Denzel Does It Again!

Rating: Null/10 (18 April 2002)

Whoais all I gotta say! Just when I thought Denzel Washington with his electrifying acting abilities couldn't blow me away anymore than he already has in past films, he pulls up another trick through his sleeve and dazzles me with yet another powerful dramatic performance!

Washington plays an undercover cop teaching his rookie protégé Ethan Hawke the ways of dealing with the vicious streets of Los Angeles within a single day. As expected, Denzel is an amazing onscreen presence, but something is quite different here from his previous roles: he is the BAD GUY! Its quite refreshing seeing him stray off from the usual by-the-book-goodie-two-shoe guys I've seen him portray in his other movies. Washington has brilliantly acted any character from a freed Civil War era-slave, a South African anti-apartheid leader, a dedicated Gulf War colonel to a tenacious FBI anti-terrorist agent. Being a crooked officer in "Training Day" is a welcome addition to his fine resume of cinematic acting.

Denzel's cop is an intriguing exploration into the mind of a seasoned law enforcer bent on utilizing extreme and unorthodox methods of keeping the streets crime-free. It is quite disturbing and compelling how he attempts to lure Ethan Hawke into his grim underworld of police brutality. You may loathe his character, but you have to admit that Washington never lets up in keeping the audience entranced in the film.
Had Denzel failed to win the Best Actor Oscar for his awesome performance, I think the Academy should have been sued! And Ethan Hawke, with an almost equally strong performance (but not quite up to par with Denzel) as Washington's rookie trainee, just as well deserved his nomination for Best Supporting Actor. Here's hoping future cop thrillers will consist of the same caliber as "Training Day!"