End of Watch Movie Review

'End of Watch' Movie Review, Written by: Karen Benardello Shooting a film in the found-footage style has often worked in the horror genre in recent years, as it allows viewers to witness the scares as the victim would over the course of the plot. But the idea of using the style in a crime drama, like with the new movie ‘End of Watch,’ seemed questionable, as the success of the genre has previously relied on the unpredictable behavior of its characters who are involved in a mystery. But the film, which was shot through the prospective of two police partners, intriguingly helped build the suspense of the dangers they were unpredictably met with while on the job. ‘End of Watch’ follows two Los Angeles police officers, partners Brian Taylor (played by Jake Gyllenhaal) and Mike Zavala (portrayed by Michael Pena), as they’re sent to patrol a new dangerous zone in South Central after being cleared for a lawful shooting. Brian, who is going back to school for pre-law, is videotaping their arrests and other daily duties for a filmmaking class he’s taking as an elective. Through hand-held equipment and dash cameras in their cruiser, the two officers capture the illegal happenings on the city’s toughest corners. Brian and Mike’s lives as they know them are severely altered after they confiscate money and firearms from the members of a notorious cartel during a routine traffic stop. The officers know they’ve unintentionally encountered a dangerous case, but don’t realize how much danger their lives are truly in when the cartel plots its revenge. The two are too busy enjoy their friendship and personal lives, including Brian’s new serious relationship with Janet (played by Anna Kendrick) and Mike’s new child with his wife, Gabby (portrayed by Natalie Martinez), to realize the harm the gang sets out to put them in. Gyllenhaal and Pena were both well cast in their respective roles as the two seemingly tough police officers, whose close professional bond with each other and raw emotions made them respectable. The two actors naturally portrayed their characters in ‘End of Watch’ as not letting the tribulations of their job hinder their relationship, even as they debated how to pursue the all-important cartel case they accidentally uncovered. But even though the two take their jobs seriously, and are determined to help the innocent people they’ve sworn to protect, Brian and Mike are also relatable because of the funny personal friendship they have with each other. To continue reading this review, please visit Shockya.