Cop movies have always been one of my favorite genre (if you can call them that) of film. I don't know why....I have always just enjoyed watching them. Even so-End Of Watch blew me away. It is a film so great that even as I am sitting here at my computer...I can not come up with the words to accurately describe how much I loved it. Killer Joe is still my favorite film of the year but End Of Watch comes in at a VERY close second.
The film stars Michael Pena and Jake Gyllenhaal as Mike Zavala and Brian Taylor...two cops who, as the film opens, recently got off suspension for a shooting. When they find something truly disturbing in a gang member's home....the gang decides to track them down and get their revenge. For the first 45 minutes or so of the film...all we do is follow these two. We do not get a consistent plot or explanation as to why exactly we are following them. However...anyone can relate to these two. They can relate even if they do not know cops, are not cops or have never had a job in their lives. If you have seen a cop....you can relate. Instantly...Mike and Brian are two characters we-the audience love.
One of the best things about the film is the performances. This is the best both Pena and Gyllenhaal have ever been. There are also surprisingly excellent performances from America Ferrera and Cody Horn as fellow cops and Anna Kendrick and Natalie Martinez as Brian and Mike's lovers. Also...the action is fantastic in every way possible. All the action scenes in the film are well shot and totally enthralling. Director David Ayer has obviously improved from his previous cop film-Street Kings as far as story and shooting action scenes go. Ayer also wrote the phenomenal screenplay to the film so props to him. On top of all this...the film is surprisingly funny. Pena and Gyllenhaal are hilarious when speaking to one another. In fact the best scenes in the film are the scenes in which Pena and Gyllenhaal are sitting in the car talking to each other. Their chemistry is very visible through these scenes and the audience can tell they had a blast making this film.
End Of Watch is great...what can I say? It is a very fun time at the movies that is also extremely intense and left me wanting more. I must warn people the ending will hit many audience members very hard and there are some extremely brutal scenes that are near impossible to watch but even so-I defy anyone to say that this is not one of the best cop films ever made. It is a film that is impossible for anyone to take their eyes off of.
(5 out of 5 Stars, The film is rated R for strong violence, some disturbing images, pervasive language including sexual references and some drug use)
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