The first must-see movie of the year!

Rating: Null/10 (2 February 2002)

STAR RATING:*****Unmissable****Very Good***Okay**You Could Go Out For A Meal Instead*Avoid At All Costs
There isn't much of a cast to Training Day.It's mostly just Denzel Washington and Ethan Hawke driving around in a car.But in crafting just these main two characters,it has constructed quite probably the best film to come out in the last 18 months,and which deserves to win oscars.It paints an unflinching,uncompromising account of life on the mean streets of LA,rampant with rapists,graffiti,gang members and mostly drug dealers.Hawke is certainly very impressive as the naive rookie cop,but the real star of the show is undoubtedly Washington,who delivers a breath-taking performance as the experienced,hardened police veteran who's just seen too much injustice in his career and has been pushed right over the edge.In between all this fantastic writing,directing and acting,there is also some brilliant action sequences (especially at the end)not to mention a thoroughly emersing hip-hop soundtrack.It really is hard to think of a single fault here,this is simply excellent.Cancel all other arrangements and see it.*****