David Ayer likes to make cop movies, and we suppose if that's what keeps the bread buttered and a roof over your head, why mess with a good thing? But while "End of Watch" employs a voyeuristic/found-footage aesthetic not commonly found in the genre, the story itself feels like one we've seen and heard many times before. But with a TIFF premiere on the cards, perhaps there's a little bit more weight to it than simply being another study of the boys in blue.
So just how familiar does this story seem? Let the official synopsis fill you in: Academy Award nominee Jake Gyllenhaal and Michael Peña star as young Los Angeles police officers Taylor and Zavala as they patrol south central’s meanest streets, creating a riveting portrait of the city's most dangerous corners and the cops who risk their lives there every day.
Like we said, not the most enticing logline we've ever read. However, perhaps Open Road is feeling optimistic? They've just moved the release date up a week from September 28th to September 21st. On the one hand, it gets them out of the way of Rian Johnson's "Looper," which is opening TIFF and gearing up to potentially be a box office hit. On the other hand, it's now facing off against "Dredd," which earned far more accolades and attention at Comic-Con than "End of Watch" did (yes, it was in San Diego too).
We'll find out soon enough. Until then, here is a batch of new images and a poster for the flick.