Rating: 
Summary: Taunt, Over-the-top Thriller
Review: The elements necessary to create a first-rate thriller are all present in "Training Day" - an explosive script by David Ayers, taunt direction by Antoine Fuqua, and inspired, Oscar nominated performances by Denzel Washington and Ethan Hawke. One drawback: As the characters' lives spin further and further out of control, so does the story. The constructs so carefully built from the first of the movie are torn apart by the chaotic, somewhat illogical climax. While far from the worst ending ever conceived, its weakness and overall generic quality make this a very, very good movie, as opposed to a classic. Hawke plays Jake, a Los Angeles police officer who is about to spend his first day on the job as a narcotics officer. The opening does a good job of emphasizing his ambition, which helps to validate his actions later on. That morning he meets his new boss, Alonzo [Washington] for the first time. Alonzo is one of those hip, charismatic characters who has learned the streets so well that it's almost impossible to differentiate him from the villains he pursues. As they drive around the streets of LA, Jake begins to realize that Alonzo's training methods are becoming increasingly bizarre and violent. At a couple of points early in the day, the rookie has his chance to walk away, but that ambitious streak forces him to stick around. By afternoon, it's too late. He's caught up in a web of deceit and mayhem straight out of the film noir handbook. Washington is completely convincing playing a man who once was good and honest, and now is worse than the criminals he hunts. Part of him still sees himself as someone doing the right thing, though the rest of him knows he's become the tyrannical ruler of a pathetic little kingdom, someone who will do in his oldest friend if necessity so dictates. Pride has become his fatal flaw. Hawke gives his best performance ever and manages to keep up with his dazzling co-star. He quietly manages to convey the idea that he is much like Alonzo was when he started out. Whether or no he is destined to become like him is left nicely ambiguous. The key to enjoying "Training Day" is to see it for what it is - a movie. Attempts to compare it to what really goes on in the streets of LA will lead only to a series of frustrating, unanswerable questions.
Rating: 
Summary: Substantial Leap in Criminal Crime Storytelling
Review: Antoine Fuqua's (The Replacement Killers) exasperatingly intense, masterly evocative, and grandly psychologically accosting crime police thriller Training Day starring Denzel Washington, Ethan Hawke, Scott Glenn, Macy Gray, and Snopp Doggy Dogg commences by imprinting on the viewer an all-together familiar seedy crime melodrama. Then this seemingly recycled cop movie equation summarily becomes estranged from all of the genre's pre-conceived formulas, conventions, and clichés and zestfully thrusts its audience into a Pulp Fiction-esque Twilight Zone of infinite unknowns. Overtly intense it may be, Training Day's so-called excesses are absolutely necessary to this film's shockingly disquieting view of modern law-enforcement and societal factors. Brimming full of the morally deplorable, tumultuously volatile, and authentically immediate sights and sounds that at first may resonate as a typical wam bam thriller, Training Day intellectually reaps a ground-braking resourcefulness that consistently curtails the audience from comprehending its inner plot points too quickly or becoming aware of it's character predestined paths before they develop into view. Though the film does provide us with ample evidence to it's character's interior inner workings, Training Day continues to creativity and tirelessly redefine it's identity so often and so cleverly that any first-time viewer can't help but be consciously blown away by it's narrative, radically stunned by it's story-telling audacity, or emotionally bewildered by it's cultural implications. It remains a testament to this film's resiliency that it persists in haunting you so long after it concludes spinning web of intrigue. Dominantly at the artistic center of this vivaciously riveting crime tale, Denzel Washington blazes open, with one decisively unforgettably potent character, an entirely new occupational direction for the once cinematically pure leading good guy. In an unexpected melee of acting bravado, Washington almost appears to be inordinately possessed with this character that is so aesthetically and dramatically powerful that you almost forget Washington is playing it. In a blisteringly radiant gem of a performance that should earn him an Academy -Award nomination, Denzel plays L.A.P.D. Narcotics veteran Alonzo Harris who in the course of a single day trains and enlightens 19-month rookie cop Jake Hoyt (Ethan Hawke) in the increasingly sinister underbelly of drug policing in Los Angeles. Harris initiates Boyt upon the mandatory necessity of protecting the tax-paying sheep (the citizens) from the Narcotic predators by becoming predators themselves. Alonzo sanctifies these views by lulling Hoyt into believing that his skeptical pessimism is an indispensable requisite of becoming an undercover cop, and with this premise the audience's unfathomable descent into inconceivable darkness begins. Encased with incredibly edgy supporting performances, invariably claustrophobic locales, an charismatically haphazardly enticing plot, many subtly thrilling story eccentricities, and a superbly larger than life leading performance by Denzel Washington, Training Day transcends it's source genre to pose generally unsettling questions with such relish and audaciousness that it still should remain as fresh and relevant fifteen years from now. As for Training Day's upcoming DVD edition, hopefully it will include a descent anmorphic widescreen presentation, an Antoine Faqua commentary track, deleted scenes, and several other fine materials to go along with such a fabulous film. P.S. Always Pick Up a Rape Victim's Wallet
Rating:
Summary: Ethan hawke and Denzel are superb in this movie
Review: This movie is superb and very powerfull.
Ethan hawke and Denzel are amazing in this movie.
Of course Denzel would get an award. He was great in this film and a perfect role too. This is a great film and anyone who likes currupt drama films should get this film.
Rating:
Summary: Worth Seeing, Even if It Isn't "Your Kind of Thing"
Review: TRAINING DAY is a very good movie. It managed to combine suspense and action with a nice, twisty plot that, unlike so many action flicks, does not insult the intelligence. As you may know, the plot deals with the highly unorthodox veteran narc (Denzel Washington) and his impressionable and somewhat naive new partner (Ethan Hawke). Denzel's unusual, creative--but brutal--ways of dealing with major-league drug dealers is far from standard police procedure, but it works for him--for a while. The Ethan Hawke character is appalled by his partner's lack of ethics in some situations, but eventually he gets "broken in" and comes to accept the violent situations that often arise. This may not be the best thing to do. This movie certainly has its share of blood and gore, but it isn't gratuitous--it's necessary within the context of the film. The supporting cast--mostly playing lowlifes--is wonderful, and Hawke manages to get across the difficult combination of shock and desire that his role demands. But the movie really belongs to Denzel Washington. His over-the-top, chewing-the-scenery acting in this picture really "makes" it and gives the film credibility. He isn't playing a standard "good guy" or "average citizen" role as in a movie, like, say, Philadelphia, but his hopped-up role reveals him to be one of Hollywood's finest actors (if you had any doubts!) I have a couple of minor gripes with the film. It spends too much time inside the moving police car with back-and-forth shots of inquisitive Ethan slowly getting the lowdown from grandstanding Washington. A couple of times the film strains credibility, such as letting the main figures get out of intense shoot-outs more or less intact; but of course that's a standard Hollywood cliche. But I emphasize this is NOT routine cop-film fare and it deserves a wide audience, whether in the cinema or at home. A lot of TRAINING DAY takes place in run-down, pseudo-slum areas of Los Angeles, and the director's (or whosever) eye for convincing locals is acute.
Rating:
Summary: Training Day.
Review: Denzel Washington has rarely been better than he is here. While many viewers and critics seem genuinely shocked at his transformation into an absolute monster, I kept thinking: didn't anyone else see the first half of "Malcolm X"? A decade ago, Washington bared his fangs to fine, frightening effect, in the first hour or so, of Spike Lee's epic, and while he later made the transition to good guy(and still paid with his life) the fury, violence, attitude and animalistic behavior was still there early on. "Training Day" is a brilliant, simple but effective film about the underbelly of law-enforcement and one young cop's refusal to comprimise his values, even at gunpoint. Ethan Hawke is terrific as Jake Hoyt and injects just the right amount of innocence, disbelief and decency into what could have been a one-note character, his Oscar nod was well deserved. Denzel won for a reason! He is having the time of his life being a bad**s in this film and it shows, this is scenery chewing of the highest order! His Alonzo Harris is the best crooked cop I've ever seen and Washington delivers every line as with lip-smacking relish, you simply can't take your eyes off of him.
"Training Day" is first rate urban entertainment that gets better with every viewing. Don't miss it.
Rating:
Summary: Unforgettable but nearly unwatchable
Review: I'm having a very hard time deciding how to rate this film, but the four-star treatment is the result of balancing its high and low points. For instance, the overall tone of the film, with its immense amounts of violence and foul language, and completely oppressive sense of hopelessness, is not exactly my idea of a pleasurable motion picture experience. Still, considering the subject matter, it is appropriate and the filmmakers bring it across quite well. The subject matter is the world of vice cops, and if this tale is to be believed, they're all corrupt. In fact, not only the vice cops but the heads of several major departments within the LAPD are all lost souls without redeeming graces. This is a world where evil battles evil, and the prizes are convictions in court and large amounts of cash. The only real law, however, is the law of the jungle. This is unrealistic to the point of losing its cred, and is overdone. Denzel Washington earned his Oscar for Best Actor in portraying plainclothes narcotics officer Alonzo Harris, who has the task of training young Jake (Ethan Hawke) in the ways of the trade. Washington does an incredible job of keeping us all guessing as to Alonzo's true nature, as he neatly justifies all of his disgusting and irredeemable actions on the streets, and Jake (and we) continually have to wonder whether to go along with Alonzo or just give up and hate the man. By the time Alonzo's corruption is fully revealed, Jake, the only character in the entire film with a sense of hope, has had his hope dashed as well as us. All this is beautifully done. Unlike at least one other reviewer here, I had no problem with the pacing, the dialogue, etc., but found the craft of filmmaking quite well done in most respects. The major shortcoming for me, other than the overall filth of it all, was a couple of acting performances that really messed things up. One of these is a child actor, a kid who plays Alonzo's son. This tyke is detached from his world to a completely unbelievable degree, reacting to everyone and everything with absolute boredom, even an extended shootout in his own apartment. Honestly, the director could have propped up a cardboard cutout of a child and gotten as much out of it. Even worse is Snoop Dogg, who couldn't lose himself in a character if you drugged, blindfolded, and handcuffed him and parachuted him into the role. Oh wait, no need to drug this overrated goof. Ultimately this is well worth four stars for its effectiveness and for the performance of Washington, a favorite of mine who is brilliant beyond words in this role. Still, the tone and content made me feel as if I'd been bathed in a barrel of filthy oil. I had to take a shower. I will never forget this film, but I never want to see it again.
Rating: 
Summary: Great performances but bad pacing - 3.5 stars
Review: Although much different from other cop moives, Training Day holds up on its own only by the fact of superb acting and a fresh script. The good things... -As I pointed out above, THE ACTING really shines here, as well as the casting. Denzel Washington, (he won an oscar for this film) Ethan Hawke, Scott Glenn, and many others make great contributions and deliver knockout performances.
-The REALISM and the ACTION is great. This movie won't try to dazzle you with choreographed styilized action (like director Antione Fuqua's previous "The Replacement Killers"). All of the action is this film is gritty, to the point, and very realistic. Also, the potryal of the gangs and street-life seemed accurate. And the bad things... -THE PACING is not very good. It takes a while to get involved in the movie and about an hour for the real action to start up.
-THE DIALOUGE is shaky at times, and sometimes it's hard to figure ot what's happening and who doing what to each other, etc.
-THE ACTING by some of the supporting characters are off. I'm not alking about the main characters, (like I was up above)
but some additions like Macy Gray, Snoop Dogg, and Dr. Dre just CAN'T ACT. Overall, the pros outweigh the cons in this one, but I expected this movie to be a little bit more exciting with more action. This is no doubt an improvement over the too-short "Replacement Killers," but I left the theatre not quite sastified as I thought I would be. All in all, a good flick that is a good one to rent. 2002; 122 minutes; RATED R for some strong brutal violence, pervasive obscenity, drug use, and nudity.
Rating:
Summary: "To Catch A Wolf, You Have To Become A Wolf!"
Review: Denzel Washington gives the performance of a lifetime in "Training Day," a wildy hip cop movie that starts off like a house on fire, and, for the most part, never lets up. Washington is Alonzo Harris, the head of an elite Los Angeles narcotics squad. With his leather jacket, garish jewlery, and some of the sharpest dialouge this side of "Pulp Fiction," he's part Harry Callahan, part Popeye Doyle, and part John Shaft. Harris tells his rookie partner for the day, Jake Hoyt (Ethan Hawke in a terrific performance), the "only way to protect the sheep from the wolves is to catch the wolves..and the only way to catch a wolf is to become a wolf," a philosophy which probably has more relevance these days to the war of terrorism than it does to the war on drugs. To give away more of the plot would be unfair; suffice it to say that "Training Day" is a sharp, funny, profane, and violent film that, under the direction of Antoine Fuquia, captures the feel of Los Angeles street life. The supporting performances from rap stars Snoop Dog (as a wheelchair bound crack dealer) and Dr. Dre (a member of Washington's elite squad) are superb and singer Macy Gray is so alive in her cameo, she practically jumps off the screen; veteran character actor Harris Yulin as the head of an upscale LA Burglary Division, relates an incredibly hilarious story of how a low life thief beats a jail sentence, and it's one of the highlights of the film.*****DVD package is superb..includes a "making of" documentary; a series of deleted scenes (one, in which Washginton flirts with a couple of attractive Hispanic girls in the street, should have been left in the final cut), theatrical trailer, and 2 music videos.
Rating:
Summary: FIVE STARS FOR ENTERTAINMENT, OR...
Review: Four stars for Denzel's cool wardrobe and one for sexy Eva Mendes who looked just fine in OUT OF TIME. Look, I ain't gonna kid you, bro, I did like this flick. Yeah, I know, it's stupid and unrealistic, but boring? We've all seen worse. To all the dudes here who hated this movie, I know exactly where you're comin' from, bruthas. But y'all need to chill and enjoy the show. Anyways, luv that bling-bling! Stay cool.
Rating:
Summary: THE BEST MOVIE FROM 2001, PERIOD
Review: FIRST DAY ON THE JOB, A ROOKIE COP [ETHAN HAWKES] IS INTRODUCED TO A CORRUPT COP [DENZEL WASHINGTON] WHO WILL BE HIS PARTNER. VERY GRIPPING, AND IT EVEN HAS ENOUGH GOOD TWISTS AND MORE THAN ENOUGH GOOD ACTING TO HOLD ONE'S INTEREST. THIS DEFINITELY AIN'T YOUR AVERAGE COP MOVIE, SO DON'T EXPECT A ''LETHAL WEAPON''-TYPE MOVIE HERE. ALL FANS OF DENZEL WASHINGTON MUST GET THIS MOVIE NOW! DENZEL WASHINGTON WON A WELL-DESERVED BEST ACTOR OSCAR FOR HIS PERFORMANCE IN THIS MOVIE.
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