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This is exactly the kind of ridiculousness I can get behind.
Ambulancehas been dubbed small by Bay standards because of its mid- budget cost of $40 million.
This is a film built to satisfy teasing laughter and shock out of you at a clip.
The intensity starts early.
Will is at the end of his line.
He turns to his criminal brother for a job that quickly goes left.
Danny is beguiling with a hair-trigger temper.
Will is stoic and caring, disposed to put his life on the line for his very own hostages.
When Cam is introduced, it becomes clear just what kind of female character were faced with.
Here, shes gentle when she really needs to be steely.
But much more has been lost than that.
As Danny, Gyllenhaal is giving hypermasculine drag.
This isnt new for him.
Hes an actor who truly loves to toggle between more experimental art-house fare and big-budget extravaganzas.
Here, Gyllenhaal is going full masc.
In his hands, Dannys charms quickly curdle into selfishness and sharp-edged violence.
Hes giving pure, unabashed gonzo energy.
When he says, Its not that simple, Will.
Were not the bad guys, were meant to look at his character warily.
Bay doesnt wrestle with this dynamic.
Hell, he doesnt even realize its there.
In HBOs resplendent seriesWatchmen,he plays Doctor Manhattan with a tender heart and prowess.
In the silly bombast ofAquaman,he plays my perennial favorite, Black Manta, with sneering force.
More recently inMatrix Resurrections,he takes a spin on Morpheus that is self-aware and brazenly confident.
But what rooms does he desire to walk into?
What heights does he want to reach?
Despite his skill and profile, Abdul-Mateen isnt consistently taking on roles that put his power in the spotlight.
But thats not why youre reading this review.
Youre wondering, IsAmbulancethe kind of fun worth trotting out to the theater for?
Hell, yeah, it is.
Where do I begin?
With the ecstatic color palette?
The sheer insanity of the crashes wrought with balletic grace?
How about those drone shots?
This swooning visual style is used again and again to great effect.
Another great example of the films visual force?
What more can be said but this: Nowthatscinema, baby.
