Ambulance

I truly don't understand why people watch action movies when they don't even like them? So that they can put 1 star "trash" review on IMDB? This movie is exactly what you expect when you read its description. Also - it's a Bay movie. I really enjoyed the "weird" angles of the camera that everyone's hating here, the cast is really good, it's tense the whole way until the very end. Predictable ending, yes, but it's defo a match for every action-movie lover. The dialogues could have been better, as at times it got a bit cringy and I agree with the fellow haters that at times also a bit stupid. But hey ho, who says action needs too many words? If you want some deep psychological analysis of characters, perhaps better watch something from Trier.

So if you took Money Train, mated it with The Island and let the child be raised by someone who watched Heat once in 7th grade and thought it was cool but couldn't quite remember everything about it, you'd get this movie. It's really predictable and still entertaining. As with most Mike Bay offerings the female lead manages to stay gorgeous throughout. The male leads either have or don't have a moral compass. And operators, everybody's an operator. JG spends the whole movie accurately pewning people with no red dot and his "flip up back up sights" down. Damn you Old Bay seasoning, you made me think these seasoned fries were crab fries like I'm back at Chickie and Pete's.

Warning: this film can seriously damage your brain.

The beginning of the film was ok and showed no red flags.

Then grown men started talking like saucy 15-year-olds, and I got that feeling...like I've heard this before. Checked the director - Bay.

Bingo.

Then everything made perfect sense. Thirty-minute-long actions scenes with insane camera work - check. Surreal decision-making in a world that operates in Grand Theft Auto V logic - check. Blatant mockery of politically relevant topics - check.

I can enjoy a Bay film, I love the Rock, and it's very similar. But this one is of complete insanity. It's so incredibly over the top you can't even see the top from here.

And then Bay tries to do drama, and of course, it's excruciating.

There's no reason to try to understand the story since it exists only in this nightmare world where everyone is aggressive, careless, stupid, and has no regard for their or others' lives.

Pros: some decent action scenes and excellent acting by Gyllenhaal.

Cons: it's a nightmare.

Overall, it's a solid live adaptation of a GTA V five-star car chase but with no tanks.

Remake of a Danish comedy in an attempt to make an action movie where the only good thing is the performance of all its actors.

The director in his terrible line of not allowing the film to breathe without any break. The camera totally crazy shaking everywhere and getting to produce serious dizziness.

Stylishly directed, jam-packed with chases and keeping the fun aspect alive for the most part if not all the way, Ambulance moves into top gear relatively quick and never takes the foot off the pedal once it gets going but the road it takes to reach its destination ends up being longer than what the gas in the tank can handle, thus resulting in a ride that's running on fumes way before the end is in sight.

Directed by Michael Bay, the premise is simple, setup is quick & thrills are endless even if much of the narrative elements seem underdeveloped. Bay utilises his usual unabashed over-the-top approach that provide his standard blockbuster fares an explosive, extravagant flavour and he amplifies the nonstop action some more with kinetic camerawork, chaotic vibe, frenetic editing and wicked character interplay.

The energy & passion is evident in execution and the use of drones to film the chase sequences is undoubtedly inspiring but this would've been an even better action-thriller if it was trimmed to a tight & tense 90 mins ride. Jake Gyllenhaal, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II & Eiza González remain in sync with the craziness on display. And while the interest & momentum isn't lost, one does start to feel its 136 mins runtime in the remaining half.

Overall, Ambulance is amusing, entertaining & preposterous in all the ways a Michael Bay film is expected to be but it is also a whole lot of fast fun & furious frivolity that manages to get plenty of mileage out of its barebone premise. The lack of restraint isn't an issue since it is one of the fine qualities of a Bayhem production but its overlong length does leave you feeling more exhausted than exhilarated in the end. In short, a gleeful & enjoyable delight.