Training Day (2001) English Movie DVD to release on Feb 2, 2010

My doubts were dispelled the minute Denzel Washington looked up from his newspaper. It is indeed good to see Washington, one of the most gifted actors of our time, abandon the saintly martyrs he's been prone to playing for 10 years and sink his teeth into a role which allows him to show a mix of deep charisma and dangerous viciousness. That same alchemy had made his breakthrough performance in 1989's Glory amazingly compelling, and in Training Day, there isn't a single moment where Washington is less than completely absorbing. Ethan Hawke also gives the performance of his career as Jake Hoyt, an idealistic but easily swayed young cop who finds himself drawn into a web of corruption, violence, and twisted morals.

Fuqua's directing is still overly stylish at times, but after a hyperactive first act, the film begins to roar. David Ayer's script is dazzling, a combination of rat-a-tat street vernacular and relentless forward momentum, and after the midpoint of the movie, the intensity of the scenes would reach incredible levels. And that's when Fuqua's show-offy camerawork finds a raison d'etre. In this film, Fuqua even finds room for some comparatively simple scenes which are really like a breath of fresh air to his filmmaking -- for example, the "you're a leader" car scene, and that beautifully understated ending shot. I hope he makes this part of his regular style, because there's only so much virtuoso camera one can take before it gets tiring, as is the case in the opening of the film.

A white-knuckle thriller, well worthy of the accolades it received. I stand humbly corrected on my original predictions.

It begins in a mediocre manner, introducing us to rookie cop Jake Hoyt (Ethan Hawke), who is anxious to become a narcotics officer to create a better life for his family. This would partially explain his willingness to stick with detective Alonzo Harris (Washington), whose unethical use of his status as a law officer, and his brutal embracement of street justice, make him more than just a force to be reckoned with.

As the story progresses, it begins to resonate into a much more interesting piece of work. Jake's exposure to Alonzo's ethics takes a toll on his subconscious: Alonzo believes everything from indulging in illegal substances to hiring informants who also happen to be dealers... anything to excel as a narcotics officer. His brutality with several offenders of the law (or is it his own law?) serves to unnerve us as we watch the daily events of his life unfold in such a forceful manner.

The appeal of the film largely depends on your ability to stomach its various messages, some realistic, others unbelievable. Alonzo believes that in order to attain the trust of your team, you must have a tainted history; much of his beliefs stem from his ideal that if you don't possess a high degree of intimidation, then the streets will kill you. These beliefs pose the audience a very blunt, beckoning question: is it mere movie fantasy, or a wake-up call to reality?

That is what makes "Training Day" a remarkable film. It poses this question to us in a straightforward manner, without reserve. Los Angeles is shown in a gritty, hardcore style that is unrelenting in its violent undertones, and shaking in its realistic appearance. The conclusion, a cat-and-mouse chase with some delectable psychological warfare between Jake and Alonzo, abandons the film's ideas rather than offering any easy solution to them, yet manages to create a monumental amount of suspense while not influencing our own decisions about the morals of its characters.

The film's cast is its strongest attribute, featuring two stellar performances from Hawke and Washington. Hawke portrays Jake's confusion and question of reality with supreme believability; in effect, his character's disbelief at the events surrounding him rubs off on us. It is Washington's character that keeps this movie at such a feverpitch. Alonzo is easily one of the most complex characters of the year: his intelligence and street smarts are absolutely spellbinding at times, yet when used to propogate his idea of justice, they become chilling.

Despite a slow beginning, "Training Day" is an effective drama that provokes thought and discussion. The film's morals are questionable, but that only serves to make one think harder about them. Much will be made of Washington's losing his halo, as well as the corrupt ideals his character follows, but those looking for something different will find this a remarkable turn-around for the actor, who proves his ability as a versatile performer.

Kudos also to Ethan Hawke for a great performance and a well-deserved Supporting Actor Oscar nod this year. Any young actor who can hang with the likes of Denzel Washington in a film like this DESERVES recognition. Hawke proves that he has a stellar film career ahead of him.

The Academy Awards telecast is March 24, and my money is on both these tremendous performers to come away with well-deserved Oscar gold. TRAINING DAY is a film with no special effects, no colorful cinematography, and no Picasso-esque art direction - just a movie that slaps you upside the hide from start to finish, with two powerhouse performances that stay with you long after the closing credits.

Denzel Washington's performance in this film is convincing...it will scare you. Ethan Hawke was great too. Look out for impressive cameos by Calvin Broadus (better known as Snoop Dogg), Andre Young (better known as Dr. Dre) and Macy Gray. My movie-going experience was only ruined by one thing: the sight of 'suburban' parents irresponsibly bringing their pre-teens (couldn't have been older than 8) to watch this ultra-violent film. What were they thinking? It made me sick.

This is a must see, but it definitely won't leave you with a good feeling after you leave the theatre. Thanks for reading...

C.H.R.

Denzel Washington is one of the best actors working today but, up until his performance in Training Day, it, at times, seemed that he would never get a chance to truly show it. In most of his film, he's been given role meant to play up his nobility and his heroism. He found himself in the same ristrictive position that another strong and intense African-American actor found himself trapped in the late '60s. Like Sidney Poitier, Washington found himself cast in roles where, though his great talent was obvious and certainly he didn't miss a step in his characterization, the roles themselves were limited. Like Poitier, Washington was running the risk of being stereotyped, by good-intentioned liberal, white filmmakers, as the "noble black man." As such, filmgoers seemed to be running the risk of forgetting that Washington could be an unpredictable, slyly humorous actor and that few actors -- black or white -- are as capable of making just plain deviousness and arrogance as attractive and admirable as Washington. His earlier performances in the films Power, A Soldier's Story, and Mo' Better Blues as well as the TV series St. Elsewhere stand as testaments to that. Luckily, Training Day allows Washington to show us just how could an actor he is. His performance truly holds the film together and gives it a power that it might not otherwise have.

Jake Hoyt (Ethan Hawke), a nineteen month veteran of the L.A.P.D., is about to begin his first day on a new assignment, having landed a spot in the Narcotics Division, where he will be a member of a small squad under the direction of Alonzo Harris (Denzel Washington)-- if he measures up to Alonzo's stringent expectations. It's a job he wants, because he sees it as an opportunity to really do some good in the community; it's a place from which he can help rid the streets of drug dealers and other felons. But he quickly discovers that-- as most worthwhile things are in life-- it's just not that easy. As Alonzo is quick to point out, "If you want to protect the sheep from the wolf, you have to become a wolf. It's the wolf that catches the wolf--" Jake also learns that on this day he's going to have to make a lot of decisions, and make them quickly, without the luxury of time to consider all of the possible ramifications. And one of them is put to him directly by Alonzo, who tells him he's going to have to decide what he wants to be, a sheep-- or a wolf. It's something he's going to have to know by the end of the day; and Jake doesn't know it going in, but this day, his "Training Day," is going to be a day that will change his life forever.

Fuqua's film is presented honestly and in such a way that it successfully puts the viewer on the streets of L.A., and Jake and Alonzo are credible characters; but the motivation behind Alonzo's ruthlessness is fairly anemic and under-developed. The weakness of the film, in fact, lies in the screenplay (by David Ayer), which though it captures a certain sense of "street-wise" reality, is otherwise rather formulaic and doesn't really have the depth it needs to make it emotionally involving. ...As Alonzo, Denzel Washington gives an excellent performance-- and, quite frankly, this film would be less than average without him-- but whether or not it is deserving of an Oscar is open to speculation. Washington is one of the finest actors in the business, without question, and he's taken on some challenging roles (in which he's been very successful) that make this part pale by comparison. Alonzo Harris is more along the lines of Mel Gibson's Riggs in "Lethal Weapon," or Eastwood's Harry in "Dirty Harry," the difference being that Alonzo is the bad guy. It's a credit to Washington's ability that he was able to make this such a strong character, however, and his Alonzo is certainly believable and real. And, in retrospect, perhaps it is an Oscar-worthy performance; it had to be to overcome the weakness of the script and what he was given to work with. And, again, without Denzel Washington, this film plays for two weeks in the theater and is quickly forgotten when it hits the video store shelf.

Hawke gives a strong performance, as well, but that he received an Oscar nomination for it is the stuff of which debates are born. Like Washington, however, Hawke does do a good job of bringing his character to life, and it is one of the strengths of the film.

The supporting cast includes Tom Berenger (Stan), Harris Yulin (Doug) and Scott Glenn (Roger). In the final analysis, "Training Day" is elevated by the performances of it's stars; without them, this one has no legs.

One at a time.

I believe this movie is realistic in all aspects dealing with the situations on the street. There are vicious people who's kill you just as soon as look at you. People who are out to get your money and your livelihood. People out to take your heart, sometimes literally. I believe that there are no clear-cut right or wrong answers out on the street. You just have to stick to some basic code of conduct and hope everything works itself out. I believe that not all cops are the knights-in-shining-armor people would like them to be in this post-September 11th world. That's probably not the most fashionable thing to say right now, but that's what I believe. I believe that mostly good and decent men can be corrupted by that sense of power and authority. And since my father was a cop in West Philly for 20 years, I have a pretty fair basis for my beliefs.

Whether Denzel's performance was Oscar-worthy or not... I don't put much stock in the Academy Awards myself. Usually, the Academy's criteria and mine differ a great deal. But they are supposed to reward people for excellence in film, and on that basis, Denzel certainly did deserve it. You could see the subtle shifts in Alonzo's character from scene to scene. Now, I didn't believe the character was stereotypical. If anything could be construed as stereotypical, it was his street persona. But that was only a persona, only a part of the character. It was the glimpses of the good man still lurking inside that made the character fresh and original. There isn't another actor working today that could've captured all those nuances. No Hopkins, no DeNiro, no Pacino, no Rush... nobody. He most definitely earned that Oscar, for what it's worth. And even if--IF--it was only a "freebie" for ignoring his tour-de-force performance as Malcolm X, it was certainly no different from Russell Crowe's situation last year, when he won for "Gladiator" after being passed over for "The Insider" a year before. And that reparation didn't even have the added wrinkle of any white actors having been ignored for 3 decades.

About the violence... I've never lived in LA. I've never even been off the East Coast, so I can't say I know how it is there. But I do know how it is here. This movie has no more violence in it than anything you might see on 52nd Street, or K & A, or 5th and Lehigh, or the Badlands, or even Broad and Olney, where I saw a crackhead jump on the hood of a man's car and promptly get the [stuff] beaten out of him. (If you live in Philly, or have ever lived here for an extended period, you know the areas I'm talking about.) It's not violent for the sake of violence, like other Hollywood movies. It's violent because it's a reflection of a certain lifestyle which happens to be very violent sometimes. That's what I believe.

Now I don't think that my opinion will change anybody's mind about this movie one way or the other, but maybe it'll help you see the other side of the argument. But if you haven't seen the movie, don't let this review or any other review sway you. Watch it with an open mind and judge for yourself.

Alonzo is an unbelievably corrupt cop, a once good cop who has lost his way. He now corrupts those cops who come under his command, all for one and one for all. Jake, the newcomer to the group, still innocent and wide eyed about his reasons for being a cop, will be a test of Alonzo's ability to corrupt the seemingly incorruptible. A series of trials and tribulations await Jake that day, situations that in his wildest imagination he could never have envisioned, all of them fiendishly and cleverly engineered by Alonzo. All of them insidious. All of them criminal. The only question is whether good will overcome evil.

Denzel Washington gives a performance of a lifetime and is certainly worthy of his Academy Award for Best Actor. He is at once both repelling and ingratiating as the character Alonzo Harris. His performance is charismatic, commanding, compelling, and completely mesmerizing as the narcotics commanding officer who has gone over the deep end and crossed a line that, once crossed, is final. Alonzo rules his territory and those within it with an iron hand, misjudging fear for respect. Murder and mayhem are the key words of his reign. He also seems to report to a trumvirate of corrupt police officials whom he refers to as the wisemen. Unfortunately for Alonzo, he has come to believe his own hype and bites off more than he can chew, ultimately pissing off the wrong people.

Ethan Hawke gives his best performance ever, imbuing Jake with a vulnerability and innocence that is believable and compelling, making Jake's struggle with his situation all the more angst ridden. It is a balance of the desire to succeed and get ahead with the instinctive knowledge of right and wrong. The viewer sees Jake going along with Alonzo at first, wanting to please his superior officer, even when some of the things Alonzo asks him to do are not only transgressions of police procedure, but violations of the very laws that they are employed as police to enforce. As Alonzo inveigles Jake to cross the line, the viewer can see the struggle within Jake take place, as shock gives way to a struggle for his very survival. The only question is whether Jake's better nature will ultimately allow him to do what he believes to be right. Ethan Hawke's a performance is certainly worthy of its Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor.

This is a gripping film, with a fair amount of violence. Wonderful performances are also given by Scott Glenn, a drug lord whose dream of retiring to the Phillipines is cut short, as well as by Macy Gray, who is sensational in the role of another drug lord's wife. While some of the film is over the top, it is a film that will not fail to entertain and engage the viewer.

The DVD is loaded with extras, providing a feature length adio commentary by director Antoine Fuqua, additional scenes, an alternate ending, two music videos, as well as a behind the scenes documentary. The picture and audio are both crystal clear. It is a first rate DVD.

To begin with, the plot is hardly plausible, and it is downright silly to believe such patent nonsense as is presented here as the events transpiring in a single day. Shades of James Bond! Whatever happened to the idea of presenting something believable? If we are talking "B" movie entertainment, fine. But if we are going to consider giving an actor an Oscar for an outstanding performance, it might be nice to have him deliver that role in something less than pop fantasy. Shades of old Rooster Cogburn in "True Grit"! As a fantasy escape vehicle, this gritty cop drama works well, but as a serious drama, it has holes big enough for Shallow Hal's girlfriend to waddle through.

All that said, it is an entertaining and action packed film. Indeed, this is a film overdosing on adrenaline, a movie with nothing but ups and precious few downers, except, of course, for the morality play at the end that serves, of course, to provide the filmgoer with a sense of closure and wrap the enigma of this bad cop up with a bow. Yet a lot of bad guys get away with it, and this character certainly seems street-wise enough to have maneuvered his way out of the dilemma. I enjoyed watching it, but felt the performances were not what I would expect from an Oscar-caliber effort at moviemaking. Enjoy!