The Mosley Review: Ambulance

I'm in utter shock right now. I seriously can't believe that it took this long for someone to reign in the mayhem that Michael Bay creates and force him to tell a great story. I've said it before and I'll say it again, the greatest of filmmakers truly shine when they are stripped of the astronomical budgets they're used to. It forces them to go back to the days when they had nothing but a shoe string budget to tell a story without the gratuitous amount of money being spent in every shot. This is one of those films and I was completely blown away by the focus that Michael Bay had in delivering an adrenaline fueled and sometimes heartbreaking story. The first 10 minutes alone would've made for an amazing short film. He always shows his love and appreciation for law enforcement and the military, but this film was a surprising love letter to the first responders out there saving lives every day. Now the Bayhem is all over the place as he takes advantage of new drone filming technology in some fun action sequences that take you on a fast tour through Los Angeles. Aside from the fantastic action, the characters were the heart of the film and it was a pleasant surprise.

Yahya Abdul-Mateen II was perfectly charismatic as the Marine Veteran Will Sharp. You understand his motivation quickly and you care for him as his story insanity begins and you just want to see him get home to his wife Amy played wonderfully by Moses Ingram. Jake Gyllenhaal was erratic, fun and fierce as Danny's loose canon adoptive brother Danny. He talks, walks and moves so fast that it was almost dizzying how Jake would deliver his dialogue. His chemistry with Yahya was the heart of the film and I loved every bit of their bond and how it is tested constantly throughout the film. Eiza Gonzalez was excellent as the EMT Cam and I loved that she kept her cool throughout the film even in the most insane moments. She had her moments of fear but like all EMTs, she knew when to focus. There was an amazing surgery scene with her that was one of the most intense moments of the film. Jackson White was good as Officer Zach who was in unconscious most of the film but when he wasn't, he was great. Garret Dillahunt is always fun to watch and he was just that as Task Force Captain Monroe. Keir O'Donnell was fun as FBI Agent Anson Clark and I liked that he wasn't the stereotypical Agent that tries to derail the hunt for the bank robbers.

The score by Lorne Balfe was pulse pounding and heartfelt in all the right ways. The best moments of score were during the LA River chase sequence and the surgery scene. The action in this film is where Michael Bay shows his expertise and the drone shots could be dizzying at times, but they were so expertly piloted that it added to the Bayhem and I couldn't get enough of it. This is the most grounded Bay film in years, but this story probably features the worst planned heist I've ever seen. There were some serious continuity issues and if you're a Los Angeles native, you know that rush hour begins at 9 a.m. on all the major highways and doesn’t really end. Suspension of disbelief is the way to go into this film. In the legacy of Michael Bay films, this was a welcomed return to his more humble days and definitely one of his best films in decades. Let me know what you thought of the film or my review in the comments below. Thanks for reading!