DeGen Cinema Podcast
Ambulance (2022) | Meeting Michael Bay at a Party
Degens Andy S and Brandon Bombay have a bad day turn to worse, and worse, and worse while discussing the criminally underrated actioner, 'Ambulance.' Bombay kicks off the episode by telling a story about meeting an excited Michael Bay at a party, and how his real-life enthusiasm bleeds through to his work. Then the boys dive in on one of the best films of the decade, an action movie that bares all the tension-building tropes of a classic thriller. They discuss how impressive it was to see Bay return to his roots and pull off incredible stunts with practical FX, and all on a relatively modest $40 million budget. For the film, the seasoned director brought his favorite co-star which was hundreds of drones. This technology appeared to allow Bay to fully achieve his vision of Bayhem. The movie's pacing is dialed up to an 11, and Jake Gyllenhaal delivers a wonderfully gonzo performance that is also cranked up. Eiza Gonzalez is given one of her meatier roles to date, and manages to go toe-to-toe with Gyllenhaal — whose run before this movie was one of the greatest ever seen by a modern actor. Besides the propulsive action all the trademark Bay touches are there including overstuffed amount of characters, and juvenile humor, but it all adds to the charm of this comparatively stripped-down installment in the Bay oeuvre.
