Ambulance

The characters get into a situation that started to really entertain me only in the last quarter of the film. Everything before that is trite routine, wrapped up in an attractive Bayhem form. And that’s not for everyone. Epileptics can’t help themselves. What I found most lacking in Ambulance is a more imaginative screenplay. The only way the film attempts to move the action-packed ambulance ride along in terms of plot is by gradually revealing the relationships between the characters (who knows whom from where and why). And these are in no way interesting and don’t bring anything important to the emotional drive of the film. Some emotion comes only in the final minutes, but it’s nothing more than traditional, slightly embarrassing Bay-esque sentiment. (30/03/2022)

After a botched robbery, Michael Bay has the two protagonists steal an ambulance and take a hostage, and a chase across L.A. begins. And it's Bay, full of slow motion, crazy explosions and stylish camera work. Only this time, the director tries to be unexpectedly serious at times and doesn't completely underestimate the character work. Unfortunately, what looks for a while like a serious action drama that might even work, ends up getting beaten to death by childish humour, overwrought action and the fact that he's just making what he's always made. So in the end, it's more or less exactly the kind of wildness one expects from Michael Bay. Whether that's a good or bad is for each to decide. (17/03/2022)

In Ambulance, Michael Bay may have toned down the explosions, but this is still an action-packed caper, where logic sometimes takes a back seat to an impressive atmosphere. I thought I'd seen this story somewhere before, and it was only in the database that I realised I'd once seen the Danish version. From a technical point of view, I would criticise the film for the camera shots that are sometimes too cluttered – at times it almost looked like the cameraman was high on something. Story-wise, as I mentioned, there is more than one over-the-top moment (especially during the operation of the policeman, who is almost forgotten in the last act), but that's kind of Bay's thing. In the end, the film tries to play on emotions quite blatantly, pushing the envelope disproportionately hard compared to the rest. The cast was overall fine – perhaps only the pompous Captain Monroe was annoying. All in all, it was a slightly overlong but entertaining one-off, with a decent soundtrack (at times some of the tones evoked Interstellar). (19/03/2022)

An amazing Bayhem, for me the film of the year so far and one of Michael Bay's best films! Ambulance is a combination of Den of Thieves and Wrath of Man, and if you like purely male movies full of adrenaline and testosterone you won't go wrong with this one – I died and came back to life in the cinema, metaphorically speaking fell and rose from the ashes like phoenix! Bay sets a very fast pace from the opening and thrusts us into a heist where absolutely everything gets fucked up, and the action then shifts to the ambulance, which is where the whole film takes place, and although it sounds uninteresting, you better believe you'll be wiping your brow with adrenaline. Jake Gyllenhaal is excellent, a chameleon of an actor (he overacts at times, but why not), and Yahya Abdul-Mateen II is terrific as well as a former marine playing a very charismatic hero. Eiza Gonzalez, nothing to worry about here, great acting, great looks, Bay couldn't have picked a better trio of actors for this project. The action is uncompromising, the gunfights (no one has better sound design for guns than Bay!), the car chases, the helicopters, it's all there and I didn't feel like I was watching a movie at all, I felt I was watching a live broadcast of a crime in progress in LA, so the authenticity and realism gives it a high dimension. In other words, Bay has made his own movie version of GTA and for me it was a dream come true. I must also single out the great soundtrack (the music was ear-splitting and added to the tension and adrenaline). Bay's drone-camera was downright revolutionary, the aerial shots were so riveting that Deakins and Hoyt are quietly envious. The operation on the fly – the best shot operation in a movie since Saw, even a gore lover gets their serving, so pure euphoria and bliss. On top of all that, the dramatic and emotional moments work (Bay can bring tears in the opening 5 minutes, not to mention the ending!), and praise must be given to the FBI who finally showcase a very good antagonist, two intelligent fighters on opposite sides of the barricade, awesome and add to that the military tricks and a cartel and there is really little left missing for the audience to have a stroke. Flawless for me, I'm going again next week and then again. I liked how Bay references his own films. Story 3/5, Action 5/5, Humor 3/5, Violence 4/5, Fun 5/5 Music 5/5, Visuals 5/5, Atmosphere 5/5, Suspense 5/5, Emotion 5/5, Actors 5/5. 10/10. (21/03/2022)

If you want to break it down, this movie can be easily analyzed regarding any logic it may have, and a Michael Bay movie is just that, a Michael Bay movie. As a complete no-brainer, it is very entertaining with impressive stunts. Unfortunately, his tokenistic camerawork and editing techniques are really freaking overused in this movie. He should at least cut back on the coke in the future. (30/03/2022)