Michael Bay–three syllables that have become synonymous with action, style and Transformers. As a director, he’s been steadily churning out stunning footage every year or two since the mid-’90s. He’s also a prodigious producer responsible for original and rebooted horror movies, including The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Friday 13 (2009), as well as The purgeand A silent place franchisees. Bay’s filmography is full of lens flare, explosions, and American idealism. Whether it’s his films from the 90s or his contemporary creations, they are filled with humor, hope and many weapons. His new movie, Ambulanceis no exception. Ambulance is based on a Danish image of the same name. The official description describes Ambulance as,
In one day through the streets of Los Angeles, three lives will change forever. In this fast-paced thriller from director-producer Michael Bay, decorated veteran Will Sharp, desperate for money to cover his wife’s medical bills, seeks help from the one person he knows he shouldn’t—his adoptive brother Danny. A charismatic career criminal, Danny instead offers him a score: the biggest bank robbery in the history of Los Angeles: 32 million dollars. With his wife’s survival at stake, Will can’t say no. But when their getaway goes awry, the desperate brothers hijack an ambulance with an injured cop clinging to life and EMT ace Cam Thompson on board. In a never-ending high-speed chase, Will and Danny must evade a massive city-wide law enforcement response, keep their hostages alive, and somehow try to… another of not killing each other, while performing the craziest escape LA has ever seen. .
With Bay’s penchant for funding remakes, it’s no surprise that he stepped in and made one himself. The overly long trailer offers arguably too much insight into the picture, but it shows a flashy and dramatic chase movie starring two hot actors as the main rogues. Collider’s review called the American remake one of the best Michael Bay films in years. For who’s playing who in the latest Bay, check out our cast and character breakdown below.
Danny Sharp (Jake Gyllenhaal)
Jake Gyllenhaal leads the picture as Danny Sharp. Danny is the spark that ignites the flame. He lures his desperate brother into his bank robbery scheme with promises of over $30 million. Gyllenhaal embodies this opportunistic criminal with an electricity and humanity that makes him as exciting as he is likeable. In a conversation for a profile with SquireGyllenhaal co-star Yahya Abdul-Mateen II said Gyllenhaal made the setting his playground.
“There were times when he took Mike’s camera [Bay] then you look around and Jake shoots the scene,” he said. “I had never seen anything like this before. I’m curious about these things, but I would never ask the director if I could shoot a scene.
Curiously, this is the second consecutive Danish remake in which Gyllenhaal stars. He led the Antoine Fouqua (training day) American remake of The guilty, which was released on Netflix last year. With double-digit acting projects lined up, expect to see more of Jake’s face in the next two years. The next step for Gyllenhaal is the action thriller The interpreter from Guy Ritchie. In fact, Gyllenhaal seems to be in his action star phase lately, having signed on to star in the Sam Hargrave-comic book movie made Prophet in addition to playing in the long gestation Relay redo Doug Liman assume the role created by patrick swayze in 1989.
Will Sharp (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II)
Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Will Sharp, is Gyllenhaal’s brother. Will is the right hand of the crew. He is a man driven to desperation by excessive medical debt thanks to the privatized health care system of the United States. When his wife’s surgery comes with a $230,000 bill, he heads to his brother Danny for cash. Will accepts his brother’s offer to help with an armed robbery that has a 50% chance of success – if the statistical information at the opening of Against all odds is precise. Yahya has had a hell of a ride over the past four years. After appearing in Aquaman, We, black mirrorand The servant‘vitiatedhe played the role of Dr. Manhattan in HBO’s watchmen series. Just last year he led Nia Da Costait is candy man and played in The Matrix Resurrections bring your own vision the emblematic role of Morpheus. Fans can expect to see Yahya Abdul-Mateen II reprise his role as the villainous Black Manta in Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom when it hits theaters in March 2023.
Cam Thompson (Eiza González)
Eiza Gonzalez shares the ambulance with Jake Gyllenhaal and Yahya Abdul-Mateen II as EMTs whom the brothers take hostage when they rip off the vehicle. González may not be famous yet, but she’s worked with some of the industry’s most exciting directors, including Edgar Wright (baby driver), Robert Rodriguez (Alita: battle angel), Adam Wingard (Godzilla vs. Kong), and David Leitch (Fast & Furious Gifts: Hobbes & Shaw). She plays Cam Thompson, a paramedic who is having a bad day when she is taken hostage. It was announced that González had been chosen for Extrapolations an Apple TV+ series on climate change plus a roster of killer talent, including Gemma Chan (Eternals), Marion Cotillard (Anette), Kit Harington (The iron Throne), Tobey Maguire (Spider–Male), David Schwimmer (Friends), Meryl Streep (put on‘t Search), and Whitaker Forest (Black Panther). She will also direct the big-budget Netflix series The three-body problem from The iron Throne showrunners David Benioff and DB Weiss.
Captain Monroe (Garrett Dillahunt)
Garrett Dillahunt plays Monroe; the captain of the LAPD’s Special Investigations Section who is on the trail of the two bank robber brothers. Dillahunt is a fantastic talent that has arisen through a few Steve McQueen pictures (12 years of slavery), looper, There is no country for old peopleand many more shows and movies.
Anson Clark (Keir O’Donnell)
Keir O’Donnell plays the FBI agent assigned to investigate the Sharp brothers and their crew. O’Donnell is a versatile dramatic and comedic actor featured in This‘s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Legion, drunk storyand wedding crashes.
To know more Ambulance, check out this featurette detailing how they pulled off the wild cinematography for the picture. Speaking of capturing some of the drone footage in the film, the drone operator said:
“When I fly the drone, I act like Superman, in a way. I try to get these really unique angles and shots. I fly what’s called an FPV drone, and FPV stands for view We’re wearing a set of goggles over our face, and when I’m flying the drone, I’m actually flying it with a VR headset on. I can see exactly what the drone is seeing in real time. It’s a whole new arena to fly, and it allows us to fly over some really crazy places and get some really awesome shots that you can’t get with any other camera or drone.
Check out How to Watch Ambulance to find out if it’s streaming alongside its theatrical release. Ambulance hit theaters on April 8, 2022.
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