A modern classic, ruefully playing with the established conventions of the grizzled good cop teaching the wet-eared newbie about the real policing of the streets.

Rating: 9/10 (10 February 2020)

Denzel absolutely glues the film together between Ayer's spectacular script (one I read recently and its a real pleasure just to read it in its torrid detail and attention) and Fuqua's creative but steady direction. It's got satisfying stings of action between its trope inversions and a sine wave of momentum, you'll grip the seat, convinced of something only to be soothed and breathe a sigh of relief before the next peak or trough just as Ethan Hawke's character is.
It's a deep, relevant and most of all it's fun.