This post includes a character analysis of Alonzo Harris, the main antagonist in “Training Day” (2001). Beware of spoilers.
Antoine Fuqua’s “Training Day” is a crime thriller that introduces Alonzo Harris to the audience. Portrayed by Denzel Washington, Alonzo is a complex character who serves as a seasoned LAPD narcotics officer. He often resorts to questionable methods to enforce the law.
Training Day
In “Training Day”, Alonzo Harris takes under his wing for a day, a rookie officer, Jake Hoyt. Throughout the day, Alonzo forces Jake to do things against his will and exposes him to the underbelly of Los Angeles.
Over the years, Alonzo has used his charisma to manipulate people and often operated outside the law for his own benefit. Things escalate between Jake and Alonzo, culminating in a showdown between the two. Unfortunately for Alonzo, he meets a tragic fate as a result of his reckless actions.
Note: For those who are interested, here is another article containing a more in-depth discussion about the ending of “Training Day”.
Alonzo Harris from “Training Day”: A Character Study
“Training Day” presents Alonzo Harris as a corrupt narcotics detective. He is a man of the streets and is renowned for taking down dozens of drug dealers. Alonzo is married but has a mistress on the side, with whom he has a young son. Although Alonzo takes care of them financially, he is often not around.
In terms of personality, Alonzo Harris is suave and charismatic. However, underneath his charming persona, there is a man who can be incredibly selfish, shady and arrogant. There is nothing he won’t do to achieve his goals. That includes deceit and murder. During his final confrontation with Jake, Alonzo did not hesitate to use his son to protect himself.
Motivations
Alonzo Harris, the main antagonist of “Training Day”, is mainly motivated by his immense thirst for power and control. Breaking the law and manipulating others around him is exhilarating for Alonzo. Having said that, corrupting Jake Hoyt and coercing him into participating in illegal activities was Alonzo’s ultimate power trip over the rookie police officer.
Before meeting his end, Alonzo thought of himself as an invincible entity who could do anything to anyone. Despite his authority in the streets, there is always someone who is more powerful than him. In “Training Day”, Alonzo’s greatest enemies would be his ego and the Russian Mafia.
Desperate, the corrupt police officer killed and stole from his former friend and mentor (Roger) to repay the debt he owed the mobsters. But given that he was late on his payment, the Russians decided to kill Alonzo instead.
The moral ambiguity of Alonzo Harris
Alonzo Harris is a morally ambiguous character. On one hand, he caught some “bad guys” in the streets. But on the other hand, Alonzo also manipulates his own moral code and the law to his advantage.
While “mentoring” Jake, Alonzo often insisted that his actions were not corrupt. As a matter of fact, he would argue that the end justifies the means, implying that there is no clear line between right and wrong. It’s all a matter of perspective.
Despite his controversial takes on morality, Alonzo Harris is not the “disease” but rather a “symptom” of corruption in law enforcement. “Training Day” is a film that exposes the darker side of policing and the moral complexities that come with the job. Alonzo Harris personifies the “ugliness” of that world.
The Impact of Alonzo Harris on Pop Culture
Given that “Training Day” is super popular in its genre (cop movies), Alonzo Harris is also regarded as one of the greatest villains of all time. Why is this character so iconic? First of all, there are many layers to Alonzo Harris, which add depth to the character, making him memorable and realistic. Second, Denzel Washington’s performance was key to making Alonzo Harris iconic.
There are very few actors that can make a villain or antagonist iconic, and Denzel is one of them. The actor made Alonzo charismatic and portrayed his ambiguity beautifully. Like Jake, the audience won’t be able to see Alonzo’s true colours until the very end. It turns out that the “respected” narcotics officer is a selfish, arrogant and greedy individual.
One of Alonzo Harris’ most famous would be “King Kong ain’t got sh*t on me”.
Final Thoughts
Throughout “Training Day”, Alonzo Harris goes from a respected and charismatic police officer to a corrupt and manipulative individual. The man is deeply flawed and morally bankrupt, which makes him unfit for the role of mentor.
Harris’ desperation to pay the Russian mafia and save himself led him to do the most unthinkable and despicable acts. However, it was all to no avail, as his character fails to escape death and, by the way, a gruesome one.
Alonzo Harris’ character journey and brutal death serve as a cautionary tale about the dangers of corruption and abuse of power. This man thought he could manipulate and influence the “streets” forever, but when the time came, all his “neighbours” turned their backs on him.
