Review: Denzel Washington brings humanity and dramatic force to 'The Equalizer 3'

By Peter Travers

You don't need to twist arms to get Denzel Washington fans, myself included, to sign up for "The Equalizer 3," where Washington floors the action pedal for the third and final time as Robert McCall, a paternalistic avenger out to help those who can't help themselves.

It's been almost a decade since the two-time Oscar winner first seized the role of Robert McCall, a former Marine and special-ops agent hellbent on punishing the criminal scum he encounters on his watch.

Edward Woodward played the role in an 1980s British TV series and Queen Latifah is currently spinning her own version on CBS. But Washington, 68, is still the coolest.

In the first "Equalizer," McCall went undercover at a Boston Home Depot. In the second, he was a Lyft driver whose most dangerous passengers ended up dead. In part 3, he's somehow in Italy taking on Camorra crime families. Don't ask, just go with the flow.

Sony Pictures Entertainment

Denzel Washington as Robert McCall in a scene from the movie The Equalizer 3.

Washington looks alarmingly on the ropes as "The Equalizer 3" begins. Never fear. McCall is merely recuperating at a vineyard in Italy since he took a bullet in the back. After a local cop, Gio (Eugenio Mastrandrea), finds McCall slumped in his car, town doc Enzo Arisio (Remo Girone) steps in to make sure the Equalizer will soon be fit and ready to blow away bad guys.

Not so fast. Washington and director Antoine Fuqua, who led the actor to his second Oscar as the King Kong of corrupt cops in 2001's "Training Day," lulls us into a false serenity as McCall recuperates on the Amalfi coast, buys a trendy hat and flirts, sort of, with a waitress (Gaia Scodellaro). And when Washington busts out one of his rare smiles, the sun comes out.

The plot thickens, mostly with cliches in Richard Wenk's threadbare script, as McCall notices mafia goons Marco (Andrea Dodero) and his big brother Vincent (Andrea Scarduzio) bullying the little guys. And just like that, crime is pulling him back in after a crisis of conscience almost led him away from the dark side.

McCall gets help from CIA agent Emma Collins, played by Dakota Fanning, who was only 9 years old when she co-starred with Washington in 2004's "Man on Fire." Their scrappy sparring is a treat, especially when Fuqua substitutes repetitive action for real twists and lets the pace sag.

Sony Pictures Entertainment

Dakota Fanning and Denzel Washington in a scene from the movie The Equalizer 3.

Let's face it, "The Equalizer 3" wouldn't be much more than formula bang-bang padded by an extra helping of R-rated ultraviolence without the charisma Washington oozes from every pore. Why would a quality actor like Washington waste time on B-movie junk?

Sony Pictures Entertainment

Denzel Washington as Robert McCall in a scene from the movie The Equalizer 3.

You could theorize that this son of a Pentecostal preacher identifies with these "Equalizer" stories about young people in danger of falling through the cracks of society. He has publicly stated he was once in that position himself and got help. Whatever his reasons, the star brings humanity and resonant dramatic force to the role of McCall that the film can't hope to match.

Am I saying that "The Equalizer 3" wouldn't be worth much without its main attraction? You bet I am.

Washington can do more with a move, a head tilt, a shot of fire in the eye than most actors do with pages of dialogue. That's a star, baby. And that you don't want to miss.