Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #4341 in DVD
• Released on: 2002-07-15
• Rating: Suitable for 18 years and over
• Aspect ratio: 2.35:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Formats: Dubbed, PAL, Widescreen
• Original language: English, Russian, Spanish
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 117 minutes

Amazon.co.uk Review
A powerhouse performance by Denzel Washington fuels Training Day, a brutal urban police drama in which a rookie narcotics cop learns the hard way that even good cops can go very, very bad. Washington plays veteran detective Alonzo Harris, a self-proclaimed "wolf among wolves", eager to teach his rookie partner Jake (Ethan Hawke) that normal rules don't apply on the mean streets of Los Angeles. Caught in a web of deception, Jake watches with escalating horror as Alonzo uses his badge (and the support of his superiors) to justify a self-righteous policy of corruption.

In stark contrast to most of his previous work, Washington unleashes his dark side with fearlessness and fury, and the result is excellence without compromise. Director Antoine Fuqua (The Replacement Killers) won't score any points for subtlety, but gritty details (including actual LA gang members as extras) and Hawke's finely tuned performance are perfectly matched to Washington's frightening volatility. --Jeff Shannon, Amazon.com

On the DVD: Training Day's special features include an HBO documentary which actually provides some insight into the structure of the film rather than simply adding glitz and glamour. Antoine Fuqua's feature commentary is intimate, suggesting his heart and soul went into this movie. The extra scenes also add to the enjoyment of the movie, the only disappointment being that there is no additional commentary to explain the cuts. The alternative ending ties up a few of the loose ends which are left at the close of the theatrical release. Out of the two music videos it is Pharoahe Monch's "Got You" that fits in best with the style of the film, having a much bassier street-level feel than Nelly's "#1" chart-friendly hip-hop. The Dolby Digital 5.1 soundtrack allows you to feel like you're pumping out the beats from your BMW and the 2.35:1 widescreen is a slick as Denzel Washington's gun moves. --Nikki Disney

DVD Description
DVD Special Features
The 3 worlds of Gulliver Featurette
Earth vs.the Flying Saucers Featurette
Mysterious Island Featurette
Photo Gallery
Filmographies
Theatrical Trailer

Synopsis
Antoine Fuqua (THE REPLACEMENT KILLERS, BAIT) turns up the intensity level with TRAINING DAY, a charged drama about police corruption in downtown Los Angeles. Ethan Hawke stars as Jake Hoyt, a well-intentioned young officer who thinks he's found his ticket to becoming a detective in the form of undercover officer Alonzo Harris (Denzel Washington). Harris is a notorious figure in the streets and in the office. He also has the authority to make Jake's professional wishes come true, provided Jake is able to prove his worth on Alonzo's team. At first, Alonzo's blunt, carefree demeanour provides a shock to Jake's optimistic system, but as it becomes clear that Alonzo is dangerously out of control, Jake must decide whether or not to risk his future in the name of the law.
Washington's performance as the hardened, pragmatic detective is a sight to behold. He delivers his lines with a devilish ferocity that keeps the film bubbling throughout. Hawke slips into the role of the rookie everyman with ease, providing a good contrast to Washington's fiery presence. Former video director Fuqua completes the picture by casting musicians Snoop Dogg, Dr. Dre, and Macy Gray in supporting roles.

Customer Reviews

Training Day DVD
After all the post-Oscar hype, its hard to watch this movie without a teensie bit of expectation. But after 10 minutes of the feature running, any doubts you have will be blown away. And to think this was helmed by the same guy who brought us the dire `Replacement Killers`. Denzel is absolutely superb as the corrupt narcotics cop, without a doubt deserving the best actor Oscar. If you can ignore a decidedly dodgy ending, then this will be the best cop thriller you will have seen for years. As for the DVD, its a case of good , but not great! The commentary by director Antoine Fuqua (its pronounced differently than its spelled fortunately) is average at best, never really bringing any interesting facts or anecdotes up. How cool would a Denzel commentary track have been (especially in light of his Oscar triumph). Definitely a missed opportunity. The rest of the DVD extras are your standard HBO making of` featurette, trailers and rap music videos. Not really exciting stuff. So, on the whole a fantastic movie, let down by an average DVD. Hopefully Warner will release an `Oscar Special Edition` soon that will do the fab film justice.

a good film - a great performance ****
Sitting down to watch this film, i had no idea what to expect, i hadnt read any reviews and didnt know any of the plot details but I quickly began to enjoy the ride. Training day tells the story of Ethan hawk (a young cop who wants to climb the ranks) who teams up with seasoned cop (washington) who wants to get the freshfaced cop a feel of life on the streets.

From the very early scenes, washington makes an impact, creating a character who is believable but at the same time a little on the edge. Hawk also turns in a very good performance, playing a "scared of the consequences" role similar to the one he played in (gattaca). This film isnt scared to deal with strong issues and the film is all the better for it.

Training day has many twist and turns to keeps you guessing until the very end, and although the ending isnt quite up to the standard of the rest of the film, this is still a very well made and well constructed film in which washington gives one of his finest performances.

Superb
This is everything they say and more. I bought the region 1 edition as I missed it in the cinema and I am glad I did not wait for the region 2's release.

This is a well acted, scripted and plotted movie. The story flows and you actually understand what drives the main characters. You even sympathise with Denzil Washington's character as you learn what has driven him to carry out his actions through the day.

I will not spoil it by revealing the twists and turns but recommend that you buy this with out any hesitation.

Denzil won his Oscar by portraying the flawed cop and it was well deserved. His best film yet.