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Sep 21, 2012 By Chris Tinkham Issue #42 - The Protest Issue

There is no such thing as a routine call for L.A. police officers Taylor (Jake Gyllenhaal) and Zavala (Michael Peña); each one lands them in a dangerous situation, until finally they cross the line with members of a ruthless drug cartel. One of the conceits of End of Watch, written and directed by David Ayer (Training Day screenplay), is that the drama is viewed through video lenses and surveillance cameras; for example, Taylor insists on carrying a handheld HD camera with him on the job to capture the sights and sounds of his activity on the streets of South Central. It’s a highly flawed tactic, subjecting filmgoers to erratic camera work that often captures pointless footage. Compounding the amateur feel of the film is dialogue armed with a relentless barrage of f-bombs and other curse words. Ayer’s forte, building and sustaining tension, and Gyllenhaal’s steadying performance, are the films near-redeeming assets. (www.openroadfilms.com)

Author rating: 4/10