DVD REVIEW

Training Day

Starring: Denzel Washington, Ethan Hawke, Scott Glenn

Director: Antoine Fuqua

Rating: R

Review Posted: 5.9.02

By John Teves

Every day, there is a war being waged on America's inner city streets - a war between residents, drug dealers and the people sworn to protect one from the other. This war has its casualties, none greater than L.A.P.D. Detective Sergeant Alonzo Harris (DENZEL WASHINGTON), a 13-year veteran narcotics officer whose questionable methodology blurs the line between legality and corruption. His optimism has long since been chipped away by his tour of duty in the streets, where fighting crime by the book can get you killed, and getting the job done often requires Alonzo and his colleagues to break the laws they are empowered to enforce.

One of the ways to get the Academy's attention.

Jake Hoyt (ETHAN HAWKE), is the rookie cop who has one day and one day only to prove himself to his fiercely charismatic superior. Jake will be pulled deeper and deeper into the ethical mire of Alonzo's logic as both men put their lives and career on the line to serve their conflicting notions of justice.

Training Day couldn't be more appropriately titled. The movie tracks all the events that go into the first day of a rookie cop Jake Hoyt (Ethan Hawke) in the Los Angeles Police Department's undercover narcotics unit. Denzel Washington plays Alonzo, a corrupt veteran cop and partner of the rookie.

This isn't in any way a typical undercover cop flick. Director Fuqua has publicly admitted that it was the first directorial effort that meant something to him and was, at least in part, drawn from his memories of growing up in Los Angeles. Fuqua says, “Training Day is about something it's not a series of generic gunfire and chase sequences. It asks the compelling question of whether it's possible to effectively fight crime without descending to the level of the criminal. Can an idealist be a warrior and protector? On the streets, what's the difference between good and evil?"

Hawke is disappointed hardly anybody saw him in "Tape".

The film centers all in one day, the day and the life of Jake Hoyt (Ethan Hawke). Jake Hoyt (Hawke) is being trained in an unorthodox a fashion by Sgt. Alonzo Harris (Denzel Washington). At first it seems that Alonzo’s tough talking simply uses questionable methods to achieve the greater good of putting bad guys in prison. But we are soon to be paced off-kilter. It's an intense philosophical/moral journey from one menace to another as we begin to ask ourselves, as Jake Hoyt (Hawke) has, what kind of hell have we lost ourselves in.

Training Day presents a tug of war between idealism and pragmatism, the force of good and the lure of evil. For those viewers with moral idealistic mind sets, Training Day can be hard to sit through at times. But it's worth the discomfort for the adrenaline rush of the final scene between Washington and Hawke, let alone their compelling performances.

"Don't ever mention "John Q" again, you got that!?"

Training Day is presented in anamorphic wide screen using the film’s original 2.35:1 aspect ratio. It’s a single-sided, dual layer disk. Sharpness is right on with a razor like image, there are no signs of jagged edges or shimmering. This is a great looking transfer with depth and detail that is just breathtaking at times. Black level is exceptionally good, however there is tremendous detail in the shadows. The colors are somewhat dreary, but the flesh tones look great. While edge enhancement is occasionally noticeable the viewer would not be distracted by it at all.

Training Day is presented in Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround.  This Dolby 5.1 Surround track sounds superb! From the opening scene the soundtrack shows an impressive amount of detail, with impressive directional effects up front, between the gunfire, screeching tires and some really “phat” rap tunes, you get the result of a powerful and compelling audio experience. The effects shoot their way across the room with good panning and lively direction. The surrounds provide constant ambience and presence that puts the viewer into the film. The dynamic range is quite wide with some good low-end moments.

Washington doesn't know he's holding plastic guns.

Ambient effects are reserved for the louder variety of noisemakers, there is little room for subtlety on this track. Sounds come from all four corners of the room, the center channel dialogue remains distinctive and clear at all times. Training Day has a nicely transmitted soundtrack with good immerse quality, the DD 5.1 mix provide aggressive directional effects that are dimensional and exciting. Show this one off when your impressing your guest with your entertainment system.

HBO First Look: This a 15 minute making of, which is pretty typical with some decent interviews and standard behind-the-scenes snippets.

Deleted scenes, Music videos, cast and crew bios, and the film's theatrical trailer.

DVD-ROM Exclusives: the usual weblinks as well as the film's entire theatrical website included on the disc itself.

Hawke makes sure he'll get a copy of the DVD.

I have nothing but great things to say about this DVD. The video is unbelievable and the audio is excellent. Denzel Washington and Ethan Hawke’s performances are exceptional. With one of the best-looking transfers I've seen in a while. I highly recommend this film. It is a “must” for your DVD library.