‘Ambulance’ – fast and foolish

The movies have no shortage of unsung heroes who’ve fallen on hard times. In Ambulance, that position falls to Yahya Abdul-Mateen II as Will Sharp. Sharp is a father, decorated soldier, devoted husband, who can’t seem to get his wife an expensive nondescript life-saving surgery. Pushed to his very limit, he calls upon his eccentric and exceedingly wealthy brother Danny, played by Jake Gyllenhaal, for help.

Within five minutes of their meeting, Danny somehow gets Will to agree to an extremely dangerous bank robbery. You’re meant to understand that the two come from a family of criminals, so there’s at least a history there, one that the movie has zero intentions of exploring. Ambulance operates on go mode, never stopping long enough for its characters to have a conversation and increasing the stakes ad infinitum.

The trouble is how nonsensical it all is. What starts as a tense and engaging hostage film quickly devolves into a chaotic and disorienting amusement park ride. One thing leads to the next, and Will and Danny find themselves hijacking the titular vehicle and, with the help of a cold-hearted EMT, try their best to keep a policeman from knocking on heaven’s door.

What follows may be one of the longest car chases in cinema history, and certainly one that’s memorable. An ambulance tearing through the streets of LA, sometimes literally, under constant pursuit by an unending number of police vehicles. Trying to make sense of just where the pair intends to go is a waste of time, but there are more than a few eye-catching visuals to make up for it. Michael Bay films may lack well-developed characters and stories, but his sheer devotion to spectacle is commendable.

Abdul-Mateen II is good enough to elevate the film despite his character’s inconsistency. While Jake Gyllenhaal’s Danny is persistently psychotic and never ceases to entertain. Eiza Gonzalez balances things out as the stressed-out EMT. Their performances help anchor the film, and the visuals keep you engaged amid its inane plot. Unfortunately, it’s just not enough to tip the scales.

Damian Levy is a film critic and podcaster for Damian Michael Movies.