Man, I thought this day would never come. I just saw the third installment of the Equalizer with my best friend and in D-BOX! As the camera turned and panned, as evil mobsters got their heads bashed in, my seat vibrated, shook, twisted, and put me in the firing line. There is a moment in the film where we watch the equalizing happening from the point of view of Denzel and for a moment I felt like I was the Equalizer!
I actually really enjoyed myself and liked this movie a lot. I'm no newbie either, I've been an Equalizer-head since 2014. I remember seeing the first two in theaters on their opening nights. The third seemed like it was happening (for a year), then it wasn't (for three years), then boom I saw a trailer and a month later my ass was in a D-Box seat.
Equalizer 3's strengths are in its setting, characters, and performances. I love the Italian town the movie takes place in. It's cinematic and beautiful and never looked like a green screen or backlot. It felt like an authentic place with a real community I fell in love with. Performances across the board are strong. It is incredibly pleasing to see Denzel Washington reunite with Dakota Fanning. Their scenes are playful and well done, even if Fanning's character is a little weak. She's a CIA agent who gets the whole case spelled out for her by McCall and then she literally repeats what she's told to her boss (who is David Denman aka Roy from The Office) making her look like a genius. "Investigate this person, stake out this location, ask this question." It would've been cool to see an actual partnership where she is allowed to have skin in the game and not simply given the answers.
I know this may not come as a shock to anyone, but if Equalizer 3 has a weakness it's in the story. Nothing new comes to light, nothing truly develops, Robert McCall's (that's two Cs and two Ls) character arc isn't actually an arc, it is a straight line. That doesn't make E3 a bad movie, because it most certainly is not one. But I can't help but think of how much stronger the film would've been if McCall had doubts, weakness, fears, and regrets of his violent life. There are more than a few clues hinting that the filmmakers wanted to do something like that, but nothing more than glimpses.
Talking with my friend after this one, I believe there is an alternate cut of the movie that exists in which McCall struggles with his mortality, his faith, and his guilt. There is a lot of evidence supporting this. Spoilers here: in the opening scene after McCall is shot in the back, he actually attempts suicide, he puts the gun to his temple, pulls the trigger but it's empty (any John Q fans out there?). Exciting yet uncharacteristic, McCall would certainly know how many bullets he had left, but more so, the Robert McCall I know, the one who helped Ralphie make security guard and Sam Rubentsein get his sister back, would never commit suicide. It made for a fascinating opening scene, as I was immediately excited and intrigued by what I assumed was coming: what happens when you just can't Equalize any more?
The picture is steeped in religious imagery, is McCall looking for redemption? Even if he killed the worst men on the planet: pimps, mobsters,terrorists, and rapists in often brutal, painful ways; How do you live with that? As he ages there are more days behind him than ahead, that must take a deep toll on a person.
The fact those pieces exist make me think Fuqua and crew wanted to make that movie, but studio pressure for an action-summer feel-good-popcorn-blockbuster left the thoughtful parts of the character out. Equalizer 3 doesn't go any deeper than the surface; it's also a full half hour shorter than its predecessors. McCall kills em' all, and drinks tea and dances in the street at the end.
Despite the shortcomings, The Equalizer 3 is a good movie. Good enough for me to not worry about the issues, and just go with the flow. I would gladly watch three more Equalizer movies, I just enjoy them. I've mentioned in prior reviews of this franchise that the main competition is John Wick. Well I am happy to report I haven't seen nor have any interest in the 4th John Wick. So Equalizer wins.
I actually really enjoyed myself and liked this movie a lot. I'm no newbie either, I've been an Equalizer-head since 2014. I remember seeing the first two in theaters on their opening nights. The third seemed like it was happening (for a year), then it wasn't (for three years), then boom I saw a trailer and a month later my ass was in a D-Box seat.
Equalizer 3's strengths are in its setting, characters, and performances. I love the Italian town the movie takes place in. It's cinematic and beautiful and never looked like a green screen or backlot. It felt like an authentic place with a real community I fell in love with. Performances across the board are strong. It is incredibly pleasing to see Denzel Washington reunite with Dakota Fanning. Their scenes are playful and well done, even if Fanning's character is a little weak. She's a CIA agent who gets the whole case spelled out for her by McCall and then she literally repeats what she's told to her boss (who is David Denman aka Roy from The Office) making her look like a genius. "Investigate this person, stake out this location, ask this question." It would've been cool to see an actual partnership where she is allowed to have skin in the game and not simply given the answers.
I know this may not come as a shock to anyone, but if Equalizer 3 has a weakness it's in the story. Nothing new comes to light, nothing truly develops, Robert McCall's (that's two Cs and two Ls) character arc isn't actually an arc, it is a straight line. That doesn't make E3 a bad movie, because it most certainly is not one. But I can't help but think of how much stronger the film would've been if McCall had doubts, weakness, fears, and regrets of his violent life. There are more than a few clues hinting that the filmmakers wanted to do something like that, but nothing more than glimpses.
Talking with my friend after this one, I believe there is an alternate cut of the movie that exists in which McCall struggles with his mortality, his faith, and his guilt. There is a lot of evidence supporting this. Spoilers here: in the opening scene after McCall is shot in the back, he actually attempts suicide, he puts the gun to his temple, pulls the trigger but it's empty (any John Q fans out there?). Exciting yet uncharacteristic, McCall would certainly know how many bullets he had left, but more so, the Robert McCall I know, the one who helped Ralphie make security guard and Sam Rubentsein get his sister back, would never commit suicide. It made for a fascinating opening scene, as I was immediately excited and intrigued by what I assumed was coming: what happens when you just can't Equalize any more?
The picture is steeped in religious imagery, is McCall looking for redemption? Even if he killed the worst men on the planet: pimps, mobsters,terrorists, and rapists in often brutal, painful ways; How do you live with that? As he ages there are more days behind him than ahead, that must take a deep toll on a person.
The fact those pieces exist make me think Fuqua and crew wanted to make that movie, but studio pressure for an action-summer feel-good-popcorn-blockbuster left the thoughtful parts of the character out. Equalizer 3 doesn't go any deeper than the surface; it's also a full half hour shorter than its predecessors. McCall kills em' all, and drinks tea and dances in the street at the end.
Despite the shortcomings, The Equalizer 3 is a good movie. Good enough for me to not worry about the issues, and just go with the flow. I would gladly watch three more Equalizer movies, I just enjoy them. I've mentioned in prior reviews of this franchise that the main competition is John Wick. Well I am happy to report I haven't seen nor have any interest in the 4th John Wick. So Equalizer wins.
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