Warning, negro: There are a few motherfucking spoilers in this review!
End of Watch is a very manly movie, complete with a strong bromance, guns, gun fights, an absurd amount of shaky-cam, heavy use of the word 'motherfucker' (among some others), gangsters and of course, sexy ladies. But it takes us chaps down a route that's not so macho after all, one that encourages us to shed a tear or two and maybe even hold on to our heterosexual friends' hand, petrified that something horrific might happen to our two favourite penis-wielding policemen, Brian Taylor (Jake Gyllenhaal) and Mike Zavala (Michael Pena).
The first half hour or so is a drag. Every other word spoken is either 'fuck', 'motherfucker' or 'nigger' - there is, however, a surprising lack of 'cunt'. Perhaps that'd be one expletive too far, even for End of Watch. This may be a realistic depiction of how blinged up, gun carrying, dangerously angry gangster types might partake in a good old chin wag, but it sure does make it difficult to focus on what's actually going on. And in truth, not much of anything important takes place until we hit our stride at about the half way point. Everyone's banging on at the start about cameras and the fact they've got them attached to their uniforms, they're also holding cameras too and everything gets a touch 'Paranormal Activity' for a while. It's basically an excuse to wobble the camera as violently as possible because there clearly wasn't a tripod handy. It must be cheaper to film in this style (it certainly looks cheaper anyway) as the camera-related dramas such as, "Dude you can't film us doing this/that/the other - we'll get into trouble!" never amount to anything. It's simply there to warn us we're in for two hours of two cops doing The Blair Witch Project. However, as things get a little more emotional, shaky-cam seems to be done away with for the most part but what's left of it is just about ignorable because what's going on is such intensely good drama!
 |
| Michael Pena is Ricky Norwood from the future. |
Lots of foreshadowing makes it obvious something nasty will eventually happen to our two leads - they keep stumbling across scenarios that are more and more dangerous during working hours, but then in their spare time they're falling in love, having babies and beginning to realise just how likely it is that they may die at a time in their lives when they could do without the inconvenience. Any guesses where this is going?
The characters are pretty solid and the majority of them feel like real people. Some of the best moments are scenes from inside the police car where we get to witness some of Brian and Mike's hilarious banter, most of which is about women, and you've got to wonder how much of this was stuff was scripted. It looks as though there were bullet points, things to definitely discuss, but it would come as no surprise that these two actors were allowed to do whatever the hell they wanted, and this is much the same when they go out with their WAGs. Lots of giggling and joking around about all sorts and it's all very convincing because this is just how people are which means no cheesey Hollywood action movie lines or anything like it. It works. And, if shaky-cam really must play a role in the set up, then so be it.
By the end you'll have been on a whirlwind adventure that's taken you to places you're too scared to admit exist and it gets quite sad and you will cry a very tiny manly tear. But, don't leave the cinema thinking that's that because it'll definitely stick with you. End of Watch sets out to deliver a clear message - something about cops doing dangerous work even though they're human beings with feelings, emotions and babies and stuff - and it successfully drills the message home. Gangsters are heartless bastards and cops are good guys. Simple stuff here, but it feels fresh. It's not perfect, but it'll make you never want to be a heartless gangster bastard for as long as you live. Or a cop, for that matter.
★★★☆☆
Roo