Over the Labor Day weekend, The Equalizer 3 arrived and conquered the top box office spot. I’m glad I’ve caught up with the first two movies just in time for the final movie of the franchise. Now, each movie could work as a standalone feature, so I think people would still enjoy it if this was their intro to the franchise.

Denzel Washington is back as Robert McCall, former U.S. Marine and DIA officer who’s been living a quiet life in Boston, but this time he’s on a mission in Southern Italy. The opening scene begins in a secluded Sicilian winery where McCall is being held at gunpoint by a group of mafia goons. As he’s always done before he unleashes his wrath, he starts his stopwatch to give the adversary a bit of time to repent, but of course, they never did. It’s a viciously bloody sequence that involves a nasty shot through someone’s eye socket, I actually had to avert my eyes for most of it. The potent sound design of bone crunching and flesh being torn apart ensures that viewers experience McCall’s brand of violent vigilantism.

Director Antoine Fuqua and writer Richard Wenk teamed up once again and I can confidently say they’ve ended the franchise on a high note. The brilliant opening is a visceral intro to those unfamiliar with the franchise that shows what the protagonist is capable of and the lengths he’s willing to go to avenge those who are helpless. At the same time, I appreciate that they don’t make McCall invincible. Without giving anything away, let’s just say he’s forced to take a respite in a small fishing village of Atrani on the Amalfi coast under the care of the town doctor Enzo (Remo Girone).

Unlike the John Wick franchise with its non-stop action, I enjoy the quiet moments and deliberate pace. In fact, the next half hour or so consist of McCall getting acquainted with the locals and soon becoming fond of the town and its people, such as local carabinieri Gio (Eugenio Mastrandrea) and charming waitress Aminah (Gaia Scodellaro) who takes him to a local market. There have been a lot of action movies set in Italy, but what I like about this one is that the filmmakers don’t just drop the protagonist in an Italian town just for scenic purposes. Atrani is almost a character in itself and the plot is steeped with the village’s local cultures and traditions. Robert Richardson’s cinematography is stunning as well as atmospheric, as he captures the medieval town’s distinctive rocky architecture with its tall Roman columns.

While the town seems at peace, there’s a sense of dread and impending doom as the town is under the grip of the powerful Camorra (Italian mafia), led by Vincent Quaranta (Andrea Scarduzio). Vincent’s ambition and greed only escalate the harassment and cruelty his henchmen place upon the villagers, so of course that forces McCall to take matters into his own hands.

The movie reunites Denzel with his Man on Fire co-star Dakota Fanning who plays CIA agent Emma Collins. It’s fun seeing them more as allies now, 20 years after that film was released, and this time Collins is no damsel in distress. She and her team arrive in Italy thanks to a tip from McCall who conceals his identity. It’s a bit hyperbolic that McCall somehow can crack down a criminal group that’s been on the CIA’s most wanted list so easily, but then again, there’s always been something super-heroic about McCall right from the first movie.

What truly works in this installment is the dynamic between McCall and the townsfolk, that he finally feels at home in this small Italian community. Given McCall’s propensity to help the weak, the town being under threat of the mafia gives him a whole new sense of purpose. One of the most memorable scenes is when McCall tells Vincent’s brother Marco (Andrea Dodero) that he’s grown to love the town and tells them to do their bad deeds somewhere else. There’s an amusing mix of tension and whimsy as it’s the first time Vincent’s goons and the townsfolk realize McCall is someone with um, a special set of skills.

Overall, I had fun with the last of The Equalizer trilogy and it’s definitely my favorite of the three. Denzel is as charismatic as ever, there’s a quiet dignity to him whether he’s brandishing violence or benevolence. The movie is far gorier than I’m comfortable with though, I mean, I don’t think it’s necessary to have so many close-ups of open wounds and torn flesh, not to mention the heads rolling! Thankfully the familial and quiet moments set in one of the most beautiful Italian villages give viewers plenty of respite from the gruesome bloodbath. At only 1 hour and 49 minutes, The Equalizer 3 never overstays my welcome and like the best Italian dish, it leaves me with a delightful aftertaste.

Have you seen The Equalizer 3? Well, what did YOU think?

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