There is a muddled justification for all that takes place on this so called ‘Training Day’, but I cannot fathom how so many egregious plot holes and inconsistencies could be glossed over at award time upon this film’s release.
As our big day opens raw Hoyt (Ethan Hawke) is to spend a day on a ride along with experienced Alonzo (Denzel Washington), with the intent being an audition for a role on his renowned narcotics team.
During the day Hoyt will not only realise that Alonzo does things his way and damn the consequences, but he prevents a rape, gets shot at frequently, is held hostage more than once and is part of a bust that uncovers millions in illicit drug profits.
And that’s all Day 1.
Cut to the chase; Alonzo is a dick. A boorish idiot who belittles anyone unlike him and intimidates his underlings until they fall into line. I get that. There are people in the world who no doubt live this life. But do they really do all of this in one day? Do any of them think up frankly half arsed schemes which require a ridiculous amount of chance and coincidence to work? Did Alonzo realise that his scheme would actually have worked a shitload better without Hoyt being in any way involved? (Did the filmmaker?)
And finally, did anyone think that the coincidence that occurred one third into the film would pay off so incredibly well just a few hours later?
But. But. B-b-but Denzel is playing a bad guy! He does booty calls. He talks to snitches. He kills people…
…
So? Training Day tries to cram an insane amount of unlikely events into one day which would have gone more smoothly without one main character, then requires that a ridiculous strategy gain a ridiculous unearned twist before a ridiculously contrived ending.
Sure it has moments. I won’t deny that. But the Academy Award for Denzel for this should have been amended to a career achievement award. Getting it for this is… ridiculous.
Final Rating – 6.7 / 10. I can’t fully hate Training Day, but I refuse to label this ‘worthwhile’. Because I don’t believe it is.
