The Equalizer 3 (2023)

The Equaliser 3 is more like Man on Fire 2.

Also because it reunites Denzel and Dakota Fanning after 19 years after Man on Fire, the Tony Scott film based on A.J. Quinnel book. 

Actually Equaliser 3 might be more violent than MoF, more like the Italian poliziotteschi of the 70's, in the vein of Fernando Di Leo and Sergio Sollima's films. 

Denzel is great, better than in the other two, meaner, wiser, deeper. Amazingly he shot this at 67 years of age (he will be 69 this December). Hard physical work, very much like his character, Robert McCall, "Roberto".  

This time the film is set in Sicily and Italy, Naples, Altamonte, Rome. Beautiful locations, great supporting local actors, mean Camorra bad guys. 

Written by Richard Wenk (16 Blocks, ), like the other two. 

Happy to see Remo Girone in such a nice part. Dottore Enzo, a good guy for the man who fascinated me me in the early Nineties as Tano Cariddi in La Piovra series. Last time I saw Girone as Enzo Ferrari in Ford v Ferrari/Le Mans '66, another very nice part. But I remember him being in an episode of Killing Eve and doing nothing more than being part of the scenery.

The best of the series imo (they are based on The Equaliser TV series) , was very disappointed by the Second one (2018), and the first one (2014) was ok, but that's all. Expected more from Fuqua and Denzel re-teaming (this is their Fifth project together), they did greater stuff before (Training Day), and worse (The Magnificent Seven remake), so this is a plus for their re-match. Also it's supposed to be "The Final Chapter", as advertised.

Biggest asset, Robert Richardson stepping in as DOP, major change, the shadows, flares and the darkness are superb !

Also Marcelo Zarvos did a great job as the composer of the score, taking his cue from Harry Gregson-Williams who did the previous two  film scores and the theme of the EQ. Zarvos pushes a very poignant new Eq theme, loud and urgent, like an angry Sonar, a la Trent Reznor & Nine Inch nails.  The rest of the score is very dramatic, with classic cues and symphonic orchestrations, a Sicilian theme reminiscent of The Godfather, some Turandot ("Nessun Dorma") and it made me happy to hear the Sacha Distel's song, La Belle Vie in a less turbulent moment of the picture. 

You can listen to the whole soundtrack here.

I couldn't give a s*it about the end credits song (Monster 2.0) though. 

Final showdown very much Scarface like, even the line is there: 

liked this one, as spoken by Remo Girone: "They're like Cancer. and like Cancer, there's no Cure". 

Well, there is. 

And It's called "Roberto' McCall. 

Wiki here. 

Spolier***there's a clue on who the Dakota Fanning character is, related to the Plummers, Bill Pullman & Melissa Leo, very important for the plot in Eq 1 & 2, they can be seen on a photograph next to Fanning's bed.

3 1/2 out of 5, 7 out of 10/Seven out of Ten.