[4K Review] ‘TRAINING DAY’ perfects its UHD presentation even if its special features come up short

Connor Bynum // Film Critic

TRAINING DAY

Believe it or not, it’s been an astounding twenty-two years since director Anton Fuqua’s cult classic thriller TRAINING DAY was released in theaters. What’s even harder to believe is that fans of the film haven’t been treated to a new home video release of the film since 2006. But worry not because the film has been given an excellent upgrade treatment for its 4K UHD Blu-ray release.

Movie Grade: A

TRAINING DAY is a gripping police thriller centering on Jake Hoit (Ethan Hawke), a rookie cop assigned as the new partner for Alonzo (Denzel Washington), a hardened veteran on the force who isn’t afraid to get his hands dirty. Alonzo feels the only way to know if his partnership with Jake will work out is if he takes him on the titular training day out on the streets of Los Angeles. Along the way, Jake’s morality and ethics as a law enforcement officer are tested to their absolute limits as he struggles with whether the ends justify the ugliest of means.

Simply put, its two lead performances elevate the film in every possible way. Washington’s Oscar-winning turn as Alonzo is filled with enough subtext to fit a mini-series as he commands the viewer’s attention from start to finish. His smooth-talking yet cold-hearted persona constantly forces the audience to question whether or not Alonzo is the hero or the villain of this story. Likewise, Hawke’s Oscar-nominated performance as rookie Jake Hoit is wonderfully gripping. His eagerness to impress his partner and gain approval is gracefully counterbalanced by the dreadful feeling that he’s made a terrible mistake at every turn. By the end of his shift, you’d think he’d been on the force for twenty years. Of course, it’s no easy task to convincingly portray such a radical shift when a film’s story occurs entirely within a single day, but Hawke handles it with brilliant skill.

TRAINING DAY is a modern police thriller classic that holds up just as well as when it was released in theaters twenty-two years ago.

Video/Audio Grade: A-

TRAINING DAY is presented in a native 4K resolution, and all things considered, it’s a nearly flawless 4K disc. Having been captured on 35mm film, there’s a healthy amount of grain on display, but never to the point of distraction. Details are crisp and clear as ever. The grimy aesthetic littered throughout the inner city communities in L.A. is wonderfully suited for the format. Skin tones and costume details are rich and vivid, and the cars have a crystal-clear reflective sheen. 

In addition to the increased resolution, this disc also comes with HDR10. Compared to its warmer 2006 Blu-ray predecessor, there are heavier amounts of blue and green tones present this time. I personally feel that this helps the film feel a bit more grounded and less stylized than the previous release, but it’s still worth noting for those who’ve worn out their Blu-ray copy of the film. The more naturalistic color tones are accentuated beautifully with the increased color spectrum. The one negative I found that came with the HDR on this disc was that the darker scenes near the end of the film, as Jake navigates the dimly lit L.A. streets were a little too dark. However, I didn’t necessarily find any crushing in these scenes, but it’s practically the only complaint I have for the disc’s visual presentation.

The disc also comes with a brand new Dolby Atmos audio mix and a new Dolby TrueHD 7.1 track, a massive improvement over the previous DTSHD 5.1 mix from the 2006 Blu-ray release. Action scenes are given that extra impact one would expect from an Atmos and 7.1 mix, but also atmospheric effects like the sound of a helicopter flying through the left and right rear channels while the characters on screen are just sitting and having a conversation. The helicopter doesn’t necessarily have anything to do with the scene, but it adds to the level of immersion that makes L.A. feel so alive.

Extras Grade: D

Aside from a director’s commentary track with Anton Fuqua, no special features are included on the 4K disc. More disappointing is that no new extras are included on the standard 1080p Blu-ray other than what was released in 2006. And even then, what’s included is hardly enough to sink your teeth into.

As a side note, the packaging came with a traditional blue Blu-ray case inside the slipcover rather than the standard black case used for 4K releases. It’s not like it matters that much, but I preferred the more premium feel of the black cases on my shelf to distinguish the 4K discs from the rest.

Final Grade: B

Lackluster special features notwithstanding, TRAINING DAY is a nearly perfect 4K viewing experience. Fans of solid acting performances and pulse-pounding police thrillers would be well advised to add this to their collection.