Didn't like it when it first came out, now i remember why.

Rating: Null/10 (23 May 2008)

I saw this movie when it first came out. I liked it a lot, the setting, the acting, the storyline was fantastic. But I never really got hooked on it like some people who still to this day, worship it like some kind of cult movie. Back then I didn't fully understood the ending, but I just didn't like it.
Today I rented it to watch it again because even to this day, people still bring it up for comparison like with Street Kings, so it seems like it's set a standard for this particular genre. Well, now I remember why I didn't like the ending back then. It was unrealistic. Training Day is all about realism, all about the streets. So how the hell did Denzel get beaten by the rookie, who somehow survived getting killed by the 3 Latino's because one of them decided to grab his wallet before popping him, checks the wallet, sees the photo of the schoolgirl who somehow Jake had saved earlier that day. Unbelievable... and why didn't they just kill him? Why beat him up, why not choke him to death then take him to the bathtub. Won't leave much of a mess either.
So Training Day is a very good movie with an Oscar-winning performance from Denzel, but the ending was typical Hollywood "good cop wins" ending. I guess I'm spoiled by the more modern films which are much more gritty and cruel. Jake (Ethan) wasn't just a good cop, he was NAIVE. I wish there was some kind of twist were Jake screws Denzel over at his own game, without having to resort to pure luck and inconceivable behavior from Denzel where he spares him on the rooftop rather than finishing him off. Unfortunately, unless Jake smartens up and "becomes the next Alonzo", he will get killed within two months if he goes on to pursue a Narc career. I just hope that for his sake, he gets a desk job or goes back to patrol.
The ratings are fair, Training Day is good but nowhere near Top 250 good. The people who go all ga-ga over it and the ending are all teenagers, or equally naive people who still think good people have good things happen to them. Wrong... it's the SMART people that live. Jake was a liability to the force, even if he lives by the end of the movie, if he continues his do-goody ways, he will most likely get popped by some other bad cop. It's unfortunate but nowadays it requires a hell of a lot more than integrity to become, and survive as a good cop. You need to learn politics.