Exciting and gripping cop movie

Rating: 9/10 (2 February 2003)

Many people on this site really don't like this film, and I find it hard to see why. Is it because of the controversy around Washington's Oscar glory? This film is one of the best cop movies since 'Heat'. Gripping, exciting, and violent. Quite superb in parts.
Hawke plays a 'rookie' cop, (and I use that term lightly) who is being trained by Washington to work the drug filled streets of LA. What Hawke is exposed to is the highly corrupt world that is LA's (and even America's) police force. The story concentrates on how Hawke deals with it - a coming-of-age, writes-of-passage drama in one sense, in which Hawke's innocence is lost. There is only a thin red line between the police and the bad guy - a simple police badge. Hawke's character remains a glimmer of hope for the system.
All the performances are superb. Washington at times is chilling, Hawke is brilliant as a terrified cop who grows stronger throughout the film. See this film, it is not difficult to see why Washington got the oscar, but I think that Will Smith should have got it for 'Ali' instead.