End of Watch

It’s evident that the people behind this film are knowledgeable in police work, as the whole thing appears unusually authentic, and they also have a sense of capturing the rawness of the contemporary world, or rather, crime in the USA. Aside from the blurred digital camera and the "live shooting," which in itself is authentically just around the corner, the harshness with which they depict seemingly ordinary days in a police department is unbelievable and unexpected. The desired catharsis arrives just right, without unnecessary sentimentality and pathos. It’s a concise and fast-paced film that knows exactly what it wants to say and how. It is not suitable for the faint-hearted, expect something that is not like a typical film, but rather an animalistic thing. (2013-09-08)

A film so engrossed in its own form that it’s not important whether or not it has any content. The hypermedialised style without strictly maintained continuity between shots is partly excused by the fragmented nature of the plot; however, it’s a shame that its modernism is not appropriately reflected in the impression that the film makes, which is conversely very conservative (glorification of police work, suppression of signs of latent homosexuality in favour of the traditional family model). The actions of the central duo, who have transformed their service to their country into something between a video game and a reality show, are not subjected to criticism, which would be weakened anyway by the “empathetic” acceptance of their viewpoint and the expansion of the look into their lives with the addition of the private realm. Both of them obviously suffer from problems with self-control and employ methods that are as vicious as those of the goons that they take their anger out on. I won’t deny that a few shots are pretty damn cool (Gyllenhaal doing push-ups under neon lights) and Anna Kendrick smiles delightfully (the screenwriter didn’t give her anything else to do), but as it stands, End of Watch lacks depth, concept and any aesthetic quality. 70% (2012-11-05)

David Ayer, an expert in the genre of gritty police dramas, upgrades his style with first-person shots and delivers a sequence of snapshots from the life of two L.A. cops. From conversations in the patrol car and firefighting heroics, through the joys of life (a wedding, the birth of a child), to finding parts of massacred bodies in stuffy houses and stepping on the tail of a Mexican snake, which cannot remain without consequences. The film is based not on the plot but on these snapshots; in places it is fun and interesting, but it is capable of engaging the audience dramatically only in the climax (to the point of tears, I have to admit). It is a decent film for fans of police drama, though it may be a bit boring for others. Jake Gyllenhaal and Michael Peña are good as well. I gave Training Day four stars, so here I have to keep my rating at three. (2012-11-05)

A sincere movie about police work. Ayer doesn’t make movies otherwise than excellently. A series of various raids, crowned by the final massacre, boyish squabbling and family. Don’t expect anything more from this story. On the other hand Jake Gyllenhaal and Michael Peña make a perfect team. Form here has undergone extensive change. POV shots bring everything closer to reality (even though as such they aren’t very realistic) and wonderfully spice up these fajitas. The cool soundtrack helps too. Full marks from me. I am a consequence. I am the unpaid bill. (2012-11-13)

Without a solid plot skeleton, but with skillful direction and tight dramaturgical grip, David Ayer serves up a few snippets from the lives of ordinary cops who don't take drugs or bribes, but enforce the law to the best of their knowledge and conscience. It’s a good change that Ayer could have managed without the POV, but thanks to well-written and even better-acted characters (Gyllenhaal and Peña are one of the most coordinated cop duos ever), it works in every moment; including the fact that the last scene is absolutely the most emotional. 4 ½. (2013-01-16)