End of Watch was OK. Entertaining enough but I would rather have just waited for Blu Ray. It’s supposed to be one of those Blair Witch or Cloverfield type movies where as the viewer you are supposed to be watching “found footage.” In the beginning, the movie establishes that Jake Gyllenhall has a hand-held camcorder while also having, along with his partner, a minicam pinned to their uniforms. My main gripe, however, is that there are camera shots interspersed throughout the film that are not from any camera point of view. This breaks the rule of “found footage” movies. For instance, Jake is recording his partner kick open a locked door from the front of an empty house. All of a sudden though we cut to a shot from inside the house just to see his partner bust open the door and them coming through with guns drawn. Yet, no one is in the house so who’s camera are we looking through? Then we are suddenly back looking through Jake’s camcorder. It just didn’t make sense and it happens a little too often. It’s like the director wanted to include certain shots but couldn’t think of how to include them from someone’s camera point of view so he just threw them in there and just hoped no one noticed. #SloppyDirecting
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Morally Oblogatory 
I’ve been wanting to watch this for a while. And though I haven’t seen it yet, I don’t think anyone shooting the Found Footage format has to limit themselves with those rules, unless they were defined in the beginning. For Example: APOLLO 18 had a disclaimer in the beginning saying how the entire movie was file footage of a moon mission gone wrong. Or BLAIR WITCH was said to be footage ‘found’ after campers went missing. Did END OF WATCH have a disclaimer like that, about the movie being seen only as footage found after these events happen?
If not, I don’t think the Director has to limit himself to only using those kinds of shots. It’s a creative way of shooting, and shouldn’t limit the story being told, unless those rules are set up from before. But again, I haven’t seen this, so can’t fully agree / disagree with you.
Great Review though…
That’s a good point. I don’t remember if it had a disclaimer but honestly I don’t think it matters. 97% of the movie is clearly from someone’s camera point of view. The exceptions were so few and far between that when it happened it really took you out of the intended feel of the viewing experience. It was so glaring. If a movie is supposed to bounce around from a character’s camera to a director’s camera then that style has to be established from the get go and it has to be much more balanced.
Like I said, it’s still entertaining enough so you should still see it. It’s just those moments that I’m complaining about. Let me know when you see it; would love to hear your thoughts!
Shah, check out this review of ‘V/H/S 2.’ The 2nd paragraph is how i feel about End of Watch. http://screencrush.com/vhs-2-review/
“The problem with found footage is that there have always been rules, and when you break them, you lose the audience. You have to have reasons for multiple camera angles and perspectives — everything must have a narrative purpose or else the film fails to work…”
I guess I can’t disagree. I’ll have to watch before I can adequately comment. Seems more like it was used as a gimmick more than anything else. I still hear good things. Will be sure to link you when I do my Review.
I saw no reason to add the found footage aspect to this film. Why not just shoot this without it. Personally I found it real gimicky and it distracted from the film. On a more positive note this had some of the most realistic dialogue and insider looks at the police that I have seen on film. I only wish they had fleshed out the “bad guys” a bit more.
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Thanks for stopping by and the comment! Glad to have you around =)
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