Training Day

"Training Day" is definitely different than any of the cop movies we have watched so far. One thing that is similar to "Lethal Weapon" and "Se7en" is that the older, more experienced cop is the black character in the film. The movie starts off with Denzel Washington taking Ethan Hawke on "training day" to see if he is fit for his narcotic squad. As the day progresses, the roles of hero and sidekick definitely switch. At first, when the pair is patrolling during the day, Denzel is the hero and Ethan is the sidekick. However, when Ethan realizes that Denzel is involved in business that he should not be a part of, the roles switch. Ethan becomes the hero and does what he needs to do to eliminate who he thought what his mentor.This is the first movie where the "buddy cop" pair set against each other.
Unlike other movies discussed by Guerrero and King, both characters in the film have families. Similarities between Ethan with other rookies, like Riggs and Mills, include his age and spontaneity. He has Riggs' intelligence and Mills' physical ability.
Race and racism play a large role in this film. Ethan ( for some reason I never caught names) is constantly seen as the outcast because he is white. The movie is mainly set in the ghetto, where Denzel is familiar with the people and the kinds of things that happen there on a daily basis. This movie seems more complicated than other cop films we have discussed. I liked it though, and it still has me thinking.