Training Day (2001)

Starring: Denzel Washington, Ethan Hawke
Director: Antoine Fuqua

Rating: R

Studio: Warner Bros.

Review Posted: 10.21.01

Spoilers: Minor

Rating: 4.5/5

By Kelly Alvarado.

When ads for Training Day started running I have to admit that I really wasn't that excited to see it. Don't get me wrong I like Denzel well enough but the director was Antoine Fuqua. He gave us the horrible Replacement Killers and the even worse Bait starring Jamie Foxx. I had already pegged the movie as a loser with Denzel slumming in b-movie fare. When I am wrong I admit it.

The movie follows Jake (Ethan Hawke) on his first day working for Alonso (Denzel Washington) on his narcotics squad. Jake is clearly in a sort of hazing situation we see that right away. He must prove his character and win the respect of Alonso on this shift or he will not make it into the squad. Within the first few hours of his shift, Jake has foiled an attempted rape and broken up a drug sale. After busting up the sale Alonso forces Jake to smoke PCP laced pot. That is when we begin to question Alonso's character. Many different illegal situations are dropped in front of Jake and the audience is never sure which way Denzel's character will respond. His Alonso was initially a maverick cop, bending the laws for the good of the city but we soon see him, as he truly is, the movie's villain.

The movie's flaws are really few and far between. There may be a few scenes that strain plausibility but they didn't take from the movies overall enjoyment. It is hard to really say what doesn't work. I think that the casting of Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg and Macy Grey should have been rethought and not because they were bad actors, they aren't. When we see them onscreen it jolts us out of the movie. Stunt casting is a flaw that I can easily live with though.

What is right about this movie is just about everything. Staring with the two main actors, Ethan and Denzel are dead on in their characterizations. Denzel is very over the top but in the context of the movie it works. He is definitely not slumming here. Ethan Hawke's white-bread looks are definitely used positively. He is the everyman here and he does it well. The script is the real star here.

It has a quick pace and the movie itself never really slows down. Antoine Fuqua was given a great script and two good leads and he doesn't fail to deliver. The director of Bait has proven himself more than capable with this and I now look forward to his next movie. For those looking for a smart, well-acted cop thriller then this is one for you.

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