The film “Ambulance” is undoubtedly defined by Jake Gyllenhaal’s performance. The criminal Danny portrays dominates the screen with an unhinged, high-energy intensity.
Danny isn’t a good guy, but Gyllenhaal gives him a strange charm that makes you keep watching, even when his choices are questionable. His intense looks, gestures, and wild grin are so captivating that they make you forget about the script’s flaws. Gyllenhaal’s presence is a big reason the film holds your attention for over two hours.
Will, played by Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, is the opposite of Danny and acts as the story’s conscience. His honesty and inner struggle give the film a much-needed moral center. One memorable moment is when he tries to save a hostage police officer in the ambulance, saying that “keeping him alive makes the crime worse.” Even in chaos, Will shows a strength that holds onto his humanity.
An unexpected highlight was EMT Cam Thompson, played by Eiza González. Initially seeming like the “familiar heroine role in Bay films,” she proved far more than just window dressing. The scene where she cuts open the chest of an injured officer inside a speeding ambulance at 100 km/h, fighting to save his life with the help of doctors giving instructions via FaceTime from a golf course, creates some of the film’s most intense moments. Cam was the heart of the story and the only “sane person” the audience could genuinely connect with.
The Tug-of-War Between Revolutionary Cinematography and Over-the-Top Direction
Michael Bay’s use of FPV (first-person view) drone shots in this film is truly groundbreaking. Pilots with VR headsets fly drones at high speeds, racing up buildings, diving down, and even flying into vehicles. These new camera angles, never seen before in action movies, fill the screen one after another.
Particularly striking was the sequence where the drone weaved through downtown LA’s skyscrapers. The camera ascended just inches from building facades, then plunged straight back down to street level the moment it reached the apex. The sheer speed and altitude change were dizzying. It was surely the immersive visual experience Bay aimed for—throwing the audience into the thick of the action.
However, this innovation came at a cost. Bay wields this new technology like a child with a new toy, pushing it to excessive extremes. Even during dialogue scenes, the camera constantly circles the characters, never pausing for a single moment. While this technique certainly builds tension, honestly, it became exhausting to endure for the entire 136 minutes.
The Story Structure’s Contradiction and the Entertainment Dilemma
The plot of Ambulance is straightforward: a bank robbery goes wrong, and the criminals escape in an ambulance. The Danish original told this story in 80 minutes, but Bay’s version stretches it to 136 minutes.
This film is a remake of the 2005 Danish movie ‘Ambulancen’. The original, directed by Lasse H. Asbæk, was a taut crime thriller clocking in at just 80 minutes. While the core premise remains the same—two brothers resort to bank robbery to cover their dying mother’s medical bills and steal an ambulance during their escape—Bay’s version introduces several significant changes.
Towards the end, Danny’s decision to spray-paint the ambulance green as his “secret escape plan” left me scratching my head. What was the point? With helicopters and countless patrol cars in hot pursuit, how does changing the vehicle’s color make any difference? Unfortunately, this kind of illogicality is scattered throughout the entire film.
Right from the start, the characters’ choices don’t make sense. Danny, who the FBI wants, joins a bank robbery without even covering his face and stands in front of the window. The crew, supposedly put together by an experienced criminal, acts like amateurs and doesn’t wear bulletproof vests. When a cop knocks and says, “Let me in, I want to go on a date with her,” Danny lets him in to avoid suspicion, but the robbery is exposed anyway. It all feels backwards.
The decisions made by the FBI and LAPD are even more frustrating. They destroy patrol cars and put civilians at risk because “we can’t stop ambulances with injured officers.” Later, when the ambulance slows to 30 km/h, they keep chasing rather than using spike strips. The most unbelievable part is when an FBI radio operator calls off the chase because “my dog is in one of the pursuit vehicles.” Even for an action movie, this lack of logic takes away from the excitement.
Unstable Character Development
Another significant issue is that the main characters aren’t consistent.
At first, Danny is shown as someone who “hates guns and dislikes violence.” Before the robbery, Will asks, “What about this gun?” and Danny says, “Just for show. I hate guns.” But as the movie goes on, Danny starts acting wild and violent, almost like he’s on drugs.
Will, who is supposed to be used to violence as a former Marine, suddenly becomes someone who avoids it and acts very carefully. Both Danny and Will’s personalities shift from scene to scene, making it hard for the audience to know whom to relate to.
The script tries to make the brothers’ bond the heart of the story. They’ve supported each other since childhood and reconnect during the crisis, which could have been touching. But because their characters aren’t consistent, the emotion doesn’t come through. If the movie had been shorter and focused more on their relationship, it might have been more moving.
Bay’s Humor Falls Flat
Michael Bay is known for his “Flatboy-style” humor, and this movie is full of jokes. Unfortunately, most of them don’t land.
The movie also has some strange references to Bay’s earlier films. In one scene, two characters talk in a car: “You know The Rock?” “The actor? Or the wrestler?” Later, some officers say, “We’re like Bad Boys.”
These moments were probably meant as a playful nod from Bay, but they come off as awkward. Instead of feeling like fan service, Bay is showing off his own movies. These inside jokes would have worked better if they were used less or left out.
There’s also a scene where a young officer calls his boss a “boomer,” but the actor is only in his mid-40s. Whether it was a casting error or bad writing, the joke doesn’t work.
The Rare Value of a Mid-Budget Action Film
It’s important to remember that this film is rare as a mid-budget action movie.
Today, Hollywood mostly makes either huge $200 million blockbusters or very cheap films under $10 million. The $40-80 million action movies that were common in the 90s are almost gone. In this environment, Bay managed to create a film that looks like a big-budget spectacle, even though it cost only $40 million.
Trying to match classics like Speed (1994), The Rock (1996), and Armageddon (1998) is impressive. The idea of saving a life in an ambulance is similar to Speed, and the story of brothers and a robbery is a bit like Armored.
But compared to those earlier movies, this film doesn’t have a tight script. Speed finished its story in 90 minutes, but Ambulance spends 136 minutes on a similar chase, and it feels too long.
Summary: Explosions and contradictions coexist in this pinnacle of Bay-style entertainment
Ambulance is a movie where Michael Bay’s strengths and weaknesses are both on full display, just like the chaos inside the ambulance itself.
Jake Gyllenhaal’s intense acting, the new drone shots, and all the explosions and stunts are what make this an actual Bay film. If you love the action movies of the 90s, you’ll probably enjoy this one.
At the same time, the movie has the usual Bay problems: a script full of plot holes, characters who change too much, over thirty minutes of extra scenes, and jokes that don’t work.
In the end, how you feel about Ambulance depends on what you want from a Michael Bay movie. If you’re looking for lots of explosions and action, you’ll get it. But if you want a logical story or a well-written script, you might be let down.
One thing is clear: very few directors in Hollywood still make mid-budget action movies as Bay does. For that reason, this film is special, and you can enjoy all of its “Bay-ness,” flaws included.
