Movie review
August 30, 2023 · 109 min · R
Woke Score
Lower is better
Review
The Equalizer 3 is a 2023 action thriller in which Robert McCall settles in a small Southern Italian town and steps in to protect local friends from control by Camorra mafia figures. The story centers on vigilante justice, personal redemption after a violent past, and using specialized skills to defend a tight community against organized crime. Casting follows the series pattern with Denzel Washington in the lead role and supporting performers suited to the Italian setting, presented through straightforward action storytelling without identity-focused emphasis in the narrative or promotion.
Breakdown
These are the editorial factors and ratings behind our score for The Equalizer 3.
Woke representation / casting
Casting continues the series lead with Denzel Washington as Robert McCall and adds supporting roles with Italian actors for the Southern Italy setting plus Dakota Fanning as a CIA agent. No patterns of identity signaling, quota emphasis, or story-mismatched prominent roles appear in casting choices or marketing.
Woke political dialogue
Dialogue stays within standard action-thriller territory focused on personal justice, revenge against criminals, and community protection, with no activist language or identity-based messaging.
Identity-driven story themes
The narrative centers on vigilante action against mafia control, personal healing, and defending friends in a small community through individual skill and resolve, without race, gender, sexuality, or modern social justice framing.
Western institutional / cultural critique
Resistance to organized crime occurs through classic vigilante means in a community setting, without reframing into modern activist critiques of capitalism, patriarchy, colonialism, or institutional systems.
Woke character or canon changes
Not relevant
Anti-woke backlash and complaints
No notable anti-woke or right-leaning complaints were found that treat the film as pushing woke, DEI, or identity politics content; available reactions center on action and story execution.
Creator track record context
Writer Richard Wenk and most producers maintain commercial action and thriller careers with minimal activist or identity-driven records. Antoine Fuqua shows occasional social themes at low levels. Steve Tisch has mild Democratic support. Denzel Washington maintains a broad career with recent public comments expressing skepticism toward political manipulation from all sides.
Production
