Training Day (Snapcase Packaging)

Young L.A. cop Ethan Hawke, transferred to undercover narcotics duty, is teamed with veteran detective Denzel Washington. But as his first day on the new beat progresses, and Hawke sees the maverick Washington's behavior increasingly cross the line, he must choose between loyalty and duty. Director Antoine Fuqua's intense urban drama, which earned Washington a Best Actor Academy Award, also stars Scott Glenn, Tom Berenger, Snoop Dogg. 128 min. Widescreen (Enhanced); Soundtracks: English Dolby Digital 5.1, French Dolby Digital 5.1; Subtitles: English, French, Spanish; documentary; audio commentary; deleted scenes; alternate ending; music videos; theatrical trailer.

A powerhouse performance by Denzel Washington fuels this 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, Denzel unleashes his dark side with fearlessness and fury, and the result is excellence without compromise. Director Antoine Fuqua (iThe Replacement Killers/i) won't score any points for subtlety, but gritty details (including actual L.A. gang members as extras) and Hawke's finely tuned performance are perfectly matched to Washington's frightening volatility. i--Jeff Shannon/i