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Amos Lassen wrote on 02/13/2011:

“ENDGAME”
Sex and Violence
Amos Lassen
“Endgame” (TLA Releasing) is one of those movies that you love to hate and hate to love. Directed by Gary Wicks, it has some of the most brutal and blood chilling scenes I have ever seen and it also has a wonderful script and fine acting. A rent boy, Tom, (played by hunky Daniel Newman) is being kept by George Norris (Mark McGann) who is wildly masochistic and a gangster. George has set Tom up in a special bedroom furnished for two purposes---sexual pleasure and blackmail and he uses Tom as part of a lurid scheme that involves drugs, money and protection. From almost the moment this movie begins there is brutality—not just good old movie brutality—but the kind that causes you to grimace. There is one scene in a gay bar that I am never likely going to forget. If you like thrillers this is the movie for you. It is sexy, unnerving and very disquieting. There is not a dull moment in this move.
The term endgame comes from Chess and it is the final plan one has before winning (or losing). And this movie s about those final moves.
Through the use of flashbacks, we learn of Tom’s childhood and how he came to become involved in male hustling. His past was one of abuse and unhappiness, his present is sordid, and his future does not look too good. As the recipient of much of the brutality in the film, he is also subjected to a great deal of verbal abuse. His “job description” says that he must turn tricks while his master takes care of the blackmailing. When he suddenly becomes involved in murder, Tom manages to flee his master and run away with the help of American friends but his problems are not yet over. There are some extremely graphic sex scenes as he settles into country living, Here is where I stop giving details so as not to spoil the movie for you.
One of the pluses of this film is how t manages to draw the viewer into the characters, as despicable as they may be. From the get go when sex and currency are equalized, the characters somehow manage to suck us in—into their minds, their psyches, and their brutality. This has not happened to me since “Bonnie and Clyde”.
Sex has the power—it commands power and it can instill fear. When Tom is drawn into the seedy scheme, we are taken into a world that is disgustingly twisted. Tom becomes a hapless pawn in one of George’s narcotic schemes with a Welsh cop who abuses his position of power. What ensues is a vicious circle of blood money, vice, and ruthless violence from which there seems to be no exit. Here is a study of concentrated evil—the character (George) is so obsessed with power and is indifferent to human suffering that he represents the personification of pure evil. In fact this movie would do well being subtitled as “A Study in the Nature of Evil”. As violent as the movie is, what makes it even more interesting is that there is also a great deal of violence that you do not see—it is only suggested---but it seems as if you are actually seeing it as well.
Here is one of those thrillers that keep you on the edge of your seat while you cringe and cover your face. There is so happy ending and the chorus line will not appear on the screen with the final credits. I was relieved it was over because it meant that the violence stopped—but it didn’t. I actually awoke in the middle of a sound sleep. Haunted by some of the images I saw.

test wrote on 04/07/2009:

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Luis Rolando (ManticoreL7@msn.com) wrote on 05/22/2005:

Here we have one of those movies that masquerades as a gay film, yet it's merely a message that "gay = bad and evil." Unnecessary violence (and lots of it), an unbelievable lead character (and actor), and overall waste of time. If you want a real "gay thriller," watch Urbania instead.

Ric wrote on 06/21/2004:

This is a well acted, plot driven movie that is sexy, unnerving, chic movie. Mark McGann (Dr. Who, Queen of the Dammed and countless other British movies) is great. The movie never drags and is a riviting movie.

Netguy wrote on 06/12/2003:

For those of you unaware, “endgame” is a chess term. After the opening encounters and tactics of a game, it’s the final plan a player has to finish off his or her opponent. And such is the concept of “Endgame” a stylish, sexy and sadistic British crime thriller, although with a few minor flaws had me on the edge of my seat and at times my stomach in my throat! There are some brutal and graphic scenes of rape and torture, which may not suit everyone’s taste. Yet it’s directed with such visual flare by Gary Wicks that you cannot help but watch. There’s a brutal fight and beating in a bar scene and as the music played it reminded me of a scene from a “Clockwork Orange”. The scene, among many, is twisted and dark for sure, but very well done. Daniel Newman who plays Tom is convincing as a male prostitute who’s on the edge and John Benfield who plays Dunston is one of the most vile villains I’ve seen in quite some time and it drew to mind Ben Kingsley in “Sexy Beast”! Outstanding performances!

The premise of the story centers on Tom (Daniel Newman) who is a “rent boy” and turns tricks around London for his sick, psychotic “sugar daddy” George Norris (Mark McGann). Through a series of flashbacks we learn of Toms past while he tries to deal with the present and his future. And the future looks bleak. Regularly raped, and brutalized sexually by Norris he also endures the verbal abuse from Norris’s driver. He’s made to turn tricks, one regular being that of Dunston, as well as help George perform his dirty mob deeds. Without giving to much away things take a turn, when a twist of fate releases Tom from his violent “keeper” and with the help of some American neighbors, Max (Corey Johnson) and Nikke (Toni Barry) he flees the city to their remote cottage in the country with Dunston close behind.

The story fails a bit in the relationship between Tom and the Americans and vice versa and a few scenes that seem thrown in for the sake of erotica but in general I thoroughly enjoyed the story and it was nice to see a thriller featuring a gay/bi lead role. I recommend this highly. The DVD doesn’t feature any extras but the audio and video were nice and clear for an independent feature.

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