--- title: "Training Day: the reviews" canonical: "https://film.one/film/training-day/reviews" title_page: "https://film.one/film/training-day" critics_score: 78 critics_reviews: 7 licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # Training Day (2001): what the critics said Critics' score 78 from 7 reviews: 7 positive, 0 mixed, 0 negative. Most critics respond warmly to Training Day, with praise clustering around Denzel Washington’s charismatic, threatening performance as a corrupt narcotics officer. The reviews repeatedly credit him with making familiar police-thriller material tense and unsettling, while Ethan Hawke earns approval for his convincing, understated rookie. Antoine Fuqua’s direction also draws praise for its pace, style and handling of tense encounters. Several critics value the screenplay’s uneasy overlap between police work and criminal behaviour. The main reservation is the final act, where several reviews find that moral complexity gives way to routine plotting, contrivance and cop-film clichés. The spread is largely one of enthusiasm rather than outright disagreement, though The New York Times is more sceptical, finding the drama intermittently effective but too dependent on action-film retribution. Total Film likewise draws a sharp distinction between the gripping early stretch and a routine climax, while still admiring both leads. ## Empire — Chris Hewitt Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 1 February 2002. A cracking cop drama anchored by Washington's fantastic against-type performance and Fuqua's thoughtful, stylish direction, evoking an urban LA Confidential with tense set-pieces and moral complexity. It is slightly marred by an unsatisfactory climax. [Read the review](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/training-day-review/) ## Radio Times — Jason Caro Rating 4/5. This is a powerful anti-buddy movie set on the mean streets of LA, directed with style and snap by Antoine Fuqua and anchored by highly credible characterisations from its two stars. Though the script succumbs to some cop clichés, this does not blunt the persuasive effect of the work from all concerned. [Read the review](https://www.radiotimes.com/movie-guide/b-pq0tna/training-day/) ## Slant Magazine Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 5 October 2001. The critic calls the film a rock-solid thriller that traces a corrupt cop's abuse of power and notes how it blurs the lines between police and criminals in a gritty, ironic narrative. [Read the review](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/training-day/) ## The Independent — Nick Barber Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 3 February 2002. The critic praises how the film sharpens the edges of the veteran-rookie buddy-cop formula into something riveting, with Denzel Washington's charismatic, rule-breaking narcotics officer driving the action. Hawke's rookie is drawn in despite the escalating danger. [Read the review](https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/reviews/shallow-hal-training-day-nightshift-9142896.html) ## The AV Club — Keith Phipps Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). 5 October 2001. The review highlights Denzel Washington's striking performance as a morally ambiguous narcotics officer and commends the screenplay's exploration of the line between cops and criminals, though it finds the final act a letdown. [Read the review](https://www.avclub.com/training-day-1798192789) ## Total Film Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 1 February 2002. A gripping but retrograde dirty-cop thriller that delivers a simple, brutal pleasure in its first act before descending into genre bilge with a routine climax. Terrific acting, especially from Washington and an understated Hawke, stands out. [Read the review](https://www.gamesradar.com/training-day-review/) ## Los Angeles Times — Kenneth Turan 5 October 2001. The critic praises Denzel Washington's exceptional, edge-pushing performance that elevates the film, noting it creates a wall-to-wall uneasiness in L.A. streets and gives audiences great acting and something to ponder despite an ending that resolves in cops-and-robbers style. [Read the review](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2001-oct-05-ca-53522-story.html) ## RogerEbert.com — Roger Ebert 5 October 2001. The critic praises the film's kinetic energy and Denzel Washington's over-the-top, villainous performance as a corrupt cop, noting it shades into humor and that he enjoyed the ride despite plot excesses and implausibilities in the final act. [Read the review](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/training-day-2001) ## Screen Daily 10 September 2001. Festival review. Antoine Fuqua's gritty, highly-intense crime policier is his most satisfying and technically accomplished picture to date, with taut direction and splendid acting from the two leads, especially Denzel Washington's bravura performance as the monstrous, seductive corrupt officer Alonzo. The film elevates above the routine policier thanks to the leads' work and masterful tension-building scenes. [Read the review](https://www.screendaily.com/training-day/406830.article) ## The Guardian — Peter Bradshaw Rating ***. 1 February 2002. Praises Denzel Washington’s showy, villainous turn as the corrupt narcotics cop who puts his rookie partner through humiliating and dangerous initiations. Notes the film is well-acted and competently directed but faults its excessive length and reliance on a contrived final coincidence. [Read the review](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2002/feb/01/culture.peterbradshaw) ## The Hollywood Reporter — Michael Rechtshaffen The critic finds Denzel Washington's turn as a corrupt cop electrifying and praises the film's taut direction and script for revitalizing familiar cop-drama territory. [Read the review](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/general-news/training-day-2001-movie-review-926939/) ## The New Yorker — David Denby 8 October 2001. The critic calls it the most vital police drama in years for its power and darker ambiguity, singling out Denzel Washington's charismatic, frightening, and complex performance as the rogue cop while noting some trashy and contrived elements. [Read the review](https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2001/10/15/on-the-beat) ## The New York Times — Elvis Mitchell 5 October 2001. The critic finds the film intermittently successful as a police drama but ultimately a glib potboiler, highlighting Denzel Washington's notable, larger-than-life performance as the Machiavellian corrupt cop while noting it relies too much on action-movie retribution. [Read the review](https://www.nytimes.com/2001/10/05/movies/film-review-this-is-not-a-mentoring-program-to-emulate.html) ## Time Out — TCh 10 September 2012. The critic sees a nifty B-movie underneath the glossy cop thriller, with Denzel Washington delivering a standout performance as the best bad cop in years. Director Fuqua keeps it slick and sleazy, though the script is more propulsive than credible. [Read the review](https://www.timeout.com/movies/training-day) ## Eye for Film — Angus Wolfe Murray Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). 30 January 2002. The critic finds the film an in-your-face, manipulative take on police corruption that feels episodic at first but builds with military precision in its plotting. Washington delivers a shocking, energetic performance against type as the corrupt Alonzo, while Hawke grows convincingly into his role as the rookie. [Read the review](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/training-day-film-review-by-angus-wolfe-murray) --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Our review: https://film.one/film/training-day.md