0
0
The role that showed Denzel Washington’s cruel side. You know the role! The one and only Alonzo Harris from Training Day. There have been crooked cops shown of film many times over but Alonzo was one that wasn’t just crooked but a straight up intense gangster who thought he ruled the mean streets of Los Angeles. A narcotics detective who went so far down the rabbit hole that he forgot what it meant to protect and serve the community.
Alonzo is a highly decorated L.A.P.D. Detective Sergeant who specializes in the narcotics division. This dude is intense, always thinking and knows the harshness of the streets where many drug deals take place. He has very questionable tactics when dealing with crime. He will get fake search warrants, assault anyone that gets in his way and believes street justice is better than legal justice.
Alonzo uses intimidation and manipulation as his go to. Both are a strong combo in the mind of a seasoned detective. Alonzo manipulates Jake by smoking illegal drugs by holding a gun to his head in the middle of the street which turns out to be a way to control and blackmail the young cop. He intimidates a drug addict after he tried to rape a girl. He manipulates his way into making big time criminals believe he is on their side and never will give them up.
What makes Alonzo such a great villain is that homeboy gives ZERO fucks about anyone else but himself. He is incredibly selfish and arrogant. He thinks he is the king of Los Angeles and is quick to turn on his allies. He has a wife and a couple of kids but also have a mistress on the side and another son. Yet, when the bullets fly, doesn’t mind sacrificing them to get what he wants. He has convinced himself that everything he does is for the best. With many top cops behind him, he feels like he has a license to do whatever he wants.
Let me say that this is one of my favorite Denzel Washington roles. Denzel was so good that he won the Academy Award for this role. You know why?? Because King Kong Ain’t Got Shit On Him.
