Training Day (2001) Review
I'm a huge fan of the late, great Bill Paxton. My favorite film of all time is Twister. One of his final roles was on the TV series, Training Day, which I've heard isn't great. But I have heard very good things about the movie. So thank you, Bill Paxton, for leading me to this movie.
LAPD Officer Jake Hoyt (Ethan Hawks) gets the opportunity for a "training day" in a special narcotics unit, run by Detective Alonzo Harris (Denzel Washington). Training Day follows the events of this one day, as Jake learns the ropes from Alonzo, who teaches Jake that you have to get a little dirty to survive in his unit. But as the day winds down, and Jake gets dirtier and dirtier, he has to decide how much is too much, and accept the consequences.
What Works:
Training Day works because of Denzel Washington and Ethan Hawke. Washington is amazing in the role. He won Best Actor at the Academy Awards. He's so charismatic and manipulative that you don't know what he is really up to until it's too late. But Ethan Hawks is no slouch either. He was nominated for Best Supporting Actor and he earned it. He plays the eyes and mouth of the audience well. We really feel for him and are on the same page as him as he wrestles with ethics about doing the right thing or the thing that will get him ahead.
The other factor that works is the tension building. All day long, we get the feeling that something very bad is going to happen. Each scene continues to build the tension. But the best part is when Jake finds himself playing cards with a few gang-members, and not everything is what is seems. The realization of what is happening in that scene and the build-up to it is great, and one of the highlights of the movie.
What Sucks:
I only have one problem with Training Day and that is the 3rd act. It's good, but it doesn't quite measure up to the rest of the movie. It doesn't stick the landing. The problem isn't what happens, it's how it happens. The execution of the 3rd act could have been handled better. And the interactions between Alonzo and gang-banger, Bone (Cle Shaheed Sloan), feel sloppy. The 3rd act could have used some rewrites.
Verdict:
3rd act aside, Training Day is still a great film, filled with tension and fantastic acting. If you haven't seen it, I highly recommend checking it out, because Training Day has got it going on.
9/10: Great
LAPD Officer Jake Hoyt (Ethan Hawks) gets the opportunity for a "training day" in a special narcotics unit, run by Detective Alonzo Harris (Denzel Washington). Training Day follows the events of this one day, as Jake learns the ropes from Alonzo, who teaches Jake that you have to get a little dirty to survive in his unit. But as the day winds down, and Jake gets dirtier and dirtier, he has to decide how much is too much, and accept the consequences.
What Works:
Training Day works because of Denzel Washington and Ethan Hawke. Washington is amazing in the role. He won Best Actor at the Academy Awards. He's so charismatic and manipulative that you don't know what he is really up to until it's too late. But Ethan Hawks is no slouch either. He was nominated for Best Supporting Actor and he earned it. He plays the eyes and mouth of the audience well. We really feel for him and are on the same page as him as he wrestles with ethics about doing the right thing or the thing that will get him ahead.
The other factor that works is the tension building. All day long, we get the feeling that something very bad is going to happen. Each scene continues to build the tension. But the best part is when Jake finds himself playing cards with a few gang-members, and not everything is what is seems. The realization of what is happening in that scene and the build-up to it is great, and one of the highlights of the movie.
What Sucks:
I only have one problem with Training Day and that is the 3rd act. It's good, but it doesn't quite measure up to the rest of the movie. It doesn't stick the landing. The problem isn't what happens, it's how it happens. The execution of the 3rd act could have been handled better. And the interactions between Alonzo and gang-banger, Bone (Cle Shaheed Sloan), feel sloppy. The 3rd act could have used some rewrites.
Verdict:
3rd act aside, Training Day is still a great film, filled with tension and fantastic acting. If you haven't seen it, I highly recommend checking it out, because Training Day has got it going on.
9/10: Great
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