The last decade of action flicks has been dominated by superhero franchises and gun-fu blockbusters like John Wick. Yet, The Equalizer trilogy has somehow managed to secure a small but profitable position amidst much bigger films, likely due to the draw of its lead actor, Denzel Washington. Personally, I don’t think I ever appreciated these movies as much as some action buffs, but now that they’ve seemingly reached their conclusion, I’m starting to realize how important they were. Rated-R action films led by aging screen titans are growing rarer and rarer, especially ones with as much heart as The Equalizer 3. Despite its flaws, this third chapter is a fine example of a series capper that’s so effective, it boosts the appeal of the films that preceded it.

The Equalizer 3 starts off with Robert McCall (Denzel Washington) massacring a load of criminals in rural Sicily. It’s an insanely gory opening, which in some ways is closer to horror than action. Even I began to wonder whether or not McCall is losing his mind a bit, as he seems to savor the butchery a bit too much. Suddenly, he gets badly wounded, drives away, and ends up on the Italian mainland, where he’s treated by an elderly physician in a small seaside town. During an extended period of convalescence, McCall grows close to the locals, who come to view him as one of their own. Alas, the Camorra (southern Italian mafia) have their eyes set on this town, leading them right into the path of McCall and his particular set of skills. In the end, we viewers receive the bloodletting we’ve grown accustomed to, although not in the manner we’ve come to expect.

Director Antoine Fuqua and writer Richard Wenk chose an interesting closing chapter for McCall. After its attention-grabbing prologue, The Equalizer 3 spends nearly an hour to show McCall growing close to various members of the town, rather than emphasizing action. Sure, there are a few cutaways to the Camorra murdering innocent people in extremely graphic ways, but for the most part, this movie is fairly downbeat. It reminded me a lot of The American, another well-made film about an American assassin hiding away in a small Italian town. I enjoyed Clooney’s unhurried story arc in that film, and so, I really enjoyed watching Denzel going through something similar in this one. Speaking of Denzel, and this goes without saying, he’s still the king of cool. If there’s anyone who can make ordering tea and eating Italian food seem engaging, it’s him.

On top of that, Denzel really shines because Wenk’s script forces his character to look inside during his time of healing and relaxation. McCall is clearly struggling with his own morality, and this struggle is perfect for Denzel’s skill-set. That said, it’s never in question if McCall will slaughter these Camorra thugs; only when. That comes about during The Equalizer 3’s final 20 minutes or so, when McCall – again, almost like a slasher in a horror film – swiftly dispatches the baddies one-by-one in brutal fashion. It’s undoubtedly entertaining and pleasing to see these men get their comeuppance, but it’s also strangely abrupt and devoid of the fanfare shown in the previous two installments. I interpreted this decision both as a creative one meant to demonstrate McCall’s avenging inevitability and as a practical one meant to keep the action as quick and simple as possible for an aged Denzel. Still, the end result is a final act that seems rather rushed, especially given the slow-paced, thoughtful build that came before it. I would’ve liked more, and considering the first two movies were both 20 minutes longer than this one, it certainly felt like there was room for more.

After all, Dakota Fanning’s CIA-related subplot never received the time it needed to become fully realized, so maybe they could’ve added on there. I was disappointed that her role ended up feeling tacked on rather than vital. Nonetheless, I definitely got a kick out of seeing her and Denzel reunite on-screen, and I imagine others will too. So, that’s The Equalizer 3, an action movie with a heaping amount of human drama that’s bookended with two grisly scenes of pure carnage. On the whole, it’s a flawed film with odd pacing, but it still packs a wallop. The best thing I can say about it is that when the credits rolled, I reflected on the two previous movies and felt I understood them better. I was able to recognize the overall vision. Denzel, Fuqua, and Wenk drew up a cohesive, satisfying story arc for Robert McCall, and if this truly is the end, then it’s a dang good one. Knowing Hollywood, though, I doubt The Equalizer has killed his last gangster.

If I had to score it, I’d give The Equalizer 3 a 7/10.