AMBULANCE

US, 2022, 137 minutes, Colour.

Jake Gyllenhaal, Yaya Abdul-Marteen II, Eliza Gonzalez, Garrett  Dillahunt, Keir O'Donnell, Jackson White, Olivia Stambouliah, Moses Ingram, Colin Wardell, A Martinez.

Directed by Michael Bay.

For almost 30 years, the name of director, Michael Bay, has been associated with big films, loud films, brash films, hyper-action films. This goes back to the 1990s with films like Bad Boys and The Rock (joking references to both in the screenplay), then the to thousands and Pearl Harbour, the Transformers series. Critics are not prone to praise the films of Michael Bay – far from it. On the other hand, he has many fans, audiences who like adrenaline-pumping action. And there is plenty of this in Ambulance. 2 ¼ hours of it.

With such a brief, direct title, there is no guessing as to what the main plot line will be. In fact, the action will give new and different meaning to “ambulance chasers”.

But, first the central characters have to be introduced. First is Will (Yaya Abdul-Marteen II), an Afghan veteran, finding life at home difficult, finding jobs, wife and child, illness and insurance. Second is his brother, adopted, Will African-American, Danny (Jack Gyllenhall) white. Will hoped for a job from Danny – and he gets one, far more than he bargained for. It emerges that Danny has a reputation as a bank robber for years, on the FBI list. And a big one is about to go down, a big crew, daring because it is in the centre of LA, allegedly foolproof, $16 million or more.

Bay immerses us in the world of LA, an ever-moving camera, swirling camera up the sides of skyscrapers, hovering and then descending down into the city (quite a number of times). The robbery goes to plan at first, but an on guard policeman wants to flirt with the teller and gets himself trapped. But his partner is ultimately suspicious of his absence. Then the truck breaks down outside the bank and the policeman gets it started again!

And then the mayhem begins. (Jake Gyllenhaal had referred to it as Bayhem)

However, our initial attention has been drawn to a paramedic team, attending a car accident, rescuing a young girl, helping her survive, getting her to hospital. The leader of the team, Camille (Eliza Gonzalez), adopts a detached stance, and is irritated by the incessant talking of her new partner. They have the ambulance.

The policeman is shot, there is a call for the ambulance, Camille arrives, her partner knocked out, the ambulance commandeered. And so begins the long chase, the multiple crashes, some explosions, shootouts, deceptions, involvement of local drug criminals… And, all the while, we are more in sympathy with Will, even though he has fired at the policeman, concerned for Camille trying to do her paramedic work while being a hostage. And we like Danny and his bravado less and less.

The chief of police, with his large pet dog, is confident but outwitted. There is also an FBI agent who went to university with Danny and knows him well, trying to do some bargaining. The screenplay is very strong on communications, not only by radio, but phones and images, especially when Camille tries to do some surgery with the advice of experts speaking through their phones.

How can this end with hope? You will just have to see.

1. The straightforward title? The role of the ambulance, the hijacking, the chase, the paramedic, the wounded policeman, Will injured, treatment?
2. Adaptation of an 80 minute 2005 Danish film (actually filmed in an ambulance)?
3. The work of Michael Bay, loud, fast, pace and editing, action? Human stories, the touch of sentiment?
4. The Los Angeles settings, the vistas of the city, buildings, streets, the bank, the channels? The background of homes, warehouses, drug dealing? The musical score?
5. Will, the return from Afghanistan, love for his wife and child, her health, insurance needs, need for a job? The treatment of veterans? His relationship with Danny? The later explanations of Danny’s father, Will being adopted, growing up together, the father as a notorious bank robber, harsh? The two boys playing together, friends? Danny and his becoming a robber like his father? Will and his decision to serve the country, Afghanistan? Going for the job, his being caught up in the robbery plans, going along, participation, shooting the policeman, his regrets? Driving, driving the ambulance, his being shot by Camille, his giving blood for the policeman, Camille treating him?
6. Danny, his background, his father, the user robbing banks, his studies and the friendship with the FBI chief? Years is a criminal, the FBI list? The plan for the bank, his confidence, tensions, his crew, persuading Will to join? Seeming foolproof? Going to the bank, the hold-up, the threats? The vast amount of money? The various members of the team, with the money, the young man taking the jewellery? The policeman coming in, suspicious, wanting to flirt with the teller? Noticing the wrong name, his being overpowered?
7. The policeman outside, the alert, the robbery going wrong, the escapes, the shootouts, the number of police cars and police, the young robber it by the truck? The truck driver, talking with the policeman, restarting the car? The attack, his death?
8. The introduction to the ambulance, Camille and Scott, the work was a little girl injured, taking her to hospital, Camille and her detachment, Scott and his talking? Hearing the alert, going to the bank, Scott knocked unconscious, Camille taken, the wounded policeman, taking him to the ambulance? Danny taking over the ambulance, Will driving?
9. The extensive chase, the dramatics of the chase, twists, turns, plans? The police? The confident chief, his pet dog, background, control, deceived, his being shot? The FBI agent, relationship with his husband, his knowing Danny, the Chief looking down on him, but then involved in the negotiations? The chief, the local officer and her smart and snappy style?
10. Communications, phones, images, police and Danny, the surgery for the policeman, Camille, nervous, Will helping, the phones and the images, the detail for the surgery, removal of the bullet, blood transplant?
11. Danny, the confidence, memories of the past, Will and his memories of them as boys? Danny’s connection with the drug Lord, getting the cars, diversion vehicles, getting his friend with the spray, spraying the ambulance green? Hiding under the bridge? Going to the headquarters? Change of vehicles? And shootouts? The drug chief, the news of his son’s death? The $8 million? Danny confronting, the guns, Danny and his performance criticising Will, urging him to turn left, the queue for the shootout? Going to the ambulance, Camille shooting, Will injured?
12. Will’s wife, phone call assuring her, the television, coming to the scene of the arrest? Camille and her help?
13. At the hospital, the policeman, Will injured on the ground, Danny holding Camille, his being shot? His death?
14. The hospital, Will and his being attended to, the policeman not identifying him but saying that Will have saved his life?
15. Camille, her previous harsh attitudes, not following through simply doing duty, going to visit the little girl who had been injured that morning?
16. An action-day, the robbery, the police, the chase, the human stories?