The actor David Harbour has become very well known thanks to his role as Hopper in Stranger Things. A small-town cop who becomes embroiled in the Netflix series' increasingly bizarre happenings, Hopper is the role that made Harbour mainstream. Unbeknownst to some, however, he had a career beforehand, and it involved playing a cop in a far different capacity.
End of Watch was a gritty cop movie from director David Ayer, drawing upon his experiences and knowledge of South Central LA. One of the movie's many characters is an incredibly cynical cop played by Harbour, and his final fate might be worse than anything in the Upside Down. Here's how Eleven's "dad" first protected and served before starring in the Netflix show.
Stranger Things Isn't David Harbour's Only Experience With Law Enforcement
End of Watch was an attempt by Ayer to draw upon his usual themes of South Central culture while also switching things up a bit. Instead of portraying police officers in a somewhat antagonistic light, the film focuses on the camaraderie between two officers who start patrolling the streets together. Played by Jake Gyllenhaal and Michael Peña, Officers Brian Taylor and Miguel Zavala do their best to maintain their oath and honor amid the mean, gang-infested California streets.
One cop who's definitely not like them, however, is Officer Van Hauser. Played by David Harbour, Van Hauser is a cynical veteran of a police offer who long ago gave up the cavalier mentality of his colleagues. Instead, he admonishes them for having faith in the system, namely regarding how it treats cops who are no longer useful. Now doing as little as possible, he had become far too jaded to be a truly effective peacekeeper. That somewhat mirrors how saddened Hopper was at the beginning of Stranger Things. Thankfully for the police department of Hawkins, Indiana, Hopper never quite ends up how Van Hauser does.
End of Watch Saw David Harbour Meet a Gruesome End
Later in the film, Taylor and Zavala respond to an "Officer Down" code sent out on their radio. The cop in question is none other than Van Hauser, who's suffered a horrific injury in the line of duty. Assaulted by a local gang member, Harbour's character -- though still alive -- is left with a knife stabbed firmly through his right eye. The adrenaline of the situation has him still conscious and surprisingly calm, though the situation is no less harrowing.
Eventually wheeled away by paramedics, Van Hauser laments that his bulletproof vest had been cut by the medical professionals. It was likely in an effort to reach his heart, but it also showcases the cynicism and paranoia of the character. It was highly likely that Van Hauser had bought his own bulletproof vest, reflecting how much the police force had let him down and left him to the wolves.
The role of Van Hauser in End of Watch was somewhat small, but it had a big impact on the film's themes and messaging. And just a few years later, Harbour would find more substantial success as Hopper in Stranger Things, even if his new police role involved trading the urban California environment for a small fictional town. Ultimately, it was fatherhood that was most fulfilling for Hopper, whose attitude as a cop arguably suffered in its absence. For Van Hauser, however, being a cop was about all he had, and it inevitably sucked him dry.