Blu-ray Review: AMBULANCE

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Jun 11, 2022 Posted by Kyle Nolan in DVD/Blu-ray, Reviews | Comments

When Will Sharp (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Watchmen, Candyman, The Matrix Resurrections) and his adoptive older brother Danny (Jake Gyllenhaal) were younger, they got into a lot of trouble. Their father was a bit psychotic, and a hardened criminal/bank robber. While Danny continued along his biological father’s path, Will tried to clean his life up by joining the Marines. Now he’s no longer on active-duty, working warehouse jobs and struggling to provide for his newborn son and ill wife. Will is constantly given the runaround from his insurance company, which refuses to cover the experimental surgery his wife desperately needs. So when Danny asks him to be the driver for his latest bank heist, Will reluctantly agrees. However, it turns out that the robbery is bigger than what Will was told, and doesn’t go anywhere near as smoothly as Danny promised.

With their original getaway plans in shambles, the brothers decide to commandeer an ambulance. EMT Cam Thompson (Eiza González, From Dusk Till Dawn: The Series), an experienced and skilled paramedic, is desperately trying to save a wounded rookie cop from bleeding out when Danny and Will show up to take her ride. Rather than having a dead cop on their hands, the brothers take Cam hostage and allow her to work on the wounded officer while they make their escape. However, they soon discover that the police in FBI are in hot pursuit, following the ambulance both from the ground and from the air. And so begins a fast-paced pursuit down the highways and streets of Los Angeles. While Will just wants to get back to his wife and child, Danny can’t help but find some thrill in the chase. As the brothers desperately try to figure out a way out of this situation, they seek help from an overzealous local crime lord (A Martinez, Longmire) who had previously worked with their father, but this complicates the situation and turns things more deadly. Meanwhile, time is running out for the wounded cop, and Cam starts to secretly plot her own way to bring the situation to an end.

Ambulance, which is a remake of the 2005 Danish film Ambulancen, is a fast-paced, non-stop thrill ride, and everything you’d expect from a Michael Bay movie—high-speed car chases, helicopters, guns and explosions—it’s an entertaining 2-hour adrenaline-fueled experience. Even though much of the film takes place inside this small ambulance as it speeds through the streets of LA, the film still remains exciting and interesting throughout. Amongst the action and gunfire, the movie also takes time to explore the backstory and complex relationship between these two brothers—one who turned to a life of crime like their father, and the other who tried to get out and change his life, only to get sucked back in by family. We also learn more about Cam’s backstory and why, despite being the best paramedic in town who can keep anyone alive for 20 minutes, no one wants to be her partner. The high-speed adventure takes many twists and turns along the way as the ambulance leaves a trail of destruction in its wake. While some of what happens is certainly not realistic and a bit over-the-top, that is pretty much a staple of any Michael Bay film, and what makes them so much fun to watch!

The film mainly focuses on the trio in the ambulance as they deal with the various obstacles that come their way, whether it be medical emergencies involving the wounded cop, or a difference of opinion on how to proceed in their situation. All three actors give strong, emotional performances, making you care about these characters and understand their motivations. Outside of the ambulance, we also follow LAPD Captain Monroe (Garret Dillahunt, Fear the Walking Dead) as he leads a team to try stop the ambulance, even if that means killing those inside. He also butts heads with FBI Agent Anson Clark (Keir O’Donnell, Project Blue Book, Ray Donovan) who has his own opinions on how to handle the situation, and has a history with Danny.

The film is beautifully and creatively shot, making extensive use of drones that scale up and down the sides of buildings, slalom around the support poles in a parking garage, and glide through the skyline and city streets. When not inside the ambulance, the cameras make you feel right there in the middle of the action weaving through the speeding traffic, closely following the chase. This film is not short of action when it comes to vehicles. There are also some equally-impressive shots involving helicopters that must have required some incredibly-skilled pilots!

Universal’s Blu-ray release looks and sounds amazing. The picture is pristine and clear, with an excellent level of detail, especially in faces. I was sent the Blu-ray release for review, but I can’t imagine how this could look any better on the 4K disc. (It certainly looks nicer than when I first saw this in the theater.) The Dolby Atmos audio track is also quite impressive, with clear dialogue and a pulsating score that the bounces around the room. The roaring bass also helps to add to the tension of the on-screen action. The Atmos track provides a thoroughly-immersive experience, not just for the sounds of explosions, or bullets as they whiz across the room/ricochet off metal and concrete, but it also provides a solid ambiance throughout.

The Blu-ray and DVD discs come packed on either side of a standard HD keepcase with an embossed carboard slipcover. The release contains an insert with a code to redeem for an HD digital copy of the film (which is Movies Anywhere compatible). The Blu-ray contains nearly 40 minutes of entertaining behind-the-scenes featurettes with the cast and crew—a couple of these featurettes are left off of the DVD.

What’s Included:

Film: (2:16:20)

1080p / Widescreen 2.35:1
Audio: English Dolby Atmos, English DVS (Descriptive Video Service), Spanish 7.1 Dolby Audio, French 5.1 Dolby Audio
Subtitles: English SDH, Spanish, French

DVD:

480i / Anamorphic Widescreen 2.35:1
Audio: English 5.1 Dolby Digital, English DVS (Descriptive Video Service), French 5.1 Dolby Digital, Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital
Subtitles: English SDH, French, Spanish

Digital (code may not be valid after 6/30/2023):

HD Digital Copy (Movies Anywhere compatible)

Extras:

Items marked with a * are not included on the DVD disc. Play All, or select from:

Bayhem (6:14)
The cast and crew discuss what it is like working on an action movie with Michael Bay and his team, filming the explosions, helicopter and stunt scenes, the energy on set, and more. Includes behind-the-scenes footage, and interviews with producer Bradley J. Fischer, executive producer Michael Kase, production designer Karen Frick, 2nd unit director/stunt coordinator Mike Gunther, writer Chris Fedak, and stars Jake Gyllenhaal (“Danny Sharp”), Yahya Abdul-Mateen II (“Will Sharp”) & Eiza González (“Cam Thompson”).
Pedal To The Metal (9:34)
The cast and crew discuss filming in the ambulance, the different ambulances used in the shoot, having both the actors and stunt drivers behind the wheel, and more. Includes behind-the-scenes footage, and interviews with executive producer Michael Kase, writer Chris Fedak, transportation & picture car coordinator Joey Freitas, Falck director of marketing & communications Jeff Luca, production designer Karen Frick, 2nd unit director/stunt coordinator Mike Gunther, producer Bradley J. Fischer, special effects supervisor Eric Frazier, and stars Jake Gyllenhaal, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Eiza González & Jackson White (“Officer Zach”).
Aerial Assault (5:08)
The cast and crew discuss the various technologies used to capture the film’s action from above, from the latest in drone tech to classic helicopters, and more. Includes behind-the-scenes footage, and interviews with executive producer Michael Kase, drone coordinator Davis Dilillo, FPV drone pilot Alex Vanover, supervising location manager Rob Gibson, and star Jake Gyllenhaal.
Finding Ambulance* (5:34)
The cast and crew discuss what drew them to the project, the characters, the inspiration for the film/story, getting Michael Bay onboard and his contributions to the script, casting the movie, and more. Includes behind-the-scenes footage, and interviews with writer Chris Fedak, producer Bradley J. Fischer, executive producer Michael Kase, Falck director of clinical operations Dannie Wurtz, and stars Jake Gyllenhaal, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II & Eiza González.
Chase Capital of the World* (3:58)
The cast and crew discuss shooting the film in Los Angeles and the various filming locations. Includes behind-the-scenes footage, and interviews with writer Chris Fedak, producer Bradley J. Fischer, executive producer Michael Kase, producer Ian Bryce, production designer Karen Frick, supervising location manager Rob Gibson, and stars Jake Gyllenhaal, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II & Eiza González.
A Tribute to First Responders (6:54)
The cast and crew discuss the vital roles of first responders, how the film strives to honor and pay homage to them, using real first responders to make the film feel authentic, and more. Includes behind-the-scenes footage, and interviews with writer Chris Fedak, producer Bradley J. Fischer, Falck director of clinical operations Dannie Wurtz, Falck director of marketing and communications Jeff Lucia, executive producer Michael Kase, producer Ian Bryce, supervising location manager Rob Gibson, and stars Jake Gyllenhaal, Eiza González, Colin Woodell (“EMT Scott”), Garret Dillahunt (“Captain Monroe”), Jamie McBride (“SIS Undercover — Jay”/LAPD Consultant), Remi Adeleke (“SIS Undercover — Wade”/Retired Navy SEAL), Cedric Sanders (“Officer Mark”) & Olivia Stambouliah (“Lieutenant Dhazghig”).

Final Thoughts:

My Rating

Film:

Video:

Audio:

Extras:

Recommended

Ambulance is a fun, exciting and wild ride that feels like a non-stop boost of adrenaline. It combines the over-the-top action and explosions you expect in a big blockbuster Michael Bay film, with some interesting character drama and relationships. The main cast delivers strong, sometimes emotional performances that get you invested in these characters and their fates. Universal’s Blu-ray release features stellar picture and sound, and includes almost 40 minutes of behind-the-scenes featurettes with the cast and crew. This is an easy recommendation for fans of Michael Bay or of action-packed films in general. And for those who may wish to try before you buy, the film is currently still available on Universal’s Peacock streaming service.