The Hollywood director shows off his new camera moves and his flair for lens flares
By Bill Urrutia
Photos courtesy of Universal Pictures International
Every day during the pandemic, we have come to better understand the importance of medical institutions. From healthcare budget allocation, packed emergency rooms, to the myriad other moving stories from healthcare workers themselves. But isn’t it interesting and amusing how healthcare workers, the pandemic’s frontliners, automatically adapt to any circumstance—even if, say, to a bank heist?
Michael Bay’s “Ambulance” did not shy away from exhibiting the significance of a medical professional in the most challenging situations. The movie features Jake Gyllenhall, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, and Eiza Gonzales in a tale about two robbers who hijack an ambulance right after their bank heist goes awry. The twist? There’s an ongoing medical treatment of a wounded policeman inside the moving medical van.
A suitably titled film, “Ambulance” showcases lengthy car chase scenes between the ambulance and the police while drama and tension surround the emergency vehicle. If you’re a fan of Michael Bay’s cinematic sequencing, slow-motion lense flares, and numerous action-packed scenes, then “Ambulance” is worth your time. Else, it is fitting to say that Michael Bay has produced more promising films such as “Pain and Gain,” “Transformers 1,” “The Purge,” and “A Quiet Place.”
“Ambulance” seems to spread thinly and lengthen unnecessarily a good narrative—too thin that it may just have left viewers longing for the next chapter to unfold. The scenic recurrences and the focus on repetitive automotive machismo may have placed the meat of the story in the backseat. Aside from the forgivable Hollywood lapses in police and security representation, some plots were too unrealistic and too good to be true—even for cinematic purposes. In other words, the majority of the film is food for the eyes, but not food for the mind and soul. But that is alright because not every film has to be a Kubric or a Scorsese.
Although, no movie ends without its positive elements. Michael Bay has showcased his new drone footage camera work that added to the already adrenaline-filled scenes, alongside the eminent acting of Gyllenhall, Abdul-Matee, and Gonzales—all of whom played their roles with the appropriate amount of emotion. No acting scenes were overdone and the characters’ values are consistent throughout the film.
Not your usual ambulance ride 
One of the only two explosion scenes in the film
Granted, Michael Bay provided a platform to demonstrate the importance and competence of healthcare workers in emergency situations, especially at a time when the industry needs encouragement and representation. But the film is simply too stretched. The entire narrative can fit in half of the film’s total running time and still have room for additional character development, backstory, or even a whole new chapter to open the door for a possible sequel.
Nevertheless, Michael Bay and his crew have a couple of upcoming movies to watch out for this 2023: “A Quiet Place III” and “Transformers Rise of the Beasts.” I’m enthusiastic that these films will follow the footsteps of their prequels given its success, as Michael Bay, his crew, and his choice of actors and actresses do not seem to be slowing down anytime soon.
For its great representation of frontliners and for the director’s restraint when it comes to explosive scenes, we give “Ambulance” a 2.5 out of 5.