Jake Gyllenhaal goes wild and yes thank you more please.
Hurray for Michael Bay. In a sea of action movies that are filled with serious-toothed heroes who take serious villains seriously, Bad Boys, The Rock, Armageddon, and — my personal favorite — the high-octane minds behind Pain and Gain are all worth reminiscing. Is back for us popcorn movies can be shamelessly stupid jokes. Along with an ambulance, Bey engages leading men Jake Gyllenhaal and Yahya Abdul-Mateen II for an adrenaline-fueled heist that's an absolute blast.
Based on the 2005 Danish film Ambulance, Ambulance follows two brothers whose bank robbery goes awry, they are forced to take hostages - you guessed it! - Emergency vehicle.
Screenwriter Chris Fedak transfers the story to modern-day Los Angeles, which gives Bey the perfect opportunity to revel in his deep love of the city. Drone shots zip up and down the exteriors of skyscrapers, enthusiastically leaning on their curves like they are Megan Fox in the Transformers movies. High-speed chases drag spectators down freeways, into parking garages, over the LA River and through a barrage of bursting obstacles. And Roberto de Angelis' cinematography recalls every moment, painting the city in flashing emergency lights or magic-hour grandeur in the bay's signature orange glow. Yet this spirited race around Los Angeles is far from the most thrilling bit of an ambulance.
Michael Bay at his best
Bey has long been obsessed with heroes in uniform and charismatic criminals. Here they collide almost every frame. Like The Rock's villains, Will Sharp (Abdul-Mateen) is a Marine fallen on a hard time, essentially betrayed by the nation he defended his life from. Desperate for money, he turns to his brash but dastardly brother, Danny Sharp (Gyllenhaal), who swiftly sets him up for a bank robbery that is believed to be a piece of cake. But in a bay film, the cake also explodes.
Born and raised in LA, brothers hijack a seriously injured cop (Jackson White) and a brave EMT who hijacks an ambulance with no shit (Eiza Gonzalez) on the streets to escape a flood of cops, snipers, and the FBI. But descend. Agents who are determined to bring them down. In classic Bay fashion, gangsters and cops are full of quirky characters, often played by charming character actors. Standouts in Ambulance include Olivia Stamboulia as a dirty-minded sharp-witted lieutenant and Garrett Dillahunt as the police captain, whose praise for sass is only played by his big gassy mastiff (who - in another Bay signature -). is unmatched by their love for The director's beloved dog, Nitro Zeus.)
How is the action in the ambulance? suitable frenzy
Car chases, explosions and gun battles can be expected in Bay movies. And while these are sometimes taken off screen in a frenzy that is sometimes inconsistent, that plays well with the mood of the film, which is thrillingly chaotic. Folded metal debris, flower baskets, and even Quinceanera clothes are blown away, and our hearts jump with excitement. Then Bey takes things to an extreme that's so outrageous it's actually hilarious: surgery in the back of an ambulance during a high-speed chase. It's not just a sequence with grossed-out gore and shocking situations. The editing team masterfully ranged from the soaring panic in the ambulance to the stillness of the golf course, where two stunned surgeons are called in for consultations over FaceTime. Like the previous Fast and Furious entry, F9, this ambulance sequence plays to deliberate hysterical effect with sound and silence, mayhem and silence.
That's the point of it. He can bring great drama and serious themes of brotherhood and betrayal, as well as action men, but he refuses to lose his sense of humour. The power struggle between the police and the Feds is displayed as enthusiastically irreverent dick-measuring contests. In the midst of a life-or-death chase, it will take some time for their special fraternity to sing along to the classic slow jam. These moments not only give us a break to take a breather amid all the action, but they also bring fresh life to the stock characters we've seen before, from the rookie cop to the tough Broad Badass with an honor code. As far as. The words of…
Jake Gyllenhaal is Dynamite
With a mournful look and a grounded delivery, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II takes the heart to this heist. With a bold presence and a steely eye, Eiza Gonzalez vehemently opposes the shepherd's actions of her captors. Together, he and Gyllenhaal form a trifecta of conflict on every part of this action-packed journey. But make no mistake, Gyllenhaal is the owner of this film.
Bringing the energy of cocked-up douchebro, Gyllenhaal embodies the tone of the Michael Bay film, making every moment it explodes onscreen. Maybe that's why Bey clutched Gyllenhaal's face so tightly that you could swear you could smell his breath. Or maybe Bey is simply infatuated with those chiseled features and lush lashes. Either way, I'm not complaining. The movie star who has made a name for himself with passionate performances spins one of his all-time besties out of control. Throughout the ambulance, Gyllenhaal's body radiates anxiety, anger, and purpose, while his mouth shoots one-liners — abundant, hilarious and seemingly effortless. It's like watching fireworks, fun because of the fiery glare and because you're never sure when they'll go off.
Michael Bay may hold back a bit, though
For all the indulgences in Michael Bay that make for great fun in an ambulance, there are a few that are a bit buzzing. For example, hooray for Bey: He's given up his squabbles on his leading ladies, instead of treating Gonzalez as a badass equal to his male co-stars. She is worn no less in an objective outfit, but is appropriate in a uniform that is professional and form-fitting. And the shots that capture him look at him with the same awe and admiration they would for Gyllenhaal or Bad Boys in front of him. She's hot, sure, but she's getting the hero treatment of hotness here.
However, not all representations in ambulances are so mind-blowingly modern. The "angry wife" of the Bay films past is changed to a "nervous gay husband" in a scene to humanize an FBI agent, while waving a huge pride flag about his sexual orientation. Similarly, Kring is comprised of a Latino gang whose main attributes are their ethnic identity and bloodlessness. Beyond the reckless and regressive representation, these scenes really slow down a film that is racing at its best.
At two hours and 16 minutes, the ambulance feels longer. Its epic fervor is punctuated by sometimes regrettable tangents, like the one above, as well as emotional flashbacks to Sharp as the boys, who, while earnest, feel like afterthoughts. But the clunkiest bit is a climax that should be brutally thrilling. Instead, it is mired in melodrama, a change of location, and the struggle to say goodbye to Bey. So, a third act becomes a fourth and a fifth, affecting the overall tempo of the film.
Ambulance kicks in
Even with its rough locations, Ambulance Bay is a raucous thrill ride with streaks of glistening. Its massive cast clashes with charisma and struggle. Gyllenhaal dazzles as a flamboyant bastard. The action sequences range from brutal to downright bonkers, but never lose sight of the thread of fun. For all his indulgences, for better or worse, Bey proves once again to be the absolute master of action excellence.