Antoine Fuqua is known to deliver some of the best thrillers such as Training Day, Shooter, and Olympus Has Fallen. The movie Equalizer is in fact one of the spin offs from the television series with the same name that aired during 1985-89. Much like the 1966 Mission Impossible television series, the movie Equalizer has got the same treatment and response. While Mission Impossible became a different beast due to the involvement of Tom Cruise, the movie Equalizer relied heavily on the storyline and the acting performance done by the lead actor.
The Equalizer’s storyline depicts the life of a retired secret agent Robert McCall (played by Denzel Washington). His desire to lead a simple life is exploited well in the script. And, as the story continues, he finds himself involved with tyranny of innocent people. In the first installment, Robert engages with the Russian mafia to free a teenage prostitute. During the second installment, he does the same but was able to help a few other people. His Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) friend, Susan Plummer (played by Melissa Leo), helps him at each step by sharing the internal investigation and findings. Susan was his inside aid in the agency but unfortunately during a staged robbery, Susan was hacked to death. The third installment takes the story forward with another character Emma Collins (played by Dakota Fanning) working in the CIA in the financial crimes unit.
The movie begins when Robert shares the intel with Emma about a secluded winery in Sicily, controlled by a criminal Lorenzo Vitale involved in an illegal drug trade. But, his injury from retrieving the winery makes him vulnerable and somehow Robert ends up in the town Altamonte. While he recovers from his injuries, he again finds himself helping the people of Altamonte town from Camorra (an Italian Mafia organization). The angle where ISIS attacks were toned down and focused on Robert’s story is a redemption in itself.
The best aspect of the storyline is its focus on the life of Robert McCall. Unlike Mission Impossible where Ethan needs to fight on a world stage, the story here always tones down to be very personal which makes it even more relatable and interesting. The story is simple enough to understand and interesting enough to get you glued to the screens. The action is decent and the way Robert times his fight sequences is always a delight to watch. If you’re not a fan of John Wick style movies, The Equalizer 3 might be a suitable and decent watch.
Give this movie a try if you’re bored from world saving events and like to focus on some hero. At least, it keeps you away from the political mess that each war around us is leading to.