Highly enjoyable let down only by being a tad predictable

Rating: 7/10 (11 February 2002)

I'll start by saying I really enjoyed "Training Day". It was certainly one of the most enjoyable movies I've seen in this first month-and-a-bit of the cinema year. I'm going to recommend it, with a little bit of caution, and here's why:
Firstly big respect to Denzel Washington. Usually he's playing the underdog and we're rooting for him. He's constantly getting the nice guy role and so it's extremely refreshing to see him play the corrupt cop here. His character - Alonzo Harris - isn't necessarily evil, he's just deciding to do a delicate balance of crime and punishment. He takes freely from the scum he prosecutes and has no qualms about doing so. In playing this character Washington is allowed to show far more versatility than his works normally allow. He works well with his attitude to new rookie cop Jake Hoyt (played admirably by Ethan Hawke). Hawke wants to do well on his first day, his "training day" but can't stomach Harris' morale scruples. There is a great line of tension between the two that develops more as the movie progresses.
It is the plot, if anything, that lets the movie sag a little. For the most part it's predictable and Ayer, at one very tense moment, uses a poorly scripted coincide to back himself out of a sudden ending. The actual end to the movie is also foreseen and, for that, is somewhat disappointing. It might have been nicer to go a different route but I guess some elements of formula must be adhered to. Having said that there's some great lines of dialogue as Harris convinces Hoyt that the way the world *really* works is not as simple as Hoyt would like to believe and that there is a certain "survival of the fittest" element you must follow. The cop's corruption - in particular the first middle-of-movie-3rd-act climax - is quite harrowing and sharply executed.
Antoine Fuqua does a nice job of realizing the script he's working from. The fight scenes, for example, pack - pun intended - a lot of punch. You can feel the pain of the blows. The camera-work generally succeeds without having to be overly intrusive. The lighting is generally subdued even during high noon - adding to the movie's generally bleak outlook and feel and the score never over-plays any sentimental or aggressive moments.
Overall I really quite enjoyed "Training Day" and found it a cut above the average buddy-cop flick. With some good performances, a (generally) sharp script and some fine directing I'd give it a 7.5/10 which is well above average for me.