Back in the 1980s, The Equalizer became a moderately successful TV series. With 2014’s The Equalizer, the show turned into a moderately successful feature film, one that led to – you guessed it – moderately successful sequels via 2018’s Equalizer 2 and 2023’s Equalizer 3.

All these revolve around Robert McCall (Denzel Washington), a skilled assassin who now tends to use his abilities to enact justice for those with no other recourse. This takes him to Sicily, where he ends up gravely wounded as he recovers money stolen from a pensioner.

In need of medical assistance, McCall winds up in the small Italian village of Altamonte. As he recovers, he finds himself smitten by this sedate, quaint location and he seems willing to remain there in retirement.

However, McCall can’t escape his desire to right wrongs. When local mobsters cause havoc among his new friends, he uses his skills to help.

Though I liked the TV series back in the 1980s, a more recent screening revealed its inconsistencies. The 2014 movie also provided a mixed bag.

However, Equalizer 2 gave us a more satisfying adventure. I hoped that Equalizer 3 would continue on that upward slope.

I can’t claim it does, as I think the second chapter proves the most effective of the three. However, this one tops the 2014 film and becomes an intriguing expansion of McCall’s journey.

In a plot-specific way, the movie may remind viewers of another third chapter: 1990’s The Godfather Part III. As paraphrased, that one featured a Michael Corleone who found himself brought back into unsavory business just when he thought he got out.

That turns into the case for McCall in Equalizer 3, as it leans toward the tale of a violent man in retirement. After his injury, McCall largely seems happy to lean back and chill.

However, McCall’s innate inability to ignore injustice means that he can't stay on the sidelines. Actually, this arises in a few ways, but the primary focus becomes McCall’s defense of his new neighbors.

Nothing about this plot point seems especially original, but I do like that it gives McCall a moderate twist – well, sort of. The McCall seen at the start of the 2014 movie also seems “retired” until events reignite his inherent desire for justice.

McCall’s “retirement” in Equalizer 3 seems more convincing, however, largely due to the idyllic setting. No offense to Boston – the location of the first two movies – but the third flick really creates a lovely picture of this Italian town, so one can see McCall’s desire to settle there and leave his violent past behind him.

McCall eventually embraces this concept. As he becomes part of the community, he starts to believe his peripatetic lifestyle should end and he “belongs” in Altamonte.

Again, the depiction of the fictional Altamonte helps. Equalizer 3 presents an idealized location that ensures the audience falls in love with the area and its inhabitants as well.

All of this ups the stakes for McCall. Whereas prior movies revolved more around those he helped, Equalizer 3 makes it more personal, as McCall’s own future gets threatened by the local baddies.

Obviously comfortable in the part after three movies, Washington makes McCall a convincing badass. He never tries to overplay the character’s talents and creates a natural version of an ultra-skilled killer, aging or otherwise.

Equalizer 3 does lose some points due to the trite depiction of the villains. They never form a distinct impression and come across as stock characters too much of the time.

Still, this turns into a minor complaint, as Equalizer 3 does more right than wrong. Nothing here reinvents wheels, but the movie delivers a satisfying thriller.

The Equalizer 3 appears in an aspect ratio of 2.39:1 on this Blu-ray Disc. Across the board, this was an appealing transfer.

Sharpness looked strong. Virtually no softness appeared, so this gave us a tight, well-defined image.

Jagged edges and moiré effects remained absent, while edge haloes also failed to appear. Print flaws stayed absent as well.

Equalizer 3 opted for a somewhat low-key mix of amber and teal. I felt happy the palette didn’t go cartoony and thought the image reproduced the colors appropriately.

Blacks were dark and tight, while shadows showed nice clarity and smoothness. I thought this was a consistently terrific image.

I also felt pleased with the film’s DTS-HD MA 5.1 soundtrack. With a fair amount of action on display, the mix used the channels in an involving manner throughout much of the film.

This meant gunfire and other mayhem all around the room, and the elements connected in a concise, smooth manner. Add to that music as a bold participant and the soundscape turned into an aggressive partner.

Audio quality always satisfied. Music was dynamic and full, and effects followed suit, so those components came across as accurate and well-developed.

Speech seemed distinctive and crisp, without edginess or other issues. Everything impressed in this quality soundtrack.

Five featurettes appear, and Blood Brothers runs six minutes, 30 seconds. It delivers comments from director Antoine Fuqua, producers Clayton Townsend, Todd Black and Jason Blumenthal, and actors Denzel Washington, Dakota Fanning, Gaia Scodellaro, and Andrea Scarduzio.

“Blood” examines the long-time collaborative relationship between Fuqua and Washington as well as their strengths. Inevitably, this leads to a lot of happy talk, though I like the handful of shots that feature Fuqua and Washington as they chat together.

Call to Action spans six minutes, three seconds. It comes with info from Fuqua, Washington, Blumenthal, Townsend, Black, stunt coordinator Liang Yang and cinematographer Robert Richardson.

As implied by the title, “Call” views the movie’s stunts and action. It brings a mix of facts and fluff.

Next comes A Man of the People. During this six-minute, 33-second reel, we hear from Fuqua, Fanning, Washington, Scodellaro, Black, Blumenthal, screenwriter Richard Wenk and actor Eugenio Mastrandrea.

During “Man”, we learn about the McCall character and his expansion in this movie. Not much of substance emerges.

A Reunion goes for five minutes, six seconds. It features notes from Fanning, Washington, Black, and Fuqua.

Almost 20 years ago, Washington and Fanning co-starred in 2004’s Man on Fire, and this represents their first work together since then. Unfortunately, this doesn’t deliver real insights, so expect more puffery.

Finally, we get the five-minute, 30-second Postcards from the Amalfi Coast. This one offers info from Fuqua, Washington, Fanning, Scodellaro, Townsend, Mastrandrea and actor Remo Girone.

“Coast” looks at the movie’s Italian locations. It feels more like a travel ad than an informative piece.

Nine Deleted Scenes occupy a total of 18 minutes, 22 seconds. At seven minutes, 41 seconds, the longest of the bunch extends the first “date” between McCall and Aminah. While this allows her character more breathing room, it tends to feel superfluous in the greater scheme of the narrative.

A subsequent addition with Aminah and McCall makes their chaste “romance” a little more explicit – meaning a stronger indication they might become a couple. The existing film implies this enough that we don’t need this information.

As for the rest, they tend toward beats related to supporting roles as well as a few minor bits of exposition. None of these prove especially useful.

A lyric video for “Monster” by Jacob Blake concludes the disc. It mixes movie clips with on-screen lyrics to become a forgettable affair.

The disc opens with ads for Gran Turismo, Bullet Train, Big George Foreman, and Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse. No trailer for Equalizer 3 appears here.

While not quite as good as the second film in the series, The Equalizer 3 tops the original. It provides a moderately predictable but nonetheless fairly engaging thriller. The Blu-ray boasts excellent picture and audio along with a decent mix of bonus materials. I don’t know if we’ll get an Equalizer 4, but if not, this one finishes the series on a positive note.