Training Day

Directed by Antoine Fuqua, Training Day details the relationship between corrupt narcotics cop Alonzo Harris (Denzel Washington) and the relatively green recruit (Ethan Hawke’s Jake Hoyt) assigned to his squad – with the narrative following the disparate characters over the course of one especially eventful shift. Filmmaker Fuqua, working from a script by David Ayer, does a superb job of initially introducing and establishing the two central characters, and it’s clear, certainly, that the picture’s overall impact is heightened considerably by the strength of both Hawke and Washington’s work here – with the latter offering up a scene-stealing and perpetually spellbinding turn that remains a continuing highlight. The somewhat episodic bent of Ayer’s screenplay admittedly does pave the way for a rather erratic midsection, admittedly, although there’s certainly never a point at which the viewer’s interest begins to wane even slightly. (It doesn’t hurt that Fuqua does an effective job of peppering the proceedings with palpably engrossing sequences.) It’s only as Training Day progresses into its downright captivating second half that it becomes something of a modern-day classic, with this vibe undoubtedly enhanced by a tense, white-knuckle climax that’s just about perfect in its execution – which effectively does cement the film’s place as a sterling thriller that boasts one of Washington’s most electrifying performances.

***1/2 out of ****