Training Day | | Cast : | Denzel Washington, Ethan Hawke | | Director : | Antoine Fuqua | | Studio : | Warner Home Video | | Format : | Color, Closed-captioned, Widescreen, Dolby | | Released Date : | October 05, 2001 | | DVD Released Date : | September 14, 2004 | | Language : | English (Dubbed), French (Subtitled), English (Subtitled), Spanish (Subtitled), English (Original Language), French (Original Language) | | Audience Rating : | R (Restricted) | | | BUY THIS DVD FROM AMAZON |
Customer Reviews
| Rating |  | | Date | July 31, 2005 | | Summary | This isn't checkers... it's chess. | Content
 | Two strong performances propel this police action film above the crowd. Denzel Washington (REMEMBER THE TITANS) takes a new turn in his career playing a cop that is more dark side than light side and took home an Oscar for his efforts... Ethan Hawke (HAMLET) plays his idealist partner who spends much of his time falling into the chess match. Eventually, something will have to give and that nicely carries the film to a passable ending. The story and screenplay here are not the focus. It is the performances that make this film bearable. Otherwise, this yarn seems over done. If two lesser-knowns had been in the leading roles, this story would not stand out at all. That says a lot for the performances. |
| Rating | | | Date | July 29, 2005 | | Summary | definitely the least predictable cop flick I've ever seen... | Content
| ...well at least until the last 10 minutes when it regresses to the usual mano-a-mano action flick cliched showdown between the two lead characters. But even those last 10 minutes---when most mainstream flicks go straight down the toilet with some brainless cop-out, focus-group-@sslicking, producer-coerced, crowd-pleasing ending---are fairly low-cheese in this movie, surprisingly enough. For at least three quarters of this movie I was on the edge of my seat, it kept me guessing all the time...ahhhh!
Most surprising is the subversive and cynical edge this film has (as brilliantly articulated by Denzel Washington), even though it is counterbalanced by Ethan Hawke's stubbornly moralistic character. Too many action flicks these days are pat, law-and-order civics propaganda, this one is fairly ballsy to avoid all that---I'm sure it's led those nutjob A.M. (Angry Mongoloid) talk show hosts and Faux News idiots to immediately label it a "socialist" movie, heh. Both of these fine actors put in fine performances, and Eva Mendes provides just enough eye candy to keep our interest during the very few slow parts.
Also a very strong soundtrack, if you have a surround sound system and a good subwoofer you will be rewarded.
So rare to find a mainstream action flick like this, most of them are paint-by-the-numbers ordeals that you can predict from the first 5 minutes. Director Antoine Fuqua is a talent worth watching for! |
| Rating | | | Date | July 27, 2005 | | Summary | Very dissapointing 2 and 1/2 stars | Content
| I expected this movie to be brilliant but it was anything but that. I prefer Tears of the Sun a lot more than this Antoine Fuqua movie. Actually, the movie deserves 0 stars in my opinion but Denzel Washington's brilliant performance made me change it. The 2 and 1/2 stars are all thanks to his performance and not this terrible movie. The movie is all about drugs and violence and corruption with plenty of cuss words to go along. You see, I had such high expectations for it and then I realized that this movie was a smart decision to make. Pay one of the best actors ever to carry the load and everyone will forget about the awful movie that talks about the same thing over and over again. Sure, I recommend this movie to everyone to see Denzel Washington's extraordinary performance but the movie is like Denzel's performance, only without the extra. It's a very ordinary movie about drugs, profanity, sex, and violence and all of the rest of stuff that America is into. Well this is what's in every movie and I've grown sick of it. Antoine Fuqua's plan worked, I'm recommending this movie to everyone, not because of the terrible movie but because of Denzel Washington's jaw dropping and amazing performance. But, one more thing, if you want to see an excellent performance by Denzel and an excellent movie, watch the hurricane!
Here are 3 great performances by Denzel and 3 great movies:
1. The Hurricane
2. Philadelphia
3. John Q |
| Rating | | | Date | July 09, 2005 | | Summary | YEAH, DENZEL IS THE MAN & "KING-KONG aint GOT SH** ON DENZEL"! cRoOkEd COPS NEEDS 2 BE DEALT WITH!!!! | Content
| 1ST OFF MUCH PROPS & RESPECT 2 "ANTIONE FUQUA" 4 CONCEIVING SUCH A COMPELLING STORY!!(THIS STORY HAD 2 BE TOLD!) I WILL ALSO GIVE A SHOT-OUT 2 ALL OF THE UP-&-COMING "BLACK-DIRECTORS" SUCH AS: A. FUQUA, JAMES BOND III (Def By Temptation), F. GARY GRAY (Be Cool & Friday), THE HUGHSBROTHERS (Dead Presidents), NEEMA BARNETTE (Civil Brand), MODY MOD (Durdy Game), DARREN GRANT (Dairy Of A Mad BLACK Woman) & LAST BUT NOT LEAST "ROBERT TOWSEND (THE 5-HEARTBEATS)!!--& ALL OTHERS THAT I FORGOT 2 NAME "I'M WITH Y'ALL!!!!
WELL MY SYNOPSIS OF "TRAINING DAY" IS PRECISELY ABOUT "THE ACTIONS OF CORRUPTED COPS" & HOW IT CATCHES UP WITH THEM!! IT STARTED THAT PARTICULAR MORNING OFFICER JAKE/ETHAN HAWKE HAD 2 MEET DETECTIVE ALONZO/DENZEL W. 4 HIS' DAY OF TRAINING... OFFICER JAKE WANTED 2 MAKE A VERY GOOD IMPRESSION ON DET. ALONZO SO THAT HE COULD MAKE MORE CHEDDA AT A HIGHER POSITION. JAKE MEETS ALONZO AT A CAFE', FROM THE START JAKE FELT THAT ALONZO WAS VERY BOISTEROUS... JAKE THOUGHT THAT ALONZO WOULD TAKE HIM 2 HIS' PRECINCT 2 TRAIN HIM, INSTEAD ALONZO SCHOOLS HIM RIGHT-OUT-OF HIS' CAR IN WHICH HE CALLS HIS' OFFICE! ALONZO HAD HIS' MALICIOUS PLANS FROM THE START! SO HE TAKES JAKE 2 THE WORST GANG AREAS OF CALI THEN HE & JAKE SHAKE-DOWN SOME COLLEGE KIDS 4 THEIR LITTLE MARIJUANA & BONG... JAKE WAS UNDER THE IMPRESSION THAT HE WAS DOING THIS 4 HIS' TRAINING--BUT ALONZO HAS DIFFERENT PLANS... THE 2 GETS THE DRUGS FROM THE 3 KIDS AT GUN POINT & ALONZO SCREAMS & THREATEN THE FEMALE THEN GRABS THE DRIVER BY HIS' EAR!
JAKE SEES THIS & HE KNEW IT WASN'T RIGHT BUT HE WENT ALONG WITH ALONZOS' ROUTINE. JAKE DISREGARDS ALONZOS' BEHAVIOR THEN THEY DRIVE OFF... & ALONZO IS PUTTING THE MARI-JANE IN THE PIPE, SO JAKE ASKED WAS HE GONNA SMOKE IT?--ALONZO SAYS NOPE!--YOU ARE! JAKE SAYS "THERE'S NO WAY I'M SMOKING THAT! ALONZO STILL INSIST THAT HE DOES--MAKING ALL TYPE OF JESTURES 2 JAKE. JAKE SAYS NO--THEN ALONZO ABRUPTLY HIT THE BRAKES IN THE MIDDLE OF A GREEN LIGHT & PUTS THE TOOLY 2 JAKES' HEAD! ALONZO TELLS JAKE THAT IF HE WAS A DRUG DEALER & JAKE TURNED HIM DOWN THAT JAKE WOULD BE BLOWN AWAY! ALONZO WAS PISSED SO JAKE "COWARDLY" DOES WHAT ALONZO WANTS!! JAKE SMOKES IT & GETS HIGH AS A KITE! ALONZO TAKE JAKE 2 ONE OF HIS' INFORMERS' HOUSE 2 SET HIM UP! THEY LEAVE & FROM THERE ALONZO TRIES 2 TIE ALL LOOSE-ENDS BY ARRANGING HIS' FELLAS FROM HIS' PRECINCT 2 RAID ALONZOS' INFORMERS' HOUSE 4 HIDDEN CASH 2 PAY SOME RUSSIANS...
ALONZO BEAT SOME RUSSIAN 2 DEATH BECAUSE HE HAS A HOTT TEMPER & HE LOST A LARGE SUM-OF-MONEY. ALONZO HAD JAKE SMOKE THE MARI-JANE BECAUSE HE COULD BETTER SET JAKE UP THAT WAY IF JAKE DECIDED 2 GO AGAINST HIM! SO 4 THAT WHOLE DAY ALONZO HAD JAKE LIKE HIS' PERSONAL TOY! HE FORCED JAKE 2 DO THINGS THAT WERE UN-ETHICAL & THINGS THAT JAKE WOULDN'T NORMALY DO! ALONZO TOOK JAKE BACK 2 THE HOOD WHERE THE COPS WON'T GO UNLESS THEY HAD "THE TASK-FORCE"... ALONZO WARNS JAKE NOT 2 EVER GO THERE WITHOUT HIM!! ALONZO TAKE JAKE 2 SERCH A KINGPENS' HOUSE WITH A FALSE WARRANT. THEN ALONZO HAS JAKE HOLD THE KINGPENS' WIFE/MACY GRAY IN THE LIVING ROOM WHILE ALONZO ROBS HER OF A FEW THOUSAND DOLLARS! ALONZO HANDS HER THE FALSE WARRANT ON THEIR WAY OUT THEN SHE SIGNALS HER' BOYS 2 SHOOT AT THEM BOTH!! WITH ALONZO BEING SO-THOROUGH HE SHOOTS BACK & JAKE GETS SCARED & STARTS THE CAR THEN THEY HIT THE HIGHWAY! JAKE TELLS ALONZO THAT THEY WILL HANG THEM 4 MISCONDUCT IF SHE PRESSES CHARGES ON THEM, ALONZO TELLS JAKE TO PULL OVER & SHUT HIS' MOUTH IF HE WANTS 2 MAKE DETECTIVE BUT IF HE'S AFRAID THEN HE SHOULD TRY A P*SSY DESK JOB!
ALONZO TAKES JAKE 2 ANOTHER SIDE OF THE HOOD... ALONZO & JAKE PASSES SOME GANG-BANGERS WHO DOESN'T LIKE ALONZO PERIOD... ALONZO TAKES JAKE INSIDE 2 SEE ONE OF HIS' SONS' MOTHER/EVA MENDES, SHE MAKES JAKE SOME FOOD. JAKE FELL ASLEEP ON THE COUCH WITH ALONZOS' SON WHILE HIS IN THE BACK WITH THE MOTHER. THEY BOTH LEAVE 2 HAVE A DINNER WITH SOME OTHER COPS... THEY TELL ALONZO 2 PAY THE RUSSIANS THEIR DOE BEFORE THEY KILL HIM! FROM THERE ALONZO TAKE JAKE BACK 2 HIS' INFORMERS' HOUSE WITH SOME FELLAS 2 COLLECT THE MONEY 2 PAY OFF ALONZOS' DEBT. ALONZO MAKES IT SEEM LIKE THE MOB SENT HIM THERE 2 COLLECT THE MONEY WHEN ALL ALONG IT WAS 4 ALONZO... ALONZO TOLD JAKE 2 SHOOT HIM & OF COURSE JAKE REFUSES! SO ALONZO TOOK THE DOUBLE-BARREL SHOTGUN FROM JAKE & SHOT HIMSELF! JAKE SCREAMS "HOLY SH*T" & JUMPS UP!
NOW ALONZO GOES OVER THE FABRICATED STORY WITH HIS' BOYS SO WHEN THE OTHER COPS CAME THEIR STORY WOULD APPEAR LIKE A JUSTIFIABLE-HOMICIDE RATHER THAN MURDER! ALONZO GIVES 1 OF HIS' BOYS A SHOT THAT GOES WRONG BECAUSE THE BULLET GOES THROUGH HIS' VEST... HE TELLS ALONZO 2 CALL THE AMBULANCE THEN ALONZO ABRUPTLY SAYS "LET ME QUARTER-BACK THIS THING--DO YOU WANT 2 GO 2 JAIL OR GO HOME!?"... ALONZO TURNS 2 JAKE & SAYS JAKE "YOU'LL GET A METAL 4 THIS, JUSTIFIABLE HOMICIDE IN THE LINE OF DUTY"! JAKE SAYS "NO, I DIDN'T SHOOT HIM--YOU DID"...ALONZO SAYS BACK "5 DECORATIVE-OFFICERS SAYS THAT YOU SHOT HIM"! JAKE SAYS NO--SO ALONZO TAKES THE SHOTGUN & POINTS IT AT JAKE! JAKE TAKES CHARGE & THROWS ALONZO ON THE COUCH!
JAKE SAYS "THAT IS THE SECOND TIME YOU POINT A GUN AT ME, THERE WILL NO BE A THIRD"!!!!(MY BOY) ALONZOS' BOYS ALL POINT THEIR GUNS AT JAKE. PAUL/DR. DRE YELLS "JAKE PUT THE GUN DOWN "!!SO JAKE SAID "YOU COULD SHOOT ME PAUL/DRE BUT I'M TAKING ALONZO WITH ME"! ALONZO TELLS HIS' BOYS 2 DISARM BECAUSE JAKE HAS THE HEART 2 DROP ON ALL OF THEM! ALONZO SAYS JAKE CLEAR YOUR HEAD... ALONZO SAID "THE LAB IS GONNA WANT 2 PULL A TUBE OF YOUR BLOOD 2 CHECK 4 INTOXICANTS, WHAT ARE THEY GOING 2 FIND JAKE DO THE MATH---YOU'VE BEEN SMOKING PCP ALL DAY"! JAKE ASKED "SO YOU'VE BEEN PLANNING THIS ALL DAY?" ALONZO REPLIES "I'VE BEEN PLANNING IT ALL WEEK "SON"--YOU TALK THAT CRAZY SH*T I'LL MAKE SURE THAT YOUR BLOOD GETS 2 THE LAB!" "BUT IF YOU'RE COOL THEN YOU'RE A VIRGIN SHOOTER ABOVE SUSPISCION--SO WHAT'S IT GONNA BE?" JAKE REMOVE THE GUN FROM ALONZO & PUNCHES PAUL/DRE IN THE FACE (GOOD)! THEY DIVIDE THE MONEY BEFORE THE COPS ARRIVE BUT JAKE WOULD TAKE HIS' SHARE!
AT THAT POINT THE VIEWER COULD TELL THAT JAKE WAS FED-UP WITH ALONZOS' BEHAVIOR (WHO WOULDN'T BE!) ALONZO TALKS 2 JAKE IN HIS' CAR--ALL THE WHILE HE WAS BLOWING SMOKE UP JAKES' A**! NIGHT TIME ARRIVES & ALONZOS' TIME 2 PAY THE RUSSIANS IS VERY THIN. ALONZO RETURNS BACK 2 THE HOOD WITH GOOD OL' JAKE... HE PASSES THESE GANG-BANGING Mexicans ON THE WAY IN. ALONZO BRINGS ALITTLE MONEY INSIDE OF A BLENDER & TOASTER. ALONZO WAS SETTING JAKE UP--HE TOLD JAKE HE WAS GOING 2 THE BATHROOM... BUT ALONZO BOUNCES OUT THE WINDOW & LEAVE JAKE INSIDE (THAT'S DEAD WRONG)!!
THE 3 MEXICANS ENCOURAGES JAKE 2 PLAY A HAND OF CARDS WITH THEM WHILE HE WAITS 4 ALONZO. JAKE DOES IT & 1 ASKED JAKE 2 SEE HIS GUN. JAKE LOOKS AT HIM HARD AT 1ST THEN JAKE TAKES THE CLIP OUT THEN EMPTIED THE CHAMBER THEN HANDS IT 2 THE GUY. JAKE BEATS THAT GAME THEN HE CALLS 2 ALONZO & ASKED BACK 4 HIS' GUN... THE GUY DIDN'T HAND IT 2 JAKE. SO SMILIE LOOKS OUT & SEES THAT ALONZO LEFT JAKE & HE TELLS HIM! JAKE SAID WHAT? LOOKS OUT 4 HIMSELF & SEES THAT ALONZO LEFT HIM! THEY TRY 2 GET JAKE BUT JAKE PUNCHES THE SMILIE IN HIS' DAMN MOUTH (GOOD)!
SO THEY JUMP JAKE & TAKE HIM 2 THE BATHROOM 2 KILL HIM! 1 OF THEM ROBBED JAKE & FOUND A PICTURE OF HIS' COUSIN IN JAKES' POCKET. HE SHOWS SMILIE THEN HE ASKED JAKE WHERE DID HE GET HER PICTURE FROM? JAKE TOLD HIM THAT HE RESCUED HER FROM BEING RAPED! SMILIE CALLS HIS' COUSIN, SHE LIES AT 1ST THEN SHE COMES CLEAN (WITH HER NASTY A**). SO THEY HANG-UP & JAKE LIFE WAS SPARED! SMILIE TELLS JAKE THAT IT WAS NOTHING PERSONAL--JUST BUSINESS! JAKE GETS ON A BUS THAT WOULD TAKE HIM BACK 2 "ALONZO CRIB 2 MAKE AN ARREST"...
JAKE ENTERS THE HOOD AGAIN 2 SETTLE THE SCORE. JAKE THREW ROCKS AT THE WINDOW & ALONZOS' LITTLE BOY COMES 2 LET JAKE INSIDE. ALONZITO ASKED JAKE DID HE WANT HIM 2 GET HIS' DADDY? JAKE SAID "NO I DON'T, DO YOU HAVE SOMEPLACE THAT YOU LIKE 2 HIDE?" SO ALONZITO HID IN THE CLOSET WHILE JAKE GET ALONZO. JAKE WAS SMOOTH AFTER HE HEARD ALONZOS' VOICE HE'D BUSTED THE DOOR OPEN & POINTED AT ALONZO... JAKE SAYS "TAKE YOUR WEAPONS A PUT THEM IN THE PILLOW CASE" THEN HE TELLS ALONZOS' GIRL TO GO AGAINST THE WALL. ALONZO TRIES 2 CON JAKE AGAIN SAYING "MAN YOU MADE IT, YOU'RE A NARC NOW--PUT THE GUN DOWN BEFORE YOU GIVE MY GIRL A HEART-ATTACK"!
JAKE IS NOW HEARING ALONZOS' BULLSH*T! SO ALONZO ASKED "SO YOU GONNA HOOK ME & BOOK ME HUH?" JAKE SAID "YES PUT ALL YOUR WEAPONS IN THE PILLOWCASE!" ALONZO SAID "WHERE IS YOUR PROOF--HUH JAKE, DO YOU THINK MY TROOPS OR SMILIE IS GONNA HELP YOU?" JAKE POINTS 2 THE BAG & SAID "MY PROOF IS RIGHT THERE". WHEN JAKE LOOKED DOWN ALONZO THREW HIS' CIGARETTE IN HIS' FACE. THEN ALONZO SHOT THE GUN UNDER HIS' BOXSPRING. JAKE RUNS 4 COVER IN THE KITCHEN WITH ALONZITO. THE MOTHER CRIES 4 ALONZITO, ALONZO SHOOTS UP HIS' OWN KITCHEN. JAKE DUCKS BUT TAKE COVER. ALONZO RUNS OUT THE BEDROOM WINDOW WITH THE CASH...
THE MOTHER RUNS OUT 4 ALONZITO & TELLS JAKE THAT ALONZO WENT OUT THE WINDOW. JAKE GOES AFTER HIM FROM ROOF TOP TO ROOF TOP. JAKE JUMPS BARELY MAKING IT, THEN DROPS HIS GUN BEFORE HIM... THEN ALONZO APPEARS & THE 2 START FIGHTING! WITH ALONZO BEING STRONGER HE BEAT JAKE A**...BUT JAKE DOESN'T GIVE UP, HE REGAINS CONSCIOUSNESS THEN PERSUES ALONZO. ALONZO JUMPS IN HIS' CAR WITH THE CASH BUT JAKE JUMPS ON THE HOOD--AND ALONZO SHOOTS AT HIM & HIT A LEAST 4 OTHER CARS. ALONZO CRASHES THEN JAKE PUNCHES & DRAGS HIM OUT OF THE CAR 2 ARREST HIM!
THE WHOLE HOOD CAME OUT 2 SEE WHAT'S GOING ON! ALONZO SAID "JAKE YOU NOT GONNA KILL NO COP BECAUSE YOU DON'T HAVE IT IN YOU"! ALONZO TOLD A DUDE THAT HE'LL MAKE HIM RICH IF HE KILLS JAKE (NO ONE ACCEPTED). ALONZO SAYS "JAKE I DON'T BELIVE YOU HAVE IT IN YOU 2 SHOOT A COP, SO I'M GONNA GET THAT GUN & THEN I'M GONNA GET THAT MONEY"--& YOU NOT GONNA DO NOTHING
ABOUT IT! SO JAKE SAID "I'M WARNING YOU I'LL DO IT"! ALONZO REACHES 4 IT & JAKE SHOOTS HIM IN HIS' A** JUST 4 A WARNING. ALONZO BEGGED 4 THE MONEY & JAKE SAID 2 HIM "DO YOU WANT 2 GO JAIL OR YOU WANT 2 GO HOME"... ALONZO SMILES & SAY "JAKE I WANNA GO HOME, JUST LET ME GET THE MONEY & GO HOME JAKE"! JAKE SNATCHES ALONZOS' PLAT-NUM BADGE OFF HIS' NECK & SAID "YOU DON'T DESERVE THIS"!
JAKE SAID "I FOUND OUT TODAY THAT I'M NOT LIKE YOU". SO THE HOOD TURNS ON ALONZO & TELLS JAKE 2 BOUNCE BECAUSE THEY GOT HIS' BACK... SO ALONZO SAID 2 THE HOODS "WHO YOU MFs THINK Y'ALL F-ING WITH, YOU WILL NEVER SEE THE LIGHT OF DAY--23 HOUR LOCKED DOWN SHOE PROGRAM, YOU MFs WILL BE PLAYING BALL IN PELICAN BAY WHEN I FINISH WITH YOU--"KING KONG AINT GOT SH*T ON ME--WHO Y'ALL THINK Y'ALL F-ING WITH!?" THE HOOD STARTED 2 WALK AWAY THEN ALONZO SAID "YEAH GO ON & WALK AWAY--CAUSE I'MA BURN THIS MF'er DOWN!!!!!"
ALONZO SAID "YOU CAN SHOOT ME BUT, YOU CAN'T KILL ME"! HE LIT ANOTHER CIGARETTE & WENT AFTER JAKE. JAKE WAS LONG GONE & ALONZO DIDN'T MEET THE DEADLINE 2 PAY THE RUSSIANS SO THEY TRAPPED HIM & SHOT HIM UP! SO THE REPORTER SAID "DETECTIVE ALONZO" IS SURVIVED BY HIS' SONS & WIFE.
***"I FELT THAT "ANTIONE" SHOULD'VE KEPT ALONZO ALIVE SO THAT HE COULD BE JAILED LIKE HE SHOULD'VE BEEN 4 THE CRIMES HE COMMITED"!!!! ALONZO SHOULD'VE FELT WHAT IT'S LIKE 2 DO LIFE LIKE ANY OTHER CRIMINAL SH**!! OVERALL "TRAINING DAY" WAS EDUCATIONAL 2 ME & I'M SURE MANY OTHERS, "THAT'S WHY I GAVE IT 5-STARS"!!***
~~~~~~~IF YOU DIDN'T LIKE IT THEN MAYBE IT'S ABOUT YOU?!~~~~~~~ |
| Rating | | | Date | July 07, 2005 | | Summary | We've seen this all before...just without Denzel... | Content
| Movies about "the streets" are not uncommon. Movies like Colors have gone through this in the past. Training Day is no different, but this films is head and shoulder above the others due to the main leads.
Ethan Hawke plays Jake Hoyt, a young, ambitious cop who gets a shot at the high profile Narcotics Squad. He is going through a "Training day" with Detective Alonzo Harris, a tough 13 year veteran with 15,000 man-hours worth of arrests under his belt.
Right off, Hoyt, who is still idealistic, is given the harsh brutality of the streets both through Harris' descriptions and events, such as seeing a girl being raped on the street. However, there is a plot associated with this movie and it involves Alonzo Harris and a certain Russian mafia figure. This "relationship" sets the underlying premise throughout the whole movie and explains the dual nature of Harris' character that came about sort of as a shock near the 2/3rd point of the movie.
Let me first say that I don't believe that Denzel role as the Rogue Cop deserved an Oscar win. He has done better work in movies like Malcolm X and The Hurricane. However, he is the strong point of the movie. His Alonzo Harris is both ruthless and father-figurish and has an appeal that hooks Hoyt in. He truly is a wolf in sheep's clothing. He steals every scene he is in and takes command of the movie from Ethan Hawke. This is natural since Hawke plays the character as a learner (aka the straight man), but he manages to get a lot of empathy from the audience and provides the needed integrity that Hoyt strives for.
The storyline, while generic, is well filmed by Antoine Fuqua. His previous attempts (Bait, The Replacement Killers) were failures, but he does redeem himself with this movie. He lenses the evil that lies on the inner city streets and those who know LA through movies such as LA Story maybe surprised how dark the City of Angels can be. While this movie does not put the city in the best of lights, Fuqua does a great job showing the dangerous realities of LA, including introducing low live characters such as Blue (Snoop Dogg), Smiley (Cliff Curtis) and Crazy Sniper (Raymond Cruz). However, he can't get around the generic story and predictable ending and that puts a damper on the movie itself.
However, if you want to see an action movie that is a cut above the rest, Training Day would fit the ticket....Rating: B-
Note: Harris shows Hoyt a picture of himself when he was younger. However, it is a picture of Nick Styles....A character that Denzel Washington played in Ricochet.
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