Two young officers are marked for death after confiscating a small cache of money and firearms from the members of a notorious cartel during a routine traffic stop.
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Nate H. reviewed End of Watch (2012)
Good Cop Thriller That Has Some Shaky Moments
The most important part of a buddy cop movie is the chemistry between the two leads. In End of Watch, it is said chemistry between Jake Gyllenhaal and Michael Pena that is the backbone to this story. The film, chronicling the two as young LAPD patrol officers Brian Taylor and Miguel Zavala , is a buddy cop movie for the modern era. You still have the entertaining banter between the two leads that has been a staple of the genre since its popularity surged in the 80's with movies like Lethal Weapon and Tango and Cash. But director David Ayer gives an interesting spin in shooting technique as the majority of End of Watch is shot documentary style, a trend extremely prevalent amongst recent horror films.
The premise of this style of shooting is that Gyllenhaal's character is taking a film class and he is using his footage for a class project. But its not just the cops who are documenting the film's events; practically everyone is recording. Both the gangs Taylor and Zavala cross paths with are filming as well, which lessens End of Watch's culpability even more than it would if it was just Taylor with the camera. But, it's a relatively small concession to make in order to appreciate the rest of the movie.
Ayer doesn't pull punches here. While the back and forth between the two cops is hilarious at times, the events that make up their days on the job are not. The situations they face are intense, adrenaline packed affairs, but Ayer does a good job at not making them feel like some dumb popcorn action movie. The suspense is high and an unusual sense of eeriness for a movie in this category is prevalent at times. Its a good thing. From a missing child report that ends in gut wrenching results, to the search of a suspected drug trafficker's house that unearths something much more sinister than drugs; Ayer captures the grim realities in all their terror.
But something also prevalent throughout End of Watch is an underlying sense that you are being recruited to be a police officer. There is a rah rah sentiment that underscores Taylor and Zavala's heroics all the way leading up to the poorly executed, predictable ending. I couldn't help but feel that I was being dictated to as exactly why I needed to like these two guys. They are heroes, husbands, fathers, great cops. The two display no scratches in the armor, which ultimately makes them less memorable, no matter how funny or charismatic.
A private user reviewed End of Watch (2012)
Review from the comment
Jake Gyllenhall and Michael Pena are a couple of cops that patrol South Central, Los Angeles. After a traffic stop in which they seize a sizable amount of cash and guns, they follow up with a search of a house. This find unearths something far more then they anticipated and ends up getting them in the crosshairs of a major drug cartel. End of Watch has a lot going for it, with great acting across the board, sharp writing and most importantly, the ability to make you invest in many of the characters in the film. This is not your typical buddy cop movie, but one that showcases a bond between two guys working together that very much care for each other. Go check it out.
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