The Equalizer 3 lands highest Rotten Tomatoes rating of the trilogy
The Equalizer 3 isn't out in the US yet, but it has already managed to set a new record for the action franchise.
The third and final chapter in the saga of Denzel Washington's vigilante Robert McCall is the highest-rated in the entire series. While the film's Rotten Tomatoes score will likely change as it gets its wide theatrical release tomorrow (September 1), it currently stands at 73%.
This score tops the first outing's previous franchise high of 60% and is leagues above the series' low point – a 52% approval for The Equalizer 2.
Related: The Equalizer 3's Antoine Fuqua on the most challenging scenes of the threequel
But, despite the franchise-high score, the reviews are still fairly mixed. Here's what some of the critics have been saying so far:
"The movie might be able to convince some McCall non-believers, as it ties up his story in quite a gratifying way. Despite a couple of surprising references to previous events in the story, this third instalment feels like a stand-alone one-man-army adventure.
"However, there's something deeply unoriginal about this third instalment. In the end, Antoine Fuqua offers nothing more than what was expected — the good, the bad and the very ugly."
"It all plays out exactly as you would expect, with the Equalizer barely breaking a sweat as he takes down one bad guy after another, including one particularly mouthy one whom he subdues by squeezing a nerve in his hand.
"There's little to no suspense, because there's never any doubt that McCall, who seems like a murderous automaton rather than merely a veteran secret agent, will triumph over his adversaries."
Related: Denzel Washington confirms The Equalizer 3 is final movie of the series
"If this is the end of The Equalizer, it's a good one, a high note that overcomes confusion, complications, and convolutions to give everyone — Robert, Emma, kind-hearted Italians, the audience — a lavish adventure to remember."
"A solid conclusion to an unlikely trilogy and a fitting end to Robert McCall's character arc — with Washington still entertaining as a deliverer of slick justice."
"When Washington does interact with the supporting cast, he's undeniably the strongest point of both the movie and the franchise. Fanning's character, however, feels like a wasted opportunity, risking sinking into cliché.
"Callbacks to the previous two movies are cheapened by sepia-tinged flashbacks, too, and a minor, somewhat eyeroll-worthy twist in the final act. The emotional beats still hit, though, with a ludicrous yet satisfyingly cyclical conclusion. The result is not quite a bang, not quite a whimper, but something in between."
The Equalizer 3 is out now in UK cinemas and in US cinemas on September 1.
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