The Equalizer 3

In cinemas now

It can be hard to distinguish the myriad of action films that are helmed by ageing male actors, given the frequency with which they appear (and then quickly disappear) from multiplex billboards. After all, this is a mostly unadventurous genre that typically operates as a cynical cash grab for directors and leading men that are, more often than not, going through the motions.

It’s a relief then that the third and final instalment of Antoine Fuqua’s The Equalizer franchise (which I was admittedly unfamiliar with up until now) is more than the sum of its parts. While its narrative, written by Richard Wenk and loosely adapted from Michael Sloan and Richard Lindheim’s television series, is more than a little indulgent when it comes to genre tropes, its uber-violent action sequences and lush setting amongst the sea-soaked mountains of southern Italy make it a far more engaging watch than it otherwise might have been.

The MVP of The Equalizer 3 though is, of course, its star - the indomitable Denzel Washington. It is truly a joy to watch certain actors work, irrespective of the material they are delivering, and Washington is such a rare beast, a talent that can hold your attention with the slightest of gestures and one who delivers every line of dialogue with aplomb. His turn as Robert McCall, a retired but no less deadly assassin who decides to defend his newfound home from the Camorra, is undoubtedly what keeps this movie interesting.

Ordinarily, I’d tire of watching an aged hero find new and inventive ways to massacre his foes, but, put simply, nobody does it better than Denzel.