Considering Denzel Washington never makes sequels, it’s easy to wonder how many Equalizer movies are there. The thrilling R-rated action franchise manages to tell different stories and differ in quality. The three movies have been solid genre offerings that have made great use of actor Denzel Washington and his frequent director collaborator Antoine Fuqua. It became a somewhat surprising trilogy with the popularity of the movies never reaching the heights of other Hollywood franchises but always drawing in audiences. However, some of the Equalizer movies proved more successful than others.

The Equalizer franchise follows Washington’s protagonist Robert McCall, who attempts to keep his violent past behind him but continues to find himself dragged into dangerous situations in his endless pursuit of justice. Whether that’s protecting those who can’t protect themselves or fighting against the consequences of his own actions, McCall is constantly landing himself in terrible situations that really give the franchise a chance to shine. It seems like The Equalizer 3 will serve as the conclusion to the series, but details about The Equalizer 4 suggest that McCall’s journey might not be over yet.

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3 The Equalizer 2 (2018)

McCall Seeks Revenge For The Murder Of His Friend

Although it’s certainly not a bad film, The Equalizer 2 is considered the worst of the franchise. It doesn’t have any of the momentum or excitement of the first movie, and it feels like a step down in comparison. Perhaps that was inevitable for any sequel following the excellence of The Equalizer, but there were so many routes this story could’ve taken, and it feels like Fuqua simply didn’t capitalize on any of that potential. The narrative follows McCall’s attempts to investigate the murder of his friend, ultimately finding the culprit and seeking revenge.

In The Equalizer 2’s defense, the personal aspect of this mystery does a great job of raising the emotional stakes and giving McCall a reason to get involved – but the slow pace is what drags this project down. Most of the story is just an investigation, with McCall hunting down the villains on his own terms. There’s no pressure or time limit that keeps the story moving, giving it some damaging pacing issues. However, there is some fun seeing Washington work opposite Pedro Pascal before the two reunite in the Gladiator 2 cast.

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2 The Equalizer 3 (2023)

With The Equalizer 3, Fuqua clearly learned his lesson and ramped up the stakes once again for another action-packed entry in the franchise. The story follows McCall several years into his new career, serving justice on behalf of the oppressed in southern Italy. However, he soon learns that his new friends are being controlled by the mafia and finds himself thrown head-first into a deadly battle with the local crime bosses.

It’s got the fast pace of The Equalizer and the personal stakes of The Equalizer 2, which makes it a strong combination of both projects to come before it. But unfortunately, The Equalizer3 suffers from a really surface-level story that struggles to justify its feature-length runtime. Once McCall enters his battle with the Italian mafia, the story is predictable and McCall never really seems to be in danger.

While it may not break any new ground for the franchise, it continues to be fun seeing McCall dish out justice while Washington gives his best performance in the franchise. While it is sad to see the trilogy conclude, The Equalizer 3 ending gives McCall a well-deserved happy ending.

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The Equalizer 3 sends the franchise off in a blaze of glory by making Denzel Washington’s Robert McCall the deadliest he has ever been yet.

1 The Equalizer (2014)

McCall Returns To His Past Life To Help Victimized People

As solid as the Equalizer franchise has been, it never surpassed the first entry. It’s not a perfect movie but The Equalizer delivered what action fans were looking for. Coming out the same year as the first John Wick movie, it helped show action movies could be box office draws outside the superhero world, especially when there’s such a strong lead performance. The Equalizer thrives in its simplicity: the story doesn’t attempt any of the needless complexities that came in the sequels but rather pits McCall against his enemies and lets the action happen.

The Equalizer still has its weaknesses – it’s overlong, cliched, and uses the same trick over and over again, but it presents audiences with thrilling action sequences that make up for the shortcomings. The Equalizer could have remained a standalone movie and still been a memorable entry into the action genre. However, it is Washington’s performance that elevates the movie and makes audiences want to see more of the character of Robert McCall.

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