2023 film by Antoine Fuqua
The Equalizer 3
is a 2023 American
vigilante
action film
directed by
Antoine Fuqua
. It is a sequel to
The Equalizer 2
and the third and final installment of
The Equalizer
trilogy, based on the
television series of the same name
. The film stars
Denzel Washington
, reprising his role as retired
U.S. Marine
and
DIA
officer Robert McCall, with
Dakota Fanning
,
Eugenio Mastrandrea
,
David Denman
,
Gaia Scodellaro
, and
Remo Girone
in supporting roles. In the film, McCall discovers that his new friends in a small town in
South Italy
are intimidated by
Camorra
members, where he sets out to save them from the threat.
Talks over a third entry to
the franchise
began following the second film's release on August 2, 2018. Following a long delay due to the
COVID-19 pandemic
, the project was officially announced in January 2022. Filming began on October 10, 2022 in Italy on the
Amalfi Coast
and continued in the region until November 20, after which it moved to
Naples
in early December, before wrapping production in
Rome
by January 2023.
Robert Richardson
served as director of photography on the film, after previously working with Fuqua on
Emancipation
(2022).
The Equalizer 3
was released in the United States on September 1, 2023 by
Sony Pictures Releasing
. The film received generally positive reviews from critics.
Plot
[
edit
]
At a secluded winery in
Sicily
, Robert McCall kills a gangster, Lorenzo Vitale, and his henchmen to obtain a key to the winery's vault and recoup money stolen in a cyber-heist. While leaving the winery, Robert is shot in the back by Vitale's grandson. Robert attempts suicide due to his injury, but finds his gun out of bullets and then takes the ferry back to the mainland. While driving on the
Amalfi Coast
, Robert pulls over and slips into unconsciousness from shock. He is found and rescued by Gio Bonucci, a local
carabiniere
.
Gio brings Robert to a remote coastal Italian town called Altamonte where he is treated by small-town doctor Enzo Arisio. As he recovers, Robert becomes acquainted with the locals and becomes fond of the town and its people. Robert makes an anonymous phone call to
CIA
officer Emma Collins to tip her off about the winery's role in the
illegal drug trade
disguised as normal business transactions in Sicily. Collins and other CIA operatives arrive at the winery and find millions in cash along with bags of
fenethylline
tablets hidden in a storeroom, confirming Robert's suspicions.
Meanwhile, members of the
Camorra
harass and kill villagers in an attempt to coerce them out of their housing and take over Altamonte for
commercialization
purposes. Robert overhears Marco Quaranta, a high-ranking Camorra member, pressuring local store owner Angelo for payments. To make an example of him, the Camorra
firebombs
Angelo's fish store as the entire town watches. Gio reviews video of the firebombing and calls the
Italian central police
for an inquiry. Along with his wife and daughter, Gio is attacked by the Camorra and beaten for interfering in their operations.
Thereafter, Marco demands that Gio set up a boat for him. Overhearing the conversation, Robert asks Marco to move his operations to a different location. When Marco refuses, Robert kills him and his henchmen. The Naples head of police is threatened and tortured by Vincent, Marco's brother and head of the Camorra, and is ordered to find the person responsible for Marco's death. Vincent has Collins's car rigged with a bomb, but she survives after Robert warns her. Vincent threatens to shoot Gio in front of the entire town, only for Robert to reveal himself. The citizens begin to record Vincent and his henchmen on their camera phones, causing Vincent and his gang to retreat and return to his home; they then prepare to retaliate the following day.
Later that night, Robert infiltrates Vincent's home, kills Vincent's bodyguards, and forces Vincent to take a lethal dose of his own drugs. Through Collins, Robert returns the money he had taken from the winery to an elderly couple's pension fund. Back in
Langley, Virginia
, Collins receives a promotion for her role in ending the Altamonte drug trade. She receives a package containing a book of contacts and a note from Robert congratulating her and stating that her mother would be proud of her; thus, the note reveals Collins to be the daughter of Robert's late friend and colleague, Susan Plummer. With the Quaranta brothers dead, Robert celebrates with the locals after their football team's victory.
Cast
[
edit
]
Production
[
edit
]
In August 2018,
Antoine Fuqua
announced his plans to continue the film series. The filmmaker expressed interest in the plot taking place in an international setting.
[7]
By January 2022, a third film was officially confirmed to be in development, with
Denzel Washington
returning in the titular role.
[8]
[9]
[10]
[11]
Washington was paid $20 million for his involvement.
[12]
In June 2022,
Dakota Fanning
was announced to have been cast as well, partnering with Washington 19 years after
Man on Fire
(2004).
[13]
By November 2022,
Sonia Ben Ammar
, Andrea Dodero,
Remo Girone
,
Eugenio Mastrandrea
, Daniele Perrone, Andrea Scarduzio, and
Gaia Scodellaro
were added to the cast.
[14]
Production designer
Naomi Shohan
spent a month in Italy scouting locations, before selecting the village of
Atrani
as the main setting for the film.
[15]
Principal photography
began on October 10, 2022 on the
Amalfi Coast
in Italy.
[16]
Filming continued in the region until November 20, after which it moved to
Naples
in early December, before wrapping production by January 2023, in
Rome
.
[16]
Fuqua once again served as director, with Washington announcing that it would be his next movie.
[17]
[18]
Robert Richardson
serves as director of photography on the project, after previously working with Fuqua on
Emancipation
.
[19]
Music
[
edit
]
In May 2023,
Marcelo Zarvos
was brought in to score the film's music after previously collaborating with Fuqua in
Brooklyn's Finest
(2009),
What's My Name: Muhammad Ali
(2019),
The Guilty
(2021) and
Emancipation
(2022).
[20]
He replaced
Harry Gregson-Williams
, who scored the previous instalments in the trilogy as well as Fuqua's
The Replacement Killers
and
Infinite
. Love, Disorderly by
Thomas Azier
was added as a soundtrack to the film.
[21]
Release
[
edit
]
The Equalizer 3
was released by
Sony Pictures Releasing
on September 1, 2023 in both conventional formats and
IMAX
.
[22]
It received a release on premium video on demand formats on October 3, 2023.
[23]
The film was released on
Netflix
in the United States on January 1, 2024.
[24]
The film was re-released theatrically on February 2, 2024 in the United States for one week.
Reception
[
edit
]
Box office
[
edit
]
The Equalizer 3
has grossed $92.4 million in the United States and Canada, and $98.7 million in other territories, for a worldwide total of $191.1 million.
[5]
[6]
In the United States and Canada,
The Equalizer 3
was projected to gross $28?30 million from 3,965 theaters in its opening weekend, and a total of $33?40 million over the four-day
Labor Day
frame.
[4]
The film made $13.1 million on its first day, including $3.8 million from Thursday night previews, up from the totals of the first ($1.5 million) and second ($3.1 million) films. It went on to debut to $34.6 million (and a total of $42.8 million over the four days), topping the box office and marking the second-best Labor Day weekend of all-time, after
Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings
(2021).
[25]
In its second weekend, the film fell 65% to $12 million, finishing second behind newcomer
The Nun II
.
[26]
Its biggest territories outside the United States and Canada were the United Kingdom ($10.2 million), Germany ($8.4 million), Australia ($7 million), and France ($6.7 million).
Critical response
[
edit
]
On the
review aggregator
website
Rotten Tomatoes
, 76% of 164 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 6.2/10. The website's consensus reads: "Another entertaining outing from Antoine Fuqua and Denzel Washington,
The Equalizer 3
mostly makes up for its formulaic story with generous helpings of cathartic action."
[27]
Metacritic
, which uses a
weighted average
, assigned the film a score of 58 out of 100, based on 38 critics, indicating "mixed or average" reviews.
[28]
Audiences surveyed by
CinemaScore
gave the film an average grade of "A" on an A+ to F scale, same as the previous installment, while those polled at
PostTrak
gave it a
90% overall positive score, with 72% saying they would definitely recommend the film.
[25]
The Independent
'
s Clarrise Loughrey gave the film 3 out of 5 stars, writing, "At its best ? and
The Equalizer 3
is about as good as
the first film
? it neatly counterbalances Fuqua's baroque, blood-and-guts action with Washington's ability to command attention while sitting perfectly still."
[29]
The Sunday Times
'
s Tom Shone also gave it 3 out of 5 stars, writing, "Whether enjoying a cappuccino, flirting with a waitress or snapping men's forearms, Washington makes it all seem like a movie star enjoying a midlife
dolce vita
moment."
[30]
Kyle Smith
of
The Wall Street Journal
wrote, "For those who can tolerate extreme violence,
The Equalizer 3
is diverting enough. If the script is so-so, the beautiful Italian locations, Mr. Washington's still-world-class charm and an eerie, frightening musical score by Marcelo Zarvos lift it."
[31]
Accolades
[
edit
]
The film was nominated at the
Saturn Award for Best Action or Adventure Film
,
[32]
while Fuqua was nominated for
Outstanding Directing in a Motion Picture
and Washington for
Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture
at the
55th NAACP Image Awards
.
[33]
Future
[
edit
]
In August 2023, Fuqua stated that there have been discussions to develop a prequel movie detailing the origins of Robert McCall.
[34]
The filmmaker stated that using
de-aging
technology to make Washington appear younger is an option,
[34]
while he would also consider casting
John David Washington
or
Michael B. Jordan
in the role.
[35]
Later that month, Fuqua stated that while
The Equalizer 3
was talked about internally as the final film chronologically, he would be interested in returning as director for a future installment if Denzel Washington was interested in returning to the role.
[36]
References
[
edit
]
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"
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.
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'The Equalizer 3' Adds Six To Cast"
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'Emancipation's Antoine Fuqua To Direct Michael Jackson Biopic For Lionsgate; John Logan Script & 'Bohemian Rhapsody's Graham King Producing With Estate"
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"
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External links
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]
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