This movie is great. Even with its "Hollywoodness"

Rating: 9/10 (21 April 2002)

Soo many critics of this film have talked about its plot holes and unexplained events, and its over-the-top action. First off, in my opinion, there were few of these flaws in the movie. I admit there were a few but no movie is perfect. I have watched the movie three times, not because it was the best movie I have ever seen, but to look for these giant holes in the plot and to watch the over the top action scenes. Nothing I saw and noted was that big of a deal to throw the whole movie into the crap pile which is what many people have done. I guess a lot of people don't realize that when these blockbuster movies are created it's not for the people who will look into every nook and cranny of the story and dialogue to find some piece of imperfection. They write it for the average movie go'er. This average movie go'er isn't there to look for the flaws they are there to, in a sense, be put into this movie.
If Ethan Hawke hadn't been beating so badly that he couldn't get up and fight back then the next scene of him being hauled off to the hospital would really make the movie less interesting. On the other side if he hadn't received those brutal beatings then his fighting back wouldn't be as enjoyable. Thats what people want to see a glorious fight back, or a tragic fall. In providing the audience with this the writer has to make some adjustments to reality. Maybe the streets of LA are not correctly portrayed and maybe the way the they went about their police business isn't all realistic, but without these tweaks it wouldn't be a good in your face cop movie. I mean reality can't always be as entertaining as Training Day was.
Reading over this I kind of rant, its late and I should be asleep. I hope some who read this can see my point.