End of Watch

Written and directed by David Ayer, End of Watch is a cop movie for cops

Jake Gyllanhaal and Michael Peña star as partners Brian Taylor and Mike Zavala, two LAPD officers

We follow the pair on their patrols and in their shared family moments as they being to face more and more of the city’s Black/Mexican gang rivalry

David Harbour co-stars as the pair’s rival in the department and Anna Hendrick is Taylor’s new girlfriend

America Ferrera also co-stars interestingly as a hard-nosed female officer

The film sets up with Taylor creating his first video log, and the jerky handheld camera work is present from there onwards

This directing technique has been used before, but Ayer also makes use of clip-on body cameras and the now standard dash mounted cameras for in-car action

These all provide an extremely immersive visual, and the jaunty angles also help to hide things, often providing moments of tension more akin to the horror genre

We never linger too long on a single jolting shot; first person shooter gun-work is complimented by wider, steadier reaction shots

It never feels old and never out of place with the pacing

The character development of Taylor and Mike is excellent, and by the end you will love these two and really feel for them in their times of hope and struggle

Traditional best friends, the two often dick about in the car, telling stories that will make you laugh out loud and generally mess with each other

Their relationship is summed up very nicely and simply at the end

The action is really well done and isn’t just running and gunning

There are a few points of mindless violence, but you feel them as such

It never seems unnecessary, and only one minor point where it seems unrealistic

End of Watch is a great cop movie with depth and heart.

8.5/10.