In “The Equalizer 3,” the last feature film that derives from the 1985 vigilante television series of the same name, it’s Denzel Washington’s powerful charisma as Robert McCall, aka The Equalizer, that saves this movie from mediocrity—and only just. This third installment simply doesn’t have the same urgency that made the first two iterations so entertaining.
Previously, McCall was a tightly wound spring behind a mask of tranquility, and usually more on defense than offense. This time he is the proactive bringer of pain, which is different. And fine. However, possibly because the setting is Europe, the film moves at the pace that Europeans tend to enjoy—slow. Which has the overall effect of amplifying the action sequence—also fine—but which may still move too slowly for American tastes.
Italy
Robert McCall (Washington) is now in Southern Italy, looking to find some peace and quiet after his personal history of violence. He’d like very much to put all the brutality behind him, but like Al Pacino’s line in “Godfather 3”—Just when I think I’m out, they pull me back in!The local arm of La Cosa Nostra is consistently annoying to him, needs to be equalized, and McCall’s role as squasher of bullies who cross his path expands to where he becomes the champion and guardian of an entire town.
Possibly, because of the Italian setting, there’s an obvious homage to Coppola’s chiaroscuro “Godfather” tone and imagery; and even a tribute to the brutal, hand-pinned-to-bar-via-switchblade, Luca Brasi murder scene.
Story
Early on, in Sicily, while taking out a bad mafia man, McCall takes a shotgun blast to the back by the man’s 10-year old kid. McCall is taken to the small village of Altomonte, near Naples, by Gio Bonucci (Eugenio Mastrandrea), a kindly policeman. McCall is then operated on by a kindly local doctor, Enzo Arisio (Remo Girone).While recuperating from his injuries, McCall finds out that the town of Altomonte is ruthlessly ruled by mafia brothers Vincent (Andrea Scarduzio) and Marco Quaranta (Andrea Dodero).
Once back on his feet, McCall takes a shine to the town and figures he could settle down there. It’s quite lovely, what with merchants giving away food to strangers, and children playing in the village square and drinking out of the fountain. Not to mention a comely younger woman. And everyone knows the hat McCall ends up wearing is the very one that the local milliner is always rushing out of his shop and hawking to tourists. Also like an old Western, the townsfolk all gather when the hero is staring down a serious threat.
But—something’s gotta be done about the pesky gangsters shaking down the fish merchants and such. The Equalizer asks nicely. Doesn’t work. Then he brings the pain. And it’s quite gory and brutal. But because we’ve seen what the mafia does, we don’t mind so much.
Overall
The most interesting Equalizer-centric storytelling gimmick has always been how audiences gets to see The Equalizer map out his battle-plan right before launching the attack. Here, there’s only one scene where he looks at his watch and states the time frame wherein the butt-whooping shall commence, but there’s also none of the visualized, choreographed preview of the impending carnage. That’s a shame. Because that’s fun.
I’d like to see him have one last cameo in another hitman franchise link-up, like “John Wick,” go out in a blaze of gory vigilante glory, and then, having lived a well-equalized life, be put out to pasture permanently.
