Endgame (2005) User Reviews

Effective tension but not sure of the wider point (spoilers)

[bob the moo · 23 November 2006]

Popping across the street for some groceries sees Belfast resident and teacher Martin stuck in the middle of some waste land when shots start ringing out. Hiding behind a burnt out car brings him into contact with one of the gunmen. The teenage gunman dies and Mac takes his gun and runs for it. The Sinn Fein/IRA gunmen go after him and capture him, convinced that he has killed young Michael himself.

As with seemingly the majority of films from Northern Ireland this has the Troubles as its central theme. We see an innocent man sucked into the middle of it all and witness the horrific consequences he has to endure as a result of an apparent act of kindness (getting involved). Once this has finished and Martin is dead (hey – I did tick the "spoilers" box), we jump back in time and see events from another man's point of view where Martin actually does kill young Michael. This threw me and I wondered if I was now seeing the truth and thus there was a point there about nobody being without blame in Norn Iron, or if this was a reflection of now seeing it from a distance and how it looked. Given that nothing in the first half of the film had suggested we were seeing things from a twisted point of view I wasn't sure what to think and it undermined the film in my eyes. Aside from this the film had done well with the tension and the cast delivered pretty well, if only the narrative or message had not been so garbled.

Shown as part of TCM's classic shorts weekend I confess to have been underwhelmed by it. The direction is good and the sense of tension and fear is palatable but the story badly lets everyone else down. Confused and confusing at the end of it all, this isn't one I recommend.

A very good short film

[sabelomail · 9/10 · 23 February 2011]

As a movie fan, my approach to watching a short film is usually clouded with uncertainty and reluctance. Reason being that because of the time frame or constraints, there is only so much the filmmaker can do to capture your attention, let alone your imagination. I have to say that there are a few short films that are able to achieve this and Endgame is one of them. Most people know the general gloomy story about the on going troubles in Northern Ireland. It's a complicated conflict that requires extreme sensitivity and caution, especially from the filmmaker when telling this story. Endgame has taken on a complex narrative and put it under a microscope so to strip off any preconceptions and depict a poignant human story.

Set in a gritty neighbourhood somewhere in the urban sprawls of Northern Ireland. With great effect, the filmmaker uses clever camera angles and provocative movement techniques to enhance the whole experience. Starting off in a mellow pace as so to give the audience a gentle introduction. The film then bursts into a sporadic violent sequence that will have you clutching your chair's armrests. What follows on from there can only be described as a severe turn of events that will certainly make you want to watch the film again. This is what happened to me when I saw Endgame for the first time. You feel that you have to watch it again but this time using the benefit of hindsight as the film skews and toys with your perception.

Overall its an emotionally engaging experience from beginning to end, the acting and the direction is spot on. Stellar performances from all four main characters, notably Martin McCann and Paul Kennedy who have both gone on to do great things career-wise (Clash of the Titans, Five Minutes of Heaven, etc.) after being on this film.

In conclusion I would recommend this film to anyone with an interest in good storytelling, subtle but effective cinematography and great acting.