Not what the rookie expected...but it was ordered

Rating: 8/10 (9 October 2006)

Finally, a movie where Denzel Washington plays the bad guy! And, wins a well-deserved Oscar for Best Actor. Moreover, Ethan Hawke was nominated for Best Supporting Actor.
So, this movie has two great performances to see, as the rogue cop, Alonzo Harris (Washington) takes on the new wannabe narc rookie, Jake (Hawke) on his very first day on the job. And, what a day it is...
There are three threads to this complex plot: first, Alonzo has the Russian Mafia after him and must deal with the problem or die  there's a contract out on him, and those Russian types just don't mess around; Alonzo also has a group of dirty cops who are getting ready to take down another long-time dirty cop who's been supplying drugs for years  and Alonzo and his gang intend to cash in; and, finally, Alonzo has a do-gooder rookie who thinks he's on the job to actually do good for others, instead of just doing good for himself  money-wise that is.
So, where're the real bad guys, you ask? Well, they're either wearing suits and pulling Alonzo's chain in the big end of town or, they're sitting on the sidelines of the really bad areas, waiting for Alonzo and his buddies to mess things up for themselves  so that they can then cash in...
A big part of the plot is somewhat artificial because Jake's eventual success, shall I say, on his first day comes only as a result of a very fortuitous co-incidence when he saves a young schoolgirl from an attempted rape. It's a crucial event, and I suppose the screenwriter figured that only one unlikely co-incidence was okay. I guess so...
Apart from that, it is a fast paced, beautifully edited and photographed, non-stop, rip-roaring, pulsating, wisecracking, boom and bust, kick-butt action movie that left me dazed after first viewing. A second viewing helped to clear up some of the more confusing details. You might want to watch it twice also, but if you like Denzel, then you'll watch this one at least once.