will make anyone quake with fear to being calm and collected enough to deliver hilarious one-liners is flawless. Washington will have viewers literally hooked on every line and glued to the screen every time he appears. It’s an excellent showing of Washington’s range and why he continues to be a crowd-favorite lead. There’s no shortage of delightful charm nor gruesome demeanor that Washington brings to this role and it’s a big reason that it’s such a shame to see his time in this franchise come to an end.

As for the action, it’s exactly the type of bloody and wholeheartedly violent fights that fans would want – when they actually get it. Admittedly, it’s a bummer that The Equalizer 3 is so light on the action as Robert is in the heat of battle only in the first and last parts of the film. It’s a big reason that the film’s pacing is a little too light and it’s hard not to want a bigger action scene thrown in just to give the film some energy. When the film does crank up the action though, it’s a wildly great time.

There are some gnarly kills here that really remind viewers how cold and deadly Robert can be. He’s truly not the type anyone should underestimate and it’s riveting to see Vincent and his men find this out the hard way. The Equalizer 3 undeniably delivers the blood-soaked goods when it comes to its action and Fuqua’s vision for the action continues to provide audiences with crowd-pleasing kills. 

Not to mention, Robert isn’t the only one providing some swift and unrelenting brutality as Vincent shows himself to be quite the killer. The film does a great job building Vincent’s looming shadow and horrific methods of intimidation to make him more than just your typical crime boss. The way he makes his kills public leaves an instant impact and his desperation to maintain power leads to him making some gut-wrenching decisions. Also, Scarduzio’s performance helps make Vincent a villainous force that you want to see Robert take down. 

Overall, there’s a lot to like about The Equalizer 3 and certainly enough for fans to have a blast. Unfortunately, the film’s story direction lacks that ambitious punch that a franchise finale deserves and often doesn’t utilize its pieces all that well. As said before, there’s a lack of balance between the slower story of Robert’s new life in this town and the hastier action – leading to uneven pacing. If there was more action in The Equalizer 3, the middle of the film wouldn’t feel as remarkably slow as it is and could’ve made audiences feel like they’re on one last thrill ride with Robert the whole way through. Instead, it tries to give Robert a more personal finale that could’ve worked if the story and execution weren’t so thin and familiar.

The whole idea of Robert finding peace and grappling with whether he can really step away from his old life is fine and feels fitting for his arc in the franchise. However, this has all been done before, and been done much better. There’s no real depth to the locals outside of Enzo and Robert’s interactions with everyone feel so minimal. So, his sudden connection with this community doesn’t feel that strong nor does it leave a big impact. Even Robert’s personal dilemma surrounding his desires to act doesn’t feel like a prevalent enough part of the film to really create a strong arc for him. The film basically just leads viewers exactly where they thought they were heading – to Robert beating the hell out of Vincent and his cronies. So, all the stuff in-between just feels like wasted time or uneventful filler rather than meaningful parts of Robert’s narrative.

Even the finale itself struggles to feel satisfying. Although Vincent is cued up to be this big threat to Robert, he literally stands zero chance and Robert’s confrontation with Vincent and his men is so anticlimactic. There are some awesome kills and a sense of brutality that solidifies Robert as a cold killer you don’t want to cross, but it all just happens too fast. The finale heavily lacks great suspense and surprise – ultimately making it underwhelm. To be fair, there are some cool wrap-up moments in Robert’s story that fans will enjoy. Robert’s reasoning behind being in Sicily is well-presented and offers a nice perspective on his whole journey in the film. Plus, it gives a greater reasoning behind Emma’s (Dakota Fanning) presence in the film that ties to the franchise legacy – even if her appearance doesn’t feel completely needed aside from a nice reunion between Washington and Fanning.

The Equalizer 3 might lack the depth and story execution it needs to be a unique or fully memorable finale for the trilogy, but it boasts plenty of charm through Washington and Fuqua’s talents to make it an easily enjoyable franchise ending that fans will have a good time with. 

Watch the Trailer Here: