Equalizer 2 | Kevin Barrett's Blog

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Posted in General Comments, Movie Review, Movies, Reviews, tagged Andrea Dodero, Andrea Scarduzio, Antoine Fuqua, Boston, Camorra, Central Intelligence Agency, CIA, Dakota Fanning, David Denman, Denzel Washington, Dr. Enzo Arisio, Emma Collins, Equalizer 2, Eugenio Mastrandrea, Frank Conroy, General Comments, Giorgio Bonucci, Italy, Mafia, Man on Fire, Movie Reviews, Remo Girone, Reviews, Robert McCall, Sequels, Sicily, The Equalizer 3 (2023) — movie review, The Quaranta Brothers, Vincent Quaranta on June 7, 2026| Leave a Comment »

“The Equalizer 3” (2023) — movie review
Today’s second film review is for the action / vigilante thriller “The Equalizer 3”, directed by Antoine Fuqua and starring Denzel Washington as Robert McCall, an ex‑CIA operative recovering in a small Italian town; Dakota Fanning as Emma Collins, a young CIA analyst who McCall directs to a suspicious financial trail; David Denman as Frank Conroy, her steady, boots‑on‑the‑ground supervisor; Remo Girone as Dr. Enzo Arisio, the town doctor who patches McCall up; Eugenio Mastrandrea as Giorgio Bonucci, the local police officer trying to keep order; Andrea Scarduzio as Vincent Quaranta, the ambitious Camorra boss; and Andrea Dodero as Marco Quaranta, his hot‑headed younger brother.

Background: I’ve seen the first two “Equalizer” films and thought they were decent so I wanted to continue the series / franchise. This third entry didn’t get any Academy Award nominations (no surprise — this genre is not generally awards bait), and it’s not historically important in the Oscar sense. Its main “hook” is the reunion of Washington and Fanning for the first time since “Man on Fire” (2004), plus the fact that this is probably Washington’s last outing as McCall. Two points: The move to an Italian coastal setting also gives it a different feel from the Boston‑based earlier films. And, second… Prior to “Equalizer 2“, Washington was known for NEVER doing sequels. But here we are… LoL.

Plot: After a violent encounter in Sicily, McCall is badly wounded and ends up in a small seaside town, where Dr. Enzo Arisio takes him in and helps him recover. As McCall heals, he starts to enjoy the slower pace of life and the friendliness of the locals: the café owner, Gio the cop, the older residents on the square. He clearly likes the idea that this might finally be a place to stop moving. The film theme ends up being: “We all end up where we are supposed to be…” The problem is the Camorra (Mafia), in the persons of Vincent Quaranta and his brother Marco are leaning on the town — threatening shop owners, burning property, and pushing a bigger plan involving drugs and development money. McCall sees the fear in the people around him and recognizes exactly what kind of men these are. Meanwhile, Emma Collins is tracking the money trail tied to drugs and terrorism funding (from he opening action scene), which leads her to Italy and the same network the Quaranta brothers are part of. She and her supervisor Frank Conroy work the case from the CIA side while McCall quietly starts taking pieces off the board in his usual methodical way. It all comes together in a stormy final showdown where McCall goes straight at the brothers and their crew which ends their hold on the town.

So, is this movie any good? How’s the acting? The filming / FX? Any problems? And, did I enjoy the film? Short answers: Yes; very good; clean and atmospheric; a few; yes.

Any good? Yes. IMHO this is the best of the three and at the very least tied with the original film. The story is simple but solid: a man who’s done a lot of damage in his life finds a place he actually cares about and decides he’s not going to let bullies wreck it. The slower pace works here because the town and its people are actually likable, so when the McCall finally goes into action, it feels earned.

Acting: Denzel Washington is, again, the whole reason to watch this franchise. His McCall is polite, quiet, and observant, with that “switch” you can see flip when he decides someone has crossed a line. Dakota Fanning is good as Collins (smart, a little green, but not clueless) and her scenes with Washington have an easy, low‑key rapport. Remo Girone gives the doctor a nice mix of warmth and backbone, and Eugenio Mastrandrea makes Gio feel like a real local cop stuck between fear and duty. Andrea Scarduzio and Andrea Dodero are convincing as the Quaranta brothers — entitled, cruel, and just dumb enough to underestimate McCall.

Filming / FX: The filming is straightforward and mostly clean (visible). The Italian locations do a lot of work — narrow streets, old stone buildings, the harbor, the hills above town. It all looks like a real place people actually live in, not just a backdrop. The action scenes are shot clearly, with no shaky‑cam or hyper‑cutting. When McCall moves, it’s quick and brutal, and you can follow what’s happening. There’s not much in the way of big FX; it’s (mostly) practical fights, gunplay, and some explosions, with a nicely staged stormy finale.

Problems: A few. The first half is slower, and if you’re expecting constant action, you may get impatient watching McCall drink tea, walk the town (he’s recovering from a serious gunshot wound), and quietly observe people. I liked that, but it does mean the movie takes its time getting to the big hits. The villains are pretty standard crime‑movie types — nasty and greedy, but not especially deep. The terrorism‑funding angle that brings in the CIA feels like a bolt‑on plot device more than something you really feel. And, as usual, McCall’s ability to anticipate everything and survive anything is a bit much if you think about it too hard.

Did I enjoy the film? Yes. I liked the town, I liked the locals, and I liked watching McCall decide they’re “his” people now. The mix of quiet scenes and sharp bursts of violence works for this character. It’s not a movie I need to rewatch over and over, but this was my second viewing as I just never got around to drafting a review. (Better late than never…)

Final Recommendation: Strong recommendation. “The Equalizer 3” is a solid, well‑acted vigilante thriller with a good sense of place and a cleaner, more focused story than the earlier entries. No awards, no big historical footprint, but as a closing chapter for Denzel Washington’s McCall — and a small Italian town standing up to the Camorra / organized crime with a little help from a very dangerous neighbor — it does the job.

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