Connect with us
The ambulance fleeing a helicopter
Courtesy of Universal Pictures

Film

Michael Bay’s Ambulance: A Car-Chase with No Momentum

Ambulance Review

Michael Bay’s latest film, Ambulance, aims to thrill. Almost every minute feels like it’s straining to keep the adrenaline running. However, despite the constant movement of the eponymous ambulance, the film quickly loses all sense of momentum.

We follow Will Sharp (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II) who is struggling to afford the bills for his wife’s operation. He is enlisted by Danny Sharp, his criminal brother (Jake Gyllenhaal), to join the team for one last bank heist as a driver. Predictably, things quickly go wrong, and the brothers are forced to hijack an ambulance containing a paramedic (Eiza González) to flee the scene. The majority of the film picks up from this point, following the trio (along with a wounded police officer), through a mixture of a car chase and a hostage situation.

Perhaps strangely, I found the beginning section of the film much more compelling than the resulting car chase. In particular, the day-to-day actions and routines of the ambulance workers were well-done and poignant at points – it is a shame that this element was shunted aside in favour of high-octane melodrama.

Ambulance film 2022
Courtesy of Universal Pictures

The crux of the film centres on the relationship of the two brothers and the paramedic’s attempts to defuse the situation. It is clear from the very start that Will is obviously framed as the ‘good’ brother (caring for his wife, army veteran) while Danny is the ‘bad’ one (active criminal, acts psychotic). It’s an incredibly simple and obvious binary and uses this fact to manipulate the audience throughout. While Abdul Mateen II and Gyllenhaal are fantastic in many other performances, in this film they come across as very one-note. Will is always reticent and remorseful, while Danny is a villainous caricature, showing a complete disregard for almost all human life. At times the framing of Will becomes almost too forgiving, as the film quickly forgets his crimes throughout the run-time.

The suspension of our disbelief is stretched to breaking: one surprisingly gory scene becomes almost laughable considering its lack of medical knowledge – a fatal flaw in a film with a key paramedic character.

Each trial within the ambulance is predictably resolved and feels derivative of every other hostage/car-chase movie. Much like a man running in front of a speeding car: it gets tired very quickly. In a film that tries to keep you constantly engaged, this is a big problem.

Of course, a word must be said about Michael Bay’s trademark style. Again, here are the quick cuts, the constantly moving camera, the egregious product placement (Cheetos, Heineken Zero Alcohol, and Airpods). Even in moments of conversation, the cameraman seems to have guzzled down a few cans of energy drink, constantly zooming the camera queasily around the speakers. It is a blessing that a lot of the film occurs inside the ambulance: this forces the camera to stay put to fully capture the action in the cramped space. The hyperactive camera and thumping soundtrack, by the end of the film, it irritates, rather than thrills.

It feels at times as if Bay believes that tension can be generated purely through a spinning camera and thundering drums; as if grief could be manufactured by a close-up of an eye and a high-pitched note. If he could, he would want to squeeze the tear straight out of your duct. Ambulance is emotionally manipulative and hyperactive. It provides a few cheap thrills but fails to keep you hooked.  

Watch Ambulance

Now Streaming

Written By

Ryan is a culture writer, aspiring academic, and film enthusiast, with a particular interest in all things horror. He also can often be found, notepad to hand, puzzling over the latest detective games. He tweets at @RyanOShea42.

Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Facebook

Trending

Is Andy Allo Pregnancy Rumors Real Or Fake? Is Andy Allo Pregnancy Rumors Real Or Fake?

Is Andy Allo Pregnancy Rumors Real Or Fake?

Celebrity

Christian Stracke Net Worth 2024 Christian Stracke Net Worth 2024

Christian Stracke Net Worth 2024

Celebrity

Jackson Taylor's Death Jackson Taylor's Death

Cause Of Jackson Taylor’s Death: The Shocking Details of His Fatal Accident!

Celebrity

Is Country Legend Alan Jackson Dead At 64? Is Country Legend Alan Jackson Dead At 64?

Is Country Legend Alan Jackson Dead At 64?

Celebrity

Is Taraji P Henson Pregnant In 2023? Is Taraji P Henson Pregnant In 2023?

Is Taraji P Henson Pregnant In 2023?

Celebrity

Who Is David Rives? Who Is Jenna Ellis's First Husband? Who Is David Rives? Who Is Jenna Ellis's First Husband?

Who Is David Rives? Who Is Jenna Ellis’s First Husband?

Celebrity

Who Is Terri Ficca and Why Is She Going Viral on the Internet? Who Is Terri Ficca and Why Is She Going Viral on the Internet?

Who Is Terri Ficca and Why Is She Going Viral on the Internet?

Celebrity

Who Is Lola Consuelos's Boyfriend Who Is Lola Consuelos's Boyfriend

Who Is Lola Consuelos’s Boyfriend: About Her Dating History

Celebrity

Who Is Samantha Woll Husband? Who Is Samantha Woll Husband?

Who Is Samantha Woll Husband? Secrets Revealed

Celebrity

Is Suki Waterhouse Pregnant? Fact Check Is Suki Waterhouse Pregnant? Fact Check

Is Suki Waterhouse Pregnant? Fact Check

Celebrity

Travis Kelce’s Wife and The Surprising Rise to Fame of Travis Kelce

Celebrity

What Happened to Rev. Bryan Dunagan? Cause of Death Revealed What Happened to Rev. Bryan Dunagan? Cause of Death Revealed

What Happened to Rev. Bryan Dunagan? Cause of Death Revealed

Celebrity

Are Malika Andrews and Dave McMenamin Married? Discover The Love Journey Between The Couple Are Malika Andrews and Dave McMenamin Married? Discover The Love Journey Between The Couple

Are Malika Andrews and Dave McMenamin Married? Discover The Love Journey Between The Couple

Celebrity

Candace Parker Net Worth: Unraveling the Basketball Star’s Path to Wealth, Legacy

Celebrity

Caliphate Season 2 Release Date Caliphate Season 2 Release Date

Breaking: Caliphate Season 2 Release Date, Cast, Spoilers, Trailer, Plot, and Every Newest Update!

TV

Is Kay Adams Married? Is Kay Adams Married?

Kay Adams, Husband & Dating History: Is She Married?

Celebrity

Connect