Review: End of Watch

Review: End of Watch

Let's be honest, the whole "found footage" storytelling is becoming a tired affair. Generic horror flicks like

Paranormal Activity have made cheesy what used to be a very exciting method of film-making, and audiences as a whole are becoming sick of the narrative device invading almost every genre of movie.

Enter End of Watch.

By not making the camcorder the focus of the film, director David Ayer, whose previous work includes the very unsympathetic Training Day, ensures that the superb performances from Jake Gyllenhaal and Michael Pena take centre stage in what can only be described as both a love letter to the police force and the best cop/crime movie of recent years. 

End of Watch - which takes its name from the phrase coined by the LAPD as they sign off their shifts - follows the story of Brian (Gyllenhaal) and Mike (Pena), two cops situated in South Central Los Angeles, a place where gangs, drug lords and prostitution rule the streets. Hot on the tails of one gang in particular, the two cops find themselves in deep water when they are targeted by the cartel and we watch as the partners cope with their increasingly dangerous patrols.

Sure, the combo of Gyllenhaal's wise-cracking, cocky, over-confident Brian paired up with Pena's hesitant, sensitive and by-the-book Mike seems like something lifted straight from the book of movie stereotypes, but the chemistry between the two leads could not be more natural. Gyllenhaal offers a career-defining performance, proving that the increasingly diverse actor has clearly gone from strength to strength since his Donnie Darko days (we do not discuss Prince of Persia under any circumstances). His commitment to the role (participating in ride alongs with real police officers for 12 hours a day) is incredibly evident, and his no-nonsense attitude to the criminals infecting his streets hits the screen hard. Pena, however, refuses to be overshadowed and the actor throws himself into the role of Mike with such macho gusto it's hard to believe he didn't used to be in the force himself. Some very able support also comes from Ugly Betty's America Ferrera and rising star Anna Kendrick, who proves herself very capable of breaking out from the potentially career-destroying chains of The Twilight Saga.

Don't worry, though - this isn't a simple buddy movie. This is a full on account of war on the streets. From the intense opening skirmish with a local drug dealer all the way to the film's heart pounding climax which sees our heroes cornered by the cartel, End of Watch is a relentless, pulsing thrill ride. There are short breaks to address the changes in the partners' lives, such as Brian's marriage and Mike's newborn child, but David Ayer knows as much as we do that filthy streets like these don't rest for anyone.

Yet this makes it all the more frustrating when it comes to the camcorder aspect. For a short while at the start of the movie, End of Watch takes the form of Brian's personal log in which he records his day to day life in the force as an experiment for himself. Later, however, this is completely ditched and there is no explanation as to what happened to the tape, why Brian is no longer filming and who is holding the camera now. The inconsistency with the narrative's format is the film's let down; as is the severe case of over-acting by the antagonists. Sure, this is supposed to be a true to life account of law enforcement, but the cartel are a bore to watch as we occasionally witness events from their perspective. The performances are incredibly forced and often severely over the top, a factor which doesn't help a film so grounded in reality.

That doesn't stop End of Watch from being a joy to experience, however, and fine acting from the lead roles help to anchor us down in to what could have been a very alienating movie.

Summary

Once you get past the inconsistent narrative technique, End of Watch is nothing short of a triumph both for the cop movie genre and for the lead actors. Jake Gyllenhaal is Oscar-worthy as Brian, and the relatively unknown Michael Pena has just ensured mainstream success as Mike; both actors gives performances that are true to life and fully committed, while director David Ayer ensures that there is more than enough action and suspense to keep the movie ticking over nicely. Yet what's surprising about End of Watch is that a director whose previous films represented a tarnished view of the police force could be equally as sentimental and appreciative towards the same demographic.

Thrilling, absorbing and downright ballsy, End of Watch is simply the best cop movie of the last ten years and one of the best action movies of 2012.

8/10 - Great

See it if you liked: Public Enemies (2009), Crash (2004), Lethal Weapon (1987)

Review: Argo

Review: Argo

Ben Affleck leaves his comfort zone of 'The Town' to direct an astonishing true story set during the height of American-Iranian tension in the early 80's. 

Part comedy, part tense drama, Argo tells the tale of six American US Embassy employees in hiding in Iran after the building is overrun by hostile Iranian revolutionaries. Taking refuge in the Canadian ambassador's house, their only hope for escape from a country declaring "death to Americans" is CIA exfiltrator Tony Mendez (Affleck). His plan? To fly into Iran with fake IDs and convince the country that the six Americans are actually part of a Canadian film crew scouting locations for Argo, a Star Wars inspired space movie. Then comes the hard part: getting them out.

The scheme is initially ridiculed, however it soon becomes clear that this is the only viable option which could avoid international catastrophe. Before long, Mendez and his team are duping Hollywood, even hiring directors, actors and screenwriters in order to convince both America and Iran that Argo is a real movie currently going through pre-production.

For all the hype that this is a "tense, gripping, edge of your seat drama," Argo disappoints on most fronts. However, as an almost satirical look at the movie industry and an accurate documentation of a declassified CIA operation, Ben Affleck's latest is a stellar hit. His true success is combining multiple story strands into one easily conceivable movie. In Washington, Affleck executes his camerawork with modern flair, yet the scenes in Iran have a grainy, atmospheric feel reflecting the horrific sense of oppression in the country. The actor/director also shows a knack for creating palm-sweating tension, however the vast majority of it is a little weak as we are consistently in no doubt that the Americans will make it out alive.

In Hollywood, however, the movie becomes a slick sattire of the film industry. John Goodman's special effects genius and Alan Arkin's tough as nails producer bounce brilliantly off each other, as Goodman proclaims of his make believe production "The target audience are gonna hate it. And by target audience I mean anyone with eyes." Bryan Cranston is also a welcome addition to the cast as Jack O'Donnell, Mendez's CIA colleague directing the mission.

Argo does have its faults though. Scenes involving Affleck's sci-fi loving son seem to be wedged in simply to add some unnecessary emotional weight behind his character; weight which drops very quickly as the boy is never in any danger and is barely seen again. Add to that a severe lack of character development regarding the six Embassy employees and, with the exception of Affleck and his CIA cohorts, Argo is left with very unrelateable, unlikable protagonists. 

Summary

Argo is yet another triumph for Ben Affleck, the performer who faced critical hostility after some very subpar acting roles. However, combining laughs and thrills with plenty of exciting verve, Affleck continues his very smart directing career with a gripping, often satirical drama. It's not flawless, as shown by some overly scripted unnecessary characters who steal time from the characters we are really supposed to care about. That said, Argo is a very exciting development for Affleck and certainly one of the best dramas 2012 has to offer.

8/10 - Great

See it if you liked: The Town (2010), The Taking of Pelham 123 (2009), Inside Man (2006)

Review: Breaking Dawn Part 2

Review: Breaking Dawn Part 2

The ultimate saga for the ultimate teenage girl has finally come to a close. After "epic" (their words, not mine) battles of love, loss and unexpected pregnancies, the story of fiction's most uninspiring protagonist Bella Swan reaches its conclusion.

For all its shirtless pointlessness, one has to admit that the Twilight Saga has had a significant cultural impact. Not quite as accessible as the Harry Potter series yet a little more easy for the audience to swallow than The Hunger Games, every movie has seen a growth in popularity and reception, resonating a huge hit in the movie industry. So does the final instalment in a franchise based on 'undying love as long as my partner is good looking' give the series an explosive send off or a wolf's whimper?

The result is a mixed bag. While there is a lot to be admired, such as the three young leads finally coming into their own as the series' heroes, it has to be said that Breaking Dawn Part 2 has far too much filler and not enough killer. Interestingly, in a very ballsy move, the film strays rather far from the book, throwing in an absolutely brilliant climax to rival that of even the Harry Potter series. Frustratingly, so very very depressingly, the movie then decides that it doesn't quite have the bravery to deviate from the text too much and leaves us with a feeling that the concluding chapter in the Twilight story could have been so much more had it fulfilled its promise of an 'epic finale'.

So, what's it all about?



After an artistically impressive black and white opening sequence, we are thrown back into the dire situation of Bella Swan. Just incase you forgot, or fell asleep, Part 1 left Bella's life hanging in the balance due to her half-vampire child clawing its way out of her body. Having now been converted to a vampire in order to preserve her life, Bella wastes no time and immediately sets out honing her new skills which include taking down tigers and protecting her loved ones with a force field. Meanwhile, however, the Volturi (a fancy name for the evil vampire police) discover the existence of Renesmee, Bella and Edward's half-human half-vampire daughter, and set out to ensure the apparent threat to the vampire way of life is stamped out.

Cue a frantic tour of the world, and the expenditure of the entire budget on colourful contact lenses, as the Cullens attempt to round up a gang of 'good' vampires to aid them in defence of Renesmee and her parents, culminating in an absolutely fantastic climactic fight upon a snowy battlefield.

There are too many laugh-out-loud, can't-take-them-seriously moments to count, such as Edward's apparently sweet declaration that he and Bella 'are the same temperature now' following her conversion.   How romantic. Yet another eye-roll inducing scene rears its ugly head as Jacob inexplicably strips to his boxers in front of Bella's father in order to show off his animalistic alter ego - a clear sign that, as much as The Twilight Saga might think it has come of age in this dramatic cinematic time, it's still an immature little kid showing off its shiny features for attention.

Also thrown into that mix are yet more awkward sex scenes between Edward and Bella, but the scenes are performed with such generic "passion" that it's tough to feel anything more than a cringe. The vast majority of the film's 2 hour running time is also taken up with dull conversations between vampires who haven't seen each other in a while. Whereas beforehand Bella was our eyes and ears into this new world of vampires and werewolves we have no human to relate to this time,  leaving us feeling like outsiders in a party we weren't invited to.



Yet, here's the kicker. Breaking Dawn Part Two is actually really enjoyable when it comes to its action. While there is no standout moment until the climactic battle, the final 20 minutes save the film. Fans of the movies so far will no doubt enjoy each and every moment, but for those of us dragged along by our other halves, our salvation lies in the fantastic sequence in which the Volturi declare war on the Cullens. The earth is shattered, heads will roll and major deviations from the book mean that no character is safe. While the book's conclusion saw nothing but a mild conversation between the Cullens and the Volturi, director Bill Condon ensures that we get much more candy for the eyes this time around.

Just...beware of the twist. It's horrendous.

As for the acting, the three leads finally manage to impress. Kristen Stewart seems to have been saving her 'I can really act!' performance for this final helping, as Bella's character arc reaches its conclusion. Stewart brushes aside her male cohorts to claim the crown of the franchise, proving that, despite Bella's tendency to be a weak protagonist, she can be a strong lead. As for Taylor Lautner, his appearance on screen is not quite as irritating as the previous instalments, yet perhaps this is due to Jacob's happy ending. His character does not spend most of his screen time moaning that Bella is not his, instead actually providing some bad-ass assistance as his wolfish self.

Robert Pattinson has already proved his worth in other works such as Water For Elephants and the excellent Cosmopolis. While his acting is and has been decent in the Twilight Saga, it's clear that R-Patz is destined for much bigger and better things.

Michael Sheen and Dakota Fanning also provide impressive support as the cannibalistic leaders of the Volturi. Sheen is clearly enjoying himself in the slightly farcical role; comparisons with Ralph Fiennes as Lord Voldemort are very well deserved as he unpredictably swoons around the Cullens, taunting them and providing a real sense of unstable menace. Fanning, meanwhile, is a genuinely maddening presence, her character filling us with hatred and loathing - always the sign of an actor's job well done as an antagonist.

Yet still, all of the best acting and CGI battles in the world can't detract from what feels like a false, stunted ending to a franchise which had at least been consistent in its storytelling thus far.

Summary

It's sad to say that Breaking Dawn Part Two had the opportunity to be so much more. It's tough to elaborate on this any further without giving away spoilers, but it's enough to say that some movie goers will be infuriated by the movie's make-or-break twist ending. At its purest, however, this is Twilight for the fans. Those filled with nothing but contempt for the rather shallow franchise are unlikely to be converted this time around, however fans of The Twilight Saga from day one will certainly leave feeling satisfied. From a cinematic point of view, the film impresses with its visuals, the major protagonists' surprisingly authentic acting talent and a genuinely thrilling climax. It's a decent, not brilliant, send off for a series full of decent moments at best.

So it's with a not-so-heavy heart that blokes bid goodbye to The Twilight Saga and girls tearfully wave goodbye to Taylor Lautner's chest - yet, with rumours of a spin-off movie and TV shows abound, it has to be pondered whether this potentially immortal franchise is really dead after all.

5/10 - Mediocre

See it if you liked: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (2011), Red Riding Hood (2011), Snow White and the Hunstman (2012)