Americans first heard the name Robert McCall back in 1985 when a television series called The Equalizer aired on CBS. Almost thirty years later, director Antione Fuqua (Training Day) brought McCall (Denzel Washington; Fences) to the big screen. The movie was so successful that four years later, in 2018, The Equalizer 2 hit theaters worldwide. Both films grossed over $190 million worldwide prompting Sony Pictures to start considering a third installment. This past September The Equalizer 3 opened worldwide and once again grossed $190 million at the box office. Ten weeks after its debut, this third installment is now available for purchase on 4K, Blu-ray, and Digital.
Former Marine and Defense Intelligence Agency Officer, Robert McCall, lives quietly in a small town in the Italian countryside. However, when he finds himself shot in the back after he kills a crime enforcer who stole money in a cyber heist, he anonymously calls Emma Collins (Dakota Fanning; Push) at the Agency to report the crime enforcer as a drug smuggler. Meanwhile, McCall recuperates from his wound in a fictional town on the Amalfi Coast and becomes enchanted by the quaint location and its residents. Unfortunately, the townspeople are harassed by the Camorra Crime family and Robert is once again forced to step in to help the new town that he has grown to love and its inhabitants.
Equalizer 3 is the fifth collaboration between Fuqua and Washington and the results are pretty similar to their other films. Fuqua is known for typically making action movies and Washington, who can play almost any character, seems to enjoy McCall's calm, intelligent exterior that disguises a highly trained combatant. The two men seem to be an unstoppable filmmaking team that will likely continue working together since they genuinely like and respect one another as seen in the special features. Fanning is a great addition to McCall's storyline and the two actors have an easiness to them, have worked together twenty years ago, that serves McCall's and Collins' relationship well.
The Dolby Vision picture quality is outstanding with Native 4K (2160p) resolution and 2.39:1 aspect ratio. Even the deeper black tones offer gradient shading allowing the viewer to see what is going on in the dark of night or in a wine cellar that is clearly being used for nefarious purposes. The overall color palette is muted so I wouldn't say that the brighter shades "pop" but the hues are beautifully represented even with a haze of grey overshadowing the typically bright coastline.
The Dolby Atmos audio is mixed well so that the action sound effects don't overpower the dialogue, which is often a pet peeve of mine. The ambient sounds also mixed well whether it is wildlife off in the distance or the subtle click of a gun being prepped for firing. Even the spoon being stirred and then tapped on the edge of a teacup blends in well. The combo pack includes the 4K and Blu-ray discs and digital download. The extras total less than an hour and some of them, especially the first one, leaves the viewer craving more. They include Blood Brothers: The collaboration of Denzel Washington and Antoine Fuqua, Call to Action, Robert McCall: A Man of the People, Denzel and Dakota: A Reunion, Postcards from the Amalfi Coast, and Jacob Banks' "Monster" Music Video.
Anyone who loves action upon action upon action, they are certainly aware of what The Equalizer franchise and the Washington/Fuqua collaboration brings to the big screen. Adding to that equation with Fanning and the scenic, European coast makes The Equalizer 3 even more enjoyable to watch. While I don't see Washington returning for a fourth installment, one never knows. I do, however, see Fanning returning if Fuqua decides to make another film in the franchise.
For now, fans will have to be satisfied with this top-quality home edition of The Equalizer 3.
Grade: B+
