> REVIEW
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End Of Watch (2012)
The old blue line…
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By Matt Arnoldi | November 2012
DIRECTOR: David Ayer
WRITER: David Ayer
David Ayer’s latest exploration of the thin blue line sees the writer/director twist his trained lens onto LAPD buddy cops Brian Taylor (Jake Gyllenhaal) and Mike Zavala (Michael Peña) as they go about their daily patrols on South Central’s gritty urban streets.
Hardened and streetwise, the lively, likeable duo are quick to seize control of any given situation and while their dynamic is a familiar one, the engaging partnership is well balanced with biting banter, jovial bickering and sarcastic ridiculing.
Taylor also happens to be something of an aspiring auteur and it is here that Ayer attempts to inject his well-trodden set-up with an intriguing visual twist as the duo ‘camera-up’ to provide a glimpse into what it takes to be a cop in LA’s most dangerous district.
The found footage device is an interesting, if at times distracting, addition that helps power the routine narrative when Taylor and Zavala start to uncover a guns and drugs operation that lands them on the cartel’s hit list.
The ensuing action sequences provide a rapid shot of adrenaline from frenetic car chases to ear-popping shoot-outs, and though the found footage element throws up a few glaring inconsistencies it succeeds in increasing the sense of urgency and tension.
Perhaps less commanding is Ayer’s handling of his fringe characters, most notably the bad guys, who feel undeveloped and carved out of cliché. The women in the film don’t fare much better, with uninspiring, one dimensional roles for the talented Anna Kendrick and Natalie Martinez.
The finale disappointingly veers to easily back into convention with a turn-your-brain-off twist that shatters any sense of realism, but the charismatic, committed turns from Gyllenhaal and Peña keep this uniquely grounded, street level thriller strangely personal.
Script…………………………………………………………………………………………….
Ayer’s narrative struggles to break new ground, but his central pairing is
poignantly crafted with punchy dialogue and credible camaraderie which helps
deflect from the more obvious plot holes. 3
Direction………………………………………………………………………………………..
Ayer and DOP Roman Vasyanov’s energetic found footage visuals delight and
frustrate in equal measure, but offers enough enthralling and inventive moments
to separate it from the pack. 3
Verdict…………………………………………………………………………………………..
Ayer revisits old ground with a fresh POV, and while it’s a ride worth taking, it
fails to offer anything that hasn’t been seen before. 3
