Product Description

Working undercover is a job. And an attitude. A mad dog narco cop blurs the line between cop and criminal as he mentors an idealistic rookie partner during his Training Day.Running Time: 120 min.System Requirements:Starring: Ethan Hawke Denzel Washington Cliff Curtis Snoop Dogg Dr. Dre and Scott Glenn. Directed By: Antoine Fuqua. Running Time: 122 Min. Color. This film is presented in "Widescreen" format. Copyright 2002 Warner Home Video.Format: DVD MOVIE Genre: DRAMA Rating: R UPC: 085392196227 Manufacturer No: 21962DVD

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #3645 in DVD
• Brand: Warner Brothers
• Released on: 2004-06-01
• Rating: R (Restricted)
• Aspect ratio: 2.35:1
• Formats: Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, DVD, Widescreen, NTSC
• Original language: English
• Number of discs: 1
• Dimensions: .15 pounds
• Running time: 122 minutes

Features

• Working undercover is a job. And an attitude. A mad dog narco cop blurs the line between cop and criminal as he mentors an idealistic rookie partner during his Training Day.Running Time: 120 min. System Requirements: Starring: Ethan Hawke, Denzel Washington, Cliff Curtis, Snoop Dogg, Dr. Dre, and Scott Glenn. Directed By: Antoine Fuqua. Running Time: 122 Min., Color. This film is present

Amazon.com essential video
A powerhouse performance by Denzel Washington fuels this brutal urban police drama, in which a rookie narcotics cop learns the hard way that even good cops can go very, very bad. Washington plays veteran detective Alonzo Harris, a self-proclaimed "wolf among wolves," eager to teach his rookie partner Jake (Ethan Hawke) that normal rules don't apply on the mean streets of Los Angeles. Caught in a web of deception, Jake watches with escalating horror as Alonzo uses his badge (and the support of his superiors) to justify a self-righteous policy of corruption. In stark contrast to most of his previous work, Denzel unleashes his dark side with fearlessness and fury, and the result is excellence without compromise. Director Antoine Fuqua (The Replacement Killers) won't score any points for subtlety, but gritty details (including actual L.A. gang members as extras) and Hawke's finely tuned performance are perfectly matched to Washington's frightening volatility. --Jeff Shannon

Amazon.com
A powerhouse performance by Denzel Washington fuels this brutal urban police drama, in which a rookie narcotics cop learns the hard way that even good cops can go very, very bad. Washington plays veteran detective Alonzo Harris, a self-proclaimed "wolf among wolves," eager to teach his rookie partner Jake (Ethan Hawke) that normal rules don't apply on the mean streets of Los Angeles. Caught in a web of deception, Jake watches with escalating horror as Alonzo uses his badge (and the support of his superiors) to justify a self-righteous policy of corruption. In stark contrast to most of his previous work, Denzel unleashes his dark side with fearlessness and fury, and the result is excellence without compromise. Director Antoine Fuqua (The Replacement Killers) won't score any points for subtlety, but gritty details (including actual L.A. gang members as extras) and Hawke's finely tuned performance are perfectly matched to Washington's frightening volatility. --Jeff Shannon

From The New Yorker
A synthetically plotted melodrama, but still it has power and depth. Denzel Washington is Alonzo Harris, a decorated Los Angeles narcotics cop who breaks in his new partner, Jake Hoyt (Ethan Hawke), a talented rookie from the Valley. Alonzo bullies and taunts the young man, teaching him the brutal wisdom of the street; Jake, who is highly moral, eager to impress, and ambitious, is hurt and baffled. It takes us a while to realize that what seem like random incidents on the street are really the outer edges of a malaise-the dishonesty of Alonzo and the other members of his undercover unit. Despite some trashy and conventionally violent scenes, the movie is psychologically interesting: the dominating and witty Alonzo wants the respect of the young man he's trying to corrupt. Washington is tormented and brilliant; it's his best performance so far. Hawke, after a quiet beginning, opens his eyes and finds his voice. Pungently written by David Ayer. Directed with high-tension skill by Antoine Fuqua. -David Denby
Copyright © 2006 The New Yorker

Customer Reviews

Thumbs up for two extremely absorbing performances.
I must say, my preconceptions about Training Day were all wrong. The trailer I saw in the theatres made it look like a belated ripoff of The Corruptor, while director Antoine Fuqua's disastrous fumble with The Replacement Killers several years ago did nothing to boost my confidence.

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.

Washington's "training day" as the bad guy is stunning.
Underneath the warped, vicious ideals held by the main character of "Training Day," there lies a film that is cooly calculated, sinister and intense, and works its audience in ways no other movie has. It's main attraction, no doubt, is the casting of Denzel Washington against type (a tactic that is strikingly impressive), but the movie has the brains, the audacity, and the guts to be more than just a star vehicle with a shocking twist in the casting department.

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.

Blisteringly Brilliant Performances by Washington & Hawke
In all honesty, I had grown a bit tired of Denzel Washington's "goodie-two-shoes" roles in recent years, as great as they were. His performance in TRAINING DAY, however, has given me newfound respect for him as an actor. Not only does he play "the bad guy," but he milks it for all its worth - his Alonzo Harris would make Clint Eastwood's DIRTY HARRY look like Barney Fife from "The Andy Griffith Show." The last time I walked out of a movie theater so rattled was after seeing DANTE'S PEAK in the early '90s - mainly for its special effects. In TRAINING DAY, it was Denzel Washington's performance alone that blew me away! The fact that he has recently received his fifth Oscar nomination - and third for Best Actor - should come as no surprise.

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.