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class="RubricLk-gRWSOU fgWnkQ bric__lk" href="/culture/the-ont-row"><span class="RubricName-fVtemz cLxcNi">The Front Row</span></a></div></div></div><h1 data-ttid="ContentHearHed" class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ ContentHearHed-NCyCC iUEiRd NbxED hpJvIc">“Ambulance,” Reviewed: Michael Bay Plays Himself</h1></div><div class="ContentHearAccredatn-lfctVB enhwXT ntent-hear__accredatn" data-ttid="ContentHearAccredatn"><div class="ContentHearDek-bIqFFZ Mtme">The heist-and-chase drama’s large-sle actn is unrcut by Bay’s flashy, empty style.</div><div class="ContentHearByle-kmPyCa gvUmxJ"><span class="SpanWrapper-umhxW jvZaPI rponsive-asset ContentHearContributorImage-cvjZXn jKACOU"><picture class="RponsiveImagePicture-cWuUZO dUOtEa ContentHearContributorImage-cvjZXn jKACOU rponsive-image"><source media="(max-width: 767px)" srcSet=" 120w, 240w" siz="66px"/><source media="(m-width: 768px)" srcSet=" 120w, 240w" siz="66px"/><img alt="" class="RponsiveImageContaer-eybHBd fptoWY rponsive-image__image" src="></picture></span><div class="ContentHearByleContent-dpPmNn DRFq"><div data-ttid="BylWrapper" class="BylWrapper-KIudk irTIfE byl ContentHearByl-cZqgyJ bqbBYQ"><p class="ByleWrapper-jWHrLH ivtvgj byle byl__byle" data-ttid="ByleWrapper" emProp="thor" emType="><span emProp="name" class="ByleNamWrapper-jbHncj fuDQVo"><span data-ttid="ByleName" class="ByleName-kwmrLn cYaBaU byle__name"><span class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ BylePreamble-iJolpQ iUEiRd jslZfG gnILss byle__preamble">By </span><a class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ BaseLk-eNWuiM ByleLk-gEnFiw iUEiRd ggMZaT cXqSTL eErqIx byle__name-lk button" href="/ntributors/richard-brody">Richard Brody</a></span></span></p></div><time data-ttid="ContentHearPublishDate" dateTime="2022-04-11T20:05:57-04:00" class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ ContentHearPublishDate-eIBicG iUEiRd kYZrFA kEBrdf">April 11, 2022</time></div></div></div></div><div class="LightboxWrapper-dxsWBV hhylRt"><div class="ContentHearLeadAsset-hGbumP iWPCcH lead-asset ContentHearLeadAssetWrapper-hfXHEc fTrSlG lead-asset--width-smallle" data-ttid="ContentHearLeadAsset"><figure class="ContentHearLeadAssetContent-kOfYSG dRGWbI"><div class="ContentHearLeadAssetContentMedia-bLEIpi jjhWdS lead-asset__ntent__photo"><span class="SpanWrapper-umhxW jvZaPI rponsive-asset ContentHearRponsiveAsset-bREgIb khLUzS"><div data-tt="aspect-rat-ntaer" class="AspectRatContaer-bJHpJz bkOWUs"><div class="aspect-rat--overlay-ntaer"><picture class="RponsiveImagePicture-cWuUZO KhjZz ContentHearRponsiveAsset-bREgIb khLUzS rponsive-image rponsive-image--expandable"><source media="(max-width: 767px)" srcSet=" 120w, 240w, 320w, 640w, 960w" siz="100vw"/><source media="(m-width: 768px)" srcSet=" 120w, 240w, 320w, 640w, 960w, 1280w, 1600w, 1920w, 2240w" siz="100vw"/><img alt="Jake Gyllenhaal seen through a bullet hole the back wdow of an ambulance." class="RponsiveImageContaer-eybHBd fptoWY rponsive-image__image" src="></picture></div></div></span><div class="CaptnWrapper-jSZdqE iTuhkZ ptn ContentHearLeadAssetCaptn-hPWmSN kuCzGS"><span class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ CaptnText-bHjzlu iUEiRd hWyo iXWezO ptn__text">In “Ambulance,” starrg Jake Gyllenhaal, what Bay is up to is motn, which isn’t que the same thg as actn.</span><span class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ CaptnCred-ejegDm iUEiRd iicloT jbIJNS ptn__cred">Photograph urty Universal Pictur</span></div></div></figure><div data-ttid="ContentHearLeadRailAnchor" class="ContentHearLeadRailAnchor-jYVcDc djtEof"></div></div></div></div></hear></div><div data-attribute-verso-pattern="article-body" class="ArticlePageContentBackGround-cNiFNN kbAoLA article-body__ntent"><div class="ActnBarWrapperContent-lasBkU cAHp"><div class="ActnBarWrapperComponent-cjwxLS bEeSLb"><div data-attr-viewport-monor="" class="ActnBarWrapper-dhxmQh kNjTbQ viewport-monor-anchor"><button id="bookmark" aria-label="Save this story" class="ActnBarButton-dyFOZU hQrwCF bookmark large-screen"><span class="ActnBarSendaryButtonPrimaryIn-isbvyN cAwccV bookmark-button-in"><svg class="in in-bookmark" width="24" height="24" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="><tle>Save this story</tle><path class="in-bookmark-fill" d="M20 23.9508L12.5 19.7312L5 23.9508V2.95081H14V3.93211H6V22.1845L12.5 18.5536L19 22.1845V8.83866H20V23.9508Z"></path><path class="in-bookmark-fill" d="M23 3H20V0H19V3H16V4H19V7H20V4H23V3Z"></path></svg></span><span class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ ActnBarButtonText-bYXYuh iUEiRd bkefvo gkccfO">Save this story</span></button></div><div data-attr-viewport-monor="" class="ActnBarWrapper-dhxmQh kAEsuD viewport-monor-anchor"><button id="bookmark" aria-label="Save this story" class="ActnBarButton-dyFOZU cjjxgx bookmark mobile"><span class="ActnBarSendaryButtonPrimaryIn-isbvyN cAwccV bookmark-button-in"><svg class="in in-bookmark" width="24" height="24" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="><tle>Save this story</tle><path class="in-bookmark-fill" d="M20 23.9508L12.5 19.7312L5 23.9508V2.95081H14V3.93211H6V22.1845L12.5 18.5536L19 22.1845V8.83866H20V23.9508Z"></path><path class="in-bookmark-fill" d="M23 3H20V0H19V3H16V4H19V7H20V4H23V3Z"></path></svg></span><span class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ ActnBarButtonText-bYXYuh iUEiRd bkefvo gkccfO">Save this story</span></button></div></div></div><div class="LightboxWrapper-dxsWBV hhylRt"><div class="ArticlePageChunksContent-etcMtP bwyLBj"><div data-ttid="ArticlePageChunks" class="ArticlePageChunks-fLyCVG Uozmo"><div class="GridWrapper-cAzTTK kHBDeH grid grid-margs grid-ems-2 ArticlePageChunksGrid-hfxa bjczjj grid-layout--adrail narrow wi-adrail"><div class="GridItem-buujkM stRKV grid--em grid-layout__ntent"><div class="BodyWrapper-kufPGa EOneK body body__ntaer article__body" data-journey-hook="client-ntent" data-ttid="BodyWrapper"><div class="body__ner-ntaer"><p class="has-dropp has-dropp__lead-standard-headg">Michael Bay’s new film, “Ambulance,” which opened theatr last Friday, is beg hailed as an exemplary Michael Bay film: a large-sle livery vice for quick-cut actn sequenc, explosns, quips, and more explosns. It’s Bay’s first theatril release five years, and one of the few non-“<a href=">Transformers</a>” movi he’s done fifteen. Yet, spe the Bay imprimatur, the ma qualy of “Ambulance” is s virtual anonymy. In both his methods and his attus, he empti the film of any trace of creative personaly. “Ambulance” remds me of one of the few good films of the misbegotten Dogme 95 movement, “<a href=">The Boss of It All</a>,” which the director Lars von Trier ed a system that he lled <a data-offer-url=" class="external-lk" data-event-click="{"element":"ExternalLk","outgogURL":"" href=" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Automavisn</a>, a puterized ntrol of his mera: “We ph this button on the puter and we get given six or eight randomized set-ups—a ltle tilt, or a movement, or if you should zoom .” So is wh “Ambulance,” which Bay sacrific his modicum of directorial origaly orr to whip up a enzy of mechanized excement wh a story that uld have been generated by Automatext.</p><p class="paywall">“Ambulance” is a post-heist movie—the botched bank robbery at s center is merely the pretext for an extend chase. Two brothers Los Angel—Danny Sharp (Jake Gyllenhaal), a reer crimal who’s the rglear of the job, and Will Sharp (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II), a Mare veteran need of fast money—are the two survivors of the heist. They get away (totg thirty-two ln dollars sh) by hijackg an ambulance which an E.M.T. ai, Cam Thompson (Eiza González), is tendg to the police officer, Zach (Jackson Whe), whom Will shot durg the pe. The premise of the chase is that only Zach’s grave wounds, and Cam’s exactg re to keep him alive, are rtrag the thori om swoopg and stoppg the vehicle. The trepid Danny, who is on his thirty-eighth bank robbery ten years, clar, “We’re a shark: we don’t stop.”</p><p class="paywall">The bulk of the film—and bulk is—is tactil: Will (an expert driver) and Danny take darg, evasive measur; Cam’s formidable medil skills are prsed by Zach’s terratg ndn; law enforcement, s mand spl between the csty Capta Monroe (Garret Dillahunt) and the starchy, young F.B.I. agent Anson Clark (Keir O’Donnell), tracks the robbers and tri to trap them. As Danny mak creasgly bold and plited plans to elu pture, he sparks nflict wh another gang of crimals led by a man known only as Papi (A Martez), a thls agent for dg rtels.</p><p class="paywall">Each of the characters has a salient tra or two to expla his or her actns wh a forensic specificy that tak the place of any dramatic cursy. Yet the script, by Chris Fedak (based on a Danish film om 2005), is gdily rative— adorns the characters wh patter and riffs, wh extraneo tails that simulate the stuff of life whout any substance. The verbal ornaments give the actors somethg to work wh, l to flect and emotns to ntrive, as hectic distractns om the fact that their characters are purely puppets, pulled by the dictatorial strgs of plot. The flashy performanc are a tribute to the actors’ talent—pecially Gyllenhaal, González, Dillahunt, and O’Donnell, who njure a sense of sp on lean absurdi. Abdul-Mateen II has the harst job, bee the script giv him even ls to work wh: Will, a slightly more malleable character, is entirely the service of fillg plot hol, and Bay don’t even feign tert his personaly.</p><div class="Contaer-bkChBi byNLHx"></div><p class="paywall">[<em>Support The New Yorker’s award-wng journalism. <a href=">Subscribe today »</a></em>]</p><p class="paywall">What Bay is up to “Ambulance” is motn, which isn’t que the same thg as actn. It isn’t enough that there are r crash—drivers losg ntrol, vehicl losg tractn, ncrete shards flyg at the mera like sand kicked by a beach bully, people stterg and smashg wh a sual difference beftg only clay figur. It isn’t enough, bee much of the movie—wh s negotiatns and cisns, s wranglg and planng—volv talk, and Bay films to appear ntuo wh the p scen of vlence. Even when the characters are stg still, the mera don’t stop movg. The panoply of angl, realized seemgly wh handheld meras subject to jolts om the hazards of the shoot, merely simulat substance and emotn; the imag suggt exprsive flectns that they don’t actually provi. Moreover, the ntral imag are eded together at a pace that’s eic even for Bay. The montage offers giant helpgs of imag, furnishg fimal substance; for the viewer, ’s a mental race to keep up wh the jumble—and that jumble is what tak the place of bodily movement. Bay mak genero e of dron to follow vehicl om overhead, but much of the drone footage is siarly ornamental and provisnal, swoopg between a billboard’s stanchns or gyratg haphazardly around the vehicular drama to splatter the movie wh more movement than s characters and vehicl alone n furnish.</p><p class="paywall">The handful-of-nfetti approach to cematic posn match the skterg script almost entirely lackg a pot of view. The few moments that provi one—overhead surveillance imag of the ambulance that show only what the pilots see—do evoke, a few sends at a time, method and thought. Even the athetic sensibily that Bay flnts the “Transformers” anchise is mostly missg om “Ambulance,” too—although ’s hted at, durg the robbery scene the bank lobby, a few quick shots of characters closp om a very low angle that seems to prs them agast the crosshatched, light-stippled ceilg. It lasts maybe a total of two or three sends, but sparks imagatn.</p><p class="paywall">It’s the very sense of nothgns, of antic agatn that surrounds and even distracts om the actn, that is the movie’s ma distctn. Bay’s imag may be empty or trivial, but they do far more to give the film s inty and s substance than the performers do. (One scene, volvg a b of surgil rrg-do unr prsure, wks at the giddy absurdy of the movie’s entire nce, brandishg a sense of rtoonish hyperbole that the movie otherwise supprs.) The whirlwd of empty imag of arbrarily fimal duratns taken om an arbrary abundance of angl suggts the vague sire for anythg but realism. For better or worse, Bay is immune to the myth of cematic transparency, the belief that suffic to pict an actn a pla, unadorned way orr to pture s substance, signifince, and physily. That’s why Bay, at his bt, is a lighthearted cynic, a sual ironist, whether exprsg his tall-tale light excable dimns, “<a href=">Pa & Ga</a>,” or, the “Transformers” anchise, his sensual light atheticizg s triviali.</p><p class="paywall">In “Ambulance,” however, Bay tri to have both ways. He tak the plottg very serly, burns characters wh earnt motiv and troubl, yet prents them a throwaway style and allows them no self-exprsn, no inty. The movie is different to the humany of s characters, is tached om the reali of s regnizable settg, and tak a nearly pornographic light the pictn of pa and disfort. If the movie has any mer at all, ’s the seemgly untentnal mockery of the nventns and styl of far more purposeful and tentn-lan films. In s chaotic whirl of tsel imag, thumbs s nose at the kd of pla realism that too often pass as synonymo wh scery. Yet Bay’s substute for realism isn’t imagatn or fantasy but merely unrealism. His naïve solence punctur the vani of other filmmakers while offerg no alternative, and the movie that rults is a joyls, nfed self-abnegatn.</p></div></div></div><div class="GridItem-buujkM fVLMby grid--em grid-layout__asi"><asi class="PersistentAsiWrapper-VGrR daRVRt persistent-asi" style="posn:absolute;top:to;height:to" data-ttid="PersistentAsiWrapper"><div class="StickyBoxWrapper-jfYB jxBcTH sticky-box ArticlePageSplAdRail-OyjwD jikppc"><div class="StickyBoxPrimary-dzWDWL cdhYoN sticky-box__primary"><div class="ArticlePageSplAdRailContent-jsltpq iZDmmY spl-ad-rail-ntent"><div class="ArticlePageSplAdRailTop-jUrrVY jzzFg"><div class="StickyBoxWrapper-jfYB jxBcTH sticky-box"><div class="StickyBoxPrimary-dzWDWL cdhYoN sticky-box__primary"><div class="AdWrapper-dQtivb fZrssQ ad ad--rail"><div class="ad__slot ad__slot--rail" data-no-id="mvjlr8"></div></div><div class="ConsumerMarketgUnThemedWrapper-iUTMTf jssHut nsumer-marketg-un nsumer-marketg-un--display-rail" role="prentatn" 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He wr about movi his blog, <a href=">The Front Row</a>. 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All the years later, why has the se bee a e?</div><div class="SummaryItemByleWrapper-boCfbi cuRXdL summary-em__byle-date-in"><div class="SummaryItemBaseByle-fFbXkY cgDBtc summary-em__byle"><div class="summary-em__byle__ntent"><div data-ttid="BylWrapper" class="BylWrapper-KIudk irTIfE byl"><p class="ByleWrapper-jWHrLH dSEWiO byle byl__byle" data-ttid="ByleWrapper" emProp="thor" emType="><span emProp="name" class="ByleNamWrapper-jbHncj fuDQVo"><span data-ttid="ByleName" class="ByleName-kwmrLn cYaBaU byle__name"><span class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ BylePreamble-iJolpQ iUEiRd jslZfG gnILss byle__preamble">By </span>Nathan Heller</span></span></p></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="SummaryItemWrapper-iwvBff hNpSyX summary-em summary-em--ARTICLE summary-em--no-in summary-em--text-align-left summary-em--layout-placement-text-below summary-em--layout-posn-image-left summary-em--layout-proportns-50-50 summary-em--si-by-si-align-center summary-em--si-by-si-image-right-mobile-false summary-em--standard SummaryCollectnGridSummaryItem-WColm hKqhyj" role="button" tabx="0"><div class="SummaryItemAssetContaer-gwhFFH VOyg summary-em__asset-ntaer"><a class="SummaryItemImageLk-dshqxb cPpCwE summary-em__image-lk summary-em-trackg__image-lk" href=" aria-hidn="te" tabx="-1" data-ponent-type="recirc-river" data-recirc-id="em-image-3" data-recirc-pattern="summary-em" target="_self"><span class="SpanWrapper-umhxW kGxnNB rponsive-asset SummaryItemRponsiveAsset-hjGIGg bDvSkO summary-em__image"><div data-tt="aspect-rat-ntaer" class="AspectRatContaer-bJHpJz ktcjQn"><div class="aspect-rat--overlay-ntaer"><picture class="RponsiveImagePicture-cWuUZO dUOtEa SummaryItemRponsiveAsset-hjGIGg bDvSkO summary-em__image rponsive-image"><noscript><source media="(max-width: 767px)" srcSet=" 120w, 240w, 320w, 640w" siz="100vw"/><source media="(m-width: 768px)" srcSet=" 120w, 240w, 320w" siz="100vw"/><img alt="The Chameleon" class="RponsiveImageContaer-eybHBd fptoWY rponsive-image__image" src="></noscript></picture></div></div></span></a></div><div class="SummaryItemContent-eiDYMl XMZX summary-em__ntent"><div class="RubricWrapper-dKmCNX kImuKS bric bric--disvery SummaryItemRubric-dguGKN lapGFj summary-em__bric"><span class="RubricName-fVtemz cLxcNi">Annals of Crime</span></div><a class="SummaryItemHedLk-civM dVrbhU summary-em-trackg__hed-lk summary-em__hed-lk" data-ponent-type="recirc-river" data-recirc-id="em-hed-3" data-recirc-pattern="summary-em" href=" target="_self"><div class="SummaryItemHedBase-hiFYpQ fzzTdh summary-em__hed" data-ttid="SummaryItemHed">The Chameleon</div></a><div class="BaseWrap-sc-gjQpdd BaseText-ewhhUZ SummaryItemDek-CRfsi iUEiRd kxnNhB jDyfzW summary-em__k">The many liv of Frédéric Bourd.</div><div class="SummaryItemByleWrapper-boCfbi cuRXdL summary-em__byle-date-in"><div class="SummaryItemBaseByle-fFbXkY cgDBtc summary-em__byle"><div class="summary-em__byle__ntent"><div 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