Training Day

Rating:
Summary: Good movie worth the buy
Review: I saw training day in the theaters the week of release, and loved it.It had s decent amount of action and denzel played a very good part, your never really sure if hes good or bad until the end.Im glad i saw it BEFORE he won his award, because if i did what almost all the people badmouthing this movie did and expect WONDERFUL acting and look and pry at the movie for plot holes i would never have enjoyed it.sure theres things that where not needed or things that didnt quite make sense but who cares, the story was good the movie was fun thats all that matters.Falling prey to any kind of hype can kill a movie experiance.Look at episode I, everyone expected THE BEST and when it wasnt the greatest thing they had ever seen...well the were dissapointed.Leave expectations of a Brilliant performance at the door and expect a courrupt police movie with good acting,action,and story and you will enjoy this movie.

Rating:
Summary: ridiculous attempt
Review: I thought this movie was a ridiculous attempt at turning a good guy into a bad guy. Denzel Washington isn't very good at pretending to be a bad guy.
The movie drags on for 2 hours and has no point what so ever. Personally I turned the movie off after the first 45 mins because I was so bored.
I think if someone wants to see a good movie...they should avoid training day.

Rating:
Summary: Denzel spearheads this amazing film.
Review: 'Training Day' is a very different film to what would fit into the ordinary "buddy cop" genre; this film presents a subversion of all that is sacred in the "buddy cop" film, and it pays off. Denzel Washington's performance is incendiary and gives the entire film a sense of class that was needed to make this film feel sophisticated, yet rough, while not falling into cliché's.

As the title suggests 'Training Day' is the first day for new cop Jake Hoyt (Ethan Hawke) the character is set up as a young, idealistic rookie who's dream it has been to uphold the law. This character type is the exact opposite to his mentor Alonzo Harris (Washington) who is a veteran of the streets, a man whose street savvy is only rivaled by his pure vileness. The next 24 hours prove to break Jake down, confront his morals, and meanwhile feel a sense of duty towards his 'trainer'. The characters snake their way through corruption, drugs and a myriad of other situations on the mean streets of L.A.

It is truly easy to see why Denzel won the 'Best Actor' Oscar this year. Normally the audience is used to seeing him in a protagonistic, good guy role. It was a huge risk for Denzel to present this side of his acting ability, and thank goodness he did. Alonzo is pure evil, who whilst both Jake and the audience can see his stilted moral views is oblivious to his own problems. As far as an antagonist goes it's the character that truly thinks they are doing the right thing that will appear more evil.

Despite this Ethan Hawke's performance cannot be underestimated. It is the perfect supporting character that plays the rookie cop role perfectly. His reactions to Alonzo's actions are so truly believable the audience feels the emotions along with Jake, and it is here the film makes so many gains.

In the fabulous direction of Antoine Fuqua the mixture of cop story, and hip-hop lifestyle is mixed perfectly. The two facets fit perfectly rather than seeming too separated. His use of time lapse shots at the beginning is a very effective technique as we are set up with a fast pace that is continued in depicting the entire 24 hours of the 'Training Day'. The camera work fits in perfectly is portraying the nitty, gritty world the film presents, and I hope to see more from this upcoming director.

The DVD is one of the best one-disc films around. An amazing amount of features are fit into the disc, an HBO making of, Commentary, deleted scenes, alternate ending etc. make this the best way to fully immerse yourself in the film. As far as the transfer goes the picture on 'Training Day' is some of the prettiest on offer. It's crystal clear, as is the sound with every note of rap blaring from Alonzo's car radio sounding brilliant.

'Training Day' is an amazing film, a successful subversion of the average cop film. The performances are fantastic, the narrative is tight, and slick, plus it's so easy to see why this film won Denzel his first best actor Oscar. This will be one for the ages, and must be seen by anyone who enjoys a very well structured film.

Rating:
Summary: Did they really give him an award for this trash?!!
Review: This was not a good film. One questions whether the folks at the Academy even bothered to watch this film before they voted on the award for Denzel (who by the way didn't do any better a job with his acting in this film than you would expect from the average actor). If you have not seen it, do so, for it will expose to you the fact that these awards were politically motivated, there really can be no other option...and you will understand after you see this...for it was not talent which earned any awards here. I really do like Denzel in most film, just not this one....and if you see it...I am willing to bet...you will agree!

Rating:
Summary: A Wild Ride
Review: This movie keeps you guessing: is he good, is he bad? It is the first day in the Narcotics division for Ethan Hawke's character. He has to balance trying to impress his new boss (Denzel Washington) and orienting himself to his new environment. The result is an entertaining and different kind of movie. Highly recommended. (Remember, this is the movie for which Washington received his Oscar for best male actor in a leading role. He did a great job here, but IMO he should have won it for Malcolm X.)

Rating:
Summary: The wildest, most violent police drama ever! I loved it!
Review: There's non-stop action and non-stop violence in this remarkable police story as the big bad narcotics cop, played by Denzel Washington, trains a rookie, played by Ethan Hawke, as to the ways of the street. Set it Los Angeles, the audience visits the hoods of the gangs as these two cops experience more activity in this one day than most cops experience in a lifetime. Young Ethan Hawke is shocked over and over again as Denzel not only doesn't play by the book, but turns from simply being streetwise into an exaggerated symbol of the baddest of the bad. And, even after the film goes to such extremes that reality is completely lost, I was still riveted to my seat as I experienced the wildest, most violent police drama I've ever seen.

The plot twists and turns and gradually unveils Denzel as a person to hate, even though there are moments when he can be admired. I can well understand why he won an academy award for best actor for his thrilling performance. It's a shame that the plot gets a bit hazy during the last 15 minutes of the film, because, until then I had no trouble with it. But, by that time it doesn't matter. I was on the roller coaster ride already and there was nothing to do but hold on tight and go along for the ride. For those who don't mind a huge dose of violence with a story that goes to extremes, this is for you. It is pure entertainment and will make you forget all your own problems. I loved it!

Rating:
Summary: Shelf Life?
Review: My opinion of this film was much higher immediately after seeing it than it was several days later. I share others' praise of Washington, "out of character" given the roles in his most recent films but consistent with the rage and cynicism he portrayed in Glory; and of Hawke whose growth and depth of talent continue to reveal themselves. I thought his was (by far) the more difficult of the two lead roles in this film. However, upon subsequent reflection, so many of the specific situations throughout the day into evening seem to me implausible and some of them gratuitous. For various reasons, other films such as The Friends of Eddie Coyle, The Professional, and Thief are even more impressive now than they were when first released. I doubt if that will be true of Training Day. I am glad that I saw it, I am happy for Washington who received a second Academy Award for his performance, but will probably not make an effort to see this film again.

Rating:
Summary: ...
Review: I rented this movie excited to see Denzel and his academy winning performance. Instead of being entertained, I was bored to tears. My husband only sat through half of the movie and he can tolerate anything!!! I forced myself to watch it to the end and though it was a complete waste of time. Yet, my sister watched the movie and loved it. Everybody has their own opinions, ...

Rating:
Summary: Denzel Had His "Day"
Review: I avoided seeing "Training Day" in it's theatrical release, because the trailers did not impress me enough to spend the money to see it at the theater. I recently rented the DVD, and I was glad I waited. The quality of the DVD was very good in picture and sound. The movie itself was better than I expected, but not as good as it could have been. I was more impressed with the special features, especially the background on the making of the movie. This documentary was far more impressive in what the movie was all about than the movie itself.

Denzel certainly had his "Day" when he won the Oscar for his performance. But it was really not deserved compared to some of his previous performances. Ethan Hawke was the one who got snubbed. His performance was far better. Denzel's Oscar was more of a consolation prize due to the snubbing of Russell Crowe by his peers who really do not appreciate him as a person or may be very well jealous of his acting abilities. So naturally, Denzel's win was the second best choice. Don't worry Denzel, your "Day" will come when you actually will win because you out-performed everyone else! I, personally look forward to that day, because you are one of the greatest.
Unfortunately, "Training Day" was not one of your greatest.

Rating:
Summary: A Top-of-the-Line Thriller
Review: Denzel Washington's chilling portrayal of Alonzo Harris, a corrupt, murderous narcotics Cop, dominates this gripping crime drama. Ethan Hawke stars as Jake Hoyt, a rookie "auditioning" for a spot with Harris' squad. Before his"Training Day" is over, Jake will fall into a vortex of corruption, murder, and betrayal, and see his belief in the system turned upside-down.

Washington does his usual great job; You'll spend the entire film hating him, but being drawn in by his charisma at the same time. Hawke delivers an equally solid, if less flashy, performance, and holds his own with Washington. Great casting all around; Supporting players Macy Gray, Snoop Dogg, Dr. Dre, and Scott Glenn also add a lot to the film. Director Antoine Fuqua keeps the film moving at a breakneck pace, and the ending is phenomenal.

The extras on the DVD include the HBO "Making Of" Documentary, deleted scenes (All of which would have added a lot to the film), 2 music videos, and an alternate ending, which answered a question I had about the film when I saw it in it's theatrical release.

Overall, an exceptional film.