Ambulance Is Bayhem That's Entertaining A Surprising Amount Of Heart

    

      When it comes to film directors who can blow stuff up and create action movie mayhem, no one does it like Michael Bay. Since the latters directorial debut with 1995's Bad Boys, Bay has delivered some of the biggest blockbusters of all time with hits including The Rock, Armageddon, Pearl Harbor, and the Transformers franchise despite receiving critical disdain most of the time. Surprisingly with Ambulance, that isn't the case here with Bay's latest feature starring Jake Gyllenhaal, Yahya Abdul-Mateen ll, and Eliza Gonzalez, generating the best reviews of his career. Jam-packed with action from start to finish, Ambulance is thrilling Bayhem that embodies all of the directors most notable traits as an auteur action director, while possessing a surprising amount of heart. 

      Ambulance's plot centers around a decorated veteran (Yahya Abdul-Mateen ll), needing money to cover his wife's medical bills, teams up with his adoptive brother (Jake Gyllenhaal) to steal $32 million from a Los Angeles bank. When things go wrong, the desperate thieves steal an ambulance carrying a severely wounded cop and an EMT worker that places them in a high-speed chase with the police. Ambulance carries the look and feel of an action thriller that would've fit right at home in the mid 1990's when classics like Speed and Con Air were the standard norm for the genre. While its plot may not carry much in terms of depth, Bay takes what's essentially a generic heist premise and places his directorial stamp on it while providing a thrilling action-packed experience from start to finish.

      Along with Bay's trademark style of directing, he manages to generate some strong performances out of his cast with both Gyllenhaal and Mateen ll delivering intense and emotionally gripping performances while providing the stories pulse. Gyllenhaal is terrific as Danny, adoptive brother and life-long criminal who talks his brother into taking part in a $32 million bank heist. Gyllenhaal's performance here is one that's well-layered and shows a wide variety of emotions with him willing to go to the extreme in order to pull off the heist while showing loyalty to his brother. Mateen ll completely shines as War veteran Will Sharp with him believably conveying desperation in providing $231,000 for his wife's Amy's surgery. Gyllenhaal and Mateen ll are dynamic on screen together and convincingly portray that they're adoptive brothers with different paths who decide to do the unthinkable. Eliza Gonzalez impresses as EMT Cam Thompson whose taken hostage during the boys getaway in the ambulance. Gonzalez does well in providing the moral conscience of the trio, while showing devotion to her job by continuing to help her patient. The rest of Ambulance's supporting cast churn out serviceable performances including Garret Dillahunt as Police Captain Monroe, Keith O'Donnell as FBI Agent Anson Clark, Jackson White as Officer Zach, and Moses Ingram as Will's wife Amy Sharp. Despite the overall cast proving effective, it's the chemistry between the main trio that makes it extremely watchable. 

      With Bay at the helm, audiences know what to expect with the filmmakers distinctive directorial style that includes fast cutting shots, distinctive cinematography, and aggressive sound design. Anyone whose familiar with Bay's body of work knows that it comes with action sequences that appear as being both flashy and chaotic with Ambulance being no exception. The majority of the film plays as being one endless chase that keeps audiences at the edge of their seat for the duration of the films 136 minute running time. Along with Bay's crazed style of directing action, he incorporates moments of humor that's offbeat though ultimately appealing. With the films cinematography and rapid editing, the action is presented as being frantic with gory bits such as the performing of an operation in the ambulance during the chase, and a young female character shown to have a metal post protruding from her torso. With Ambulance, Bay glorifies the traditional style of action that's showcased in his previous films while making the most of the films plot with thoroughly satisfying results. 

      As far as Ambulance's writing goes, it helps that the characters are likable as well as being ones whom the audience can relate to and even sympathize with, most notably Will's character whose motivations for joining his brothers bank heist are made clear along with his frustration for not receiving the required assistance to help his wife despite his military service. Gyllenhaal's character is shown as being loving of his brother and not intending to hurt anyone during the heist, though audiences are left in suspense with what his character plans to do next as he becomes more desperate to evade the authorities. Danny is shown as sticking his nose into numerous amounts of trouble all across Los Angeles, whereas Will embodies the heart of the story. The distinction between the two main characters are made clear with the latter not approving of his brothers methods nor lifestyle despite participating in the heist. Thompson's character is shown as being focused and dedicated to her job despite the mayhem surrounding her. The side characters are stereotypical character tropes with them mainly existing to further drive the story. Whereas Michael Bay films are generally hit-and-miss when it comes to both writing and characterization, Ambulance, while not perfect, takes the opportunity to introduce characters whom the audience can find relatability to. 

      Despite the film carrying a few issues of it own such as certain subplots taking a bit long to finally be executed (The planned distraction to help Gyllenhaal and Mateen's characters escape the police for example) with the overall running time feeling a tad longer than required and could've been better tightened, Ambulance largely surprises as being an above average Michael Bay flick with the latter showing strong care for telling the story. Although it isn't Bay's best directed feature (The Rock still wears that crown), it will surprise, entertain, and satisfy audiences and action fans with its effectiveness while showing Bay to be a master at creating mayhem like no other.

Final Verdict: For action, Michael Bay, and Jake Gyllenhaal fans, Ambulance is an riveting action-packed spectacle that's worth experiencing.    

Images Courtesy Of New Republic

Disney Pixar's Lightyear Delivers A Satisfying Though Flawed Origin Story

      When looking at beloved animated film series, one can't imagine a more consistent one than that of the Toy Story franchise. Generally considered to be the crown jewel of Disney Pixar films, the announcement of a spin-off story exploring the origins of Buzz Lightyear is as bold as it is risky. Replacing Tim Allen as the voice of the titular character with Captain America's Chris Evans, Disney aims to expand on the legacy of Buzz while delivering an honorable spin-off which stays true to the Toy Story franchise while managing to craft an adventure with brand new characters, making Lightyear surprisingly entertaining to watch. 

      Branching off from the original Toy Story timeline, Lightyear revolves around legendary space ranger Buzz (Chris Evans) embarking on an intergalactic adventure alongside ambitious recruits Izzy, Mo, Darby, and his robot companion, Sox. The twist is that Buzz's origin story (The toy) is shown in the form of a science fiction adventure film featuring Evan's Lightyear, that captured Andy's imagination prompting him to purchase the toy version of the character, therefore spawning the Toy Story franchise. Lightyear's plot is one that's both complicated and highly conventional as it relies on formulaic Disney story structures in order to make it work. Although it never reaches the cinematic heights of its previous entries, it has enough to offer as being a beautifully animated adventure that carries an appropriate amount of heart. 

      As visually striking as Lightyear manages to be, it's the voice performances from its cast that make it both charming and fun to watch. With Buzz, Chris Evans proves to be a clever replacement for Tim Allen as he not only embodies many of the latter's traits while playing a more serious and ambitious type of character that fits the dramatic aspect of the story. Keke Palmer does a fine job of playing Izzy, the granddaughter of Buzz's best friend Aisha who teams up with Lightyear to complete his mission. Palmer plays her character well and shares admirable chemistry with Evans. Peter Sohn steals the show with his performance as Buzz's companion and romantic cat, Sox. It's hard not to find Sohn's character likable as he makes for a funny and loyal companion to Buzz with him bound to steal the hearts of young audiences. Uzo Aduba shines as Buzz's best friend and commanding officer Alisha, whose one of Izzy's grandmothers. Although her role isn't as big as Keke Palmer's, Aduba still leaves a strong impression with audiences. James Brolin is perfectly casted as Emperor Zurg, commander of the invading robotic army and Buzz's sworn enemy. Other noteworthy voice work include members of Buzz's team with Taika Waititi as fresh and naive recruit Mo Morrison, Dale Soules as elderly paroled convict Darby, Isiah Whitlock jr. as Commander Burnside, Bill Hader as new recruit Featheringhamstan, and Efren Ramirez as Airman. Overall, Lightyear's cast makes for a terrific ensemble with them crafting likable characters that are delightful to watch.

      Directed and co-written by Angus MacLane, he impresses in providing the story with breathtaking animation which looks stunning along with colors that appear sharp. If one ever imagined what a Buzz Lightyear-themed film would look like, MacLane's got them covered with the story looking like the ultimate space adventure for kids. The amount of attention that's paid to detail in regards to characters textured hair, Sox's fur, and the aggressive vines are highly commendable much like the space landscapes and planet shown in the story. At 105 minutes, Lightyear moves at a brisk pace that never feels like the film is moving too slow with composer Michael Giacchino's score adding both excitement and emotional power to the story. When it comes to directing Lightyear, MacLane presents audiences with a new type of animated adventure that pays homage to Sci-Fi classics like 2001: A Space Odyssey and Star Wars, while pushing the boundaries of what animation can do with making the characters in the story look more and more relatable to actual people.

      When it comes to Lightyear's writing, the script explores prominent themes pertaining to teamwork, perseverance, empathy, and courage with the stories message encouraging people to not be afraid of asking for help while valuing the skills that others bring to the table. Positive representation is also reinforced with the showing of Aisha's character having a lesbian relationship. Such a subplot doesn't feel forced here and is weaved into the story in a form that feels both natural and meaningful. Despite that element, Lightyear's screenplay suffers from being too conventional with a sizable lack of originality being present. The films characterization of the new Buzz feels ideal with his need of finishing a mission being put above himself. His relationship with Alisha is significant because of their respect and loyalty for each other. One fun bit that the two share includes a hand gesture with both saying Buzz's iconic Two Infinity line. The latter's ragtag team of colorful characters provide the films humor while testing Lightyear's patience and ability to rely on others. Out of all the members of Buzz's gang, it's Sox who steals the show along with providing Buzz with a friendly companion after becoming lonely through all the time jumps. The script takes key pieces of dialogue recited by Buzz in the original Toy Story and repeats them here, ultimately paying homage to Allen's work while maintaining continuity.

      Although it can definitely be said that Lightyear doesn't carry the same type of emotional core as other recent Pixar releases, it still provides a fun-spirited adventure that families can enjoy although it never answers the question of whether a Buzz Lightyear spin-off was needed and ultimately just leaves audiences confused on where it fits within the series timeline. It doesn't carry the charm of the original Toy Story nor the emotional payoff of 3 and 4, but where it's lacking in originality, it makes up for as being a satisfying animated adventure that's enjoyable though not quite as thrilling as the films it leans on for comfort.  

Final Verdict: Worth watching if you're a Buzz Lightyear and Toy Story fan. 

Images Courtesy Of Disney/Pixar

Jurassic World: Dominion Gives The Jurassic Park Series A Tremendously Disappointing Finale

      When viewing the current cinematic landscape, it feels as if nostalgia baiting has become a reliable trend that studios have turned to in hopes of revitalizing old popular franchises like Disney's Star Wars sequel trilogy, Ghostbusters: Afterlife, and Top Gun: Maverick. With Jurassic World: Dominion, the trend continues with the third entry in the Jurassic World trilogy and the sixth film in the Jurassic Park franchise. Bringing back original stars Sam Neil, Laura Dern, and Jeff Goldblum, while combining them with the current trilogy stars Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard, Dominion aims to deliver an epic conclusion to the Jurassic era, yet ends up being a complete misfire that tremendously disappoints.

      Continuing from where Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom ended, Dominion picks up four years later with Biosyn, a sinister bioengineering company creating mutated locusts to control the global food chain, triggering the reunion of Dr. Ellie Sadler (Laura Dern), Ian Malcom (Jeff Goldblum), and Dr. Grant (Sam Neil) in an effort to take down the big corporation with the help of Owen Grady (Chris Pratt) and Claire Dearing (Bryce Dallas Howard). Dominion's premise is one that would make for an ideal trilogy capper if not for the fact that it's handled so poorly by it's filmmakers. While Dominion possesses the right ideas, it feels uninspired with the end result feeling like a tremendously missed opportunity that lacks the thrills as well as the heart of the original. 

      The combining of both Jurassic trilogies casts make for a star-studded event. The inclusion of Sam Neil, Laura Dern, and Jeff Goldblum into the mix gives the film a much needed lift despite their characters feeling somewhat off compared to their previous appearances. Goldblum's character in particular feels more like a spin-off of the actors persona rather than the Ian Malcom whom audiences know from the previous films, although he delivers many of the films funny one-liners. Dern's Ellie carries a stronger presence this time around with Neil still owning it as Grant. With Owen and Claire, both Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard once again shine with Pratt delivering his action hero persona with him somehow being able to control the movement of dinosaurs by holding up his hand. They both still carry decent chemistry even if their romance feels uneven. Isabella Sermon is effective as clone daughter Maisie Lockwood despite her character being frustrating narratively speaking. The rest of Dominion's cast make the most of their roles with DeWanda Wise as Kayla who aids Owen and Claire on their mission, Campbell Scott as franchise Easter egg villain Dr. Lewis Dodgson whose Biosyn Genetics CEO and, returning actor from the previous Jurassic films BD Wong as lead geneticist and a more regretful Dr. Henry Wu. Overall, Dominion's cast is solid but never overcomes the scripts shortcomings. 

      Returning to the directors chair is Jurassic World helmer Colin Treverrow, who provides more jump scares and dinosaurs despite the latter feeling less impressive this time around which can also be said about the battles between the apex predators that feel predictable. One example in particular includes the T-Rex battling a new menacing dinosaur which carries the exact same set-up from Jurassic World in which the Rex is shown to be losing the fight at first, but ultimately prevails due to the help of other dinosaurs. The cinematography provides some visually striking moments including predators stalking around a snowy mountain landscape and dinosaurs co-existing with humans around the world. Despite the dinosaurs being less immersive this time, SFX work remains impressive combined with excellent sound design and an effective score by Jurassic World trilogy composer Michael Giacchino, which incorporates elements of John Williams' original theme. Though Treverrow shows a clear love for the series, there's nothing groundbreaking present nor the sense of wonder that made the original Jurassic Park so endearing to audiences. At 146 minutes, the film feels much longer than required for a typical Jurassic film with its length feeling painfully excessive. 

      The writing for Dominion suffers from messy scriptwriting and a lack of fresh ideas to take the series. Given Fallen Kingdom's shocking climax, Dominion doesn't feel as if it shows the dinosaurs truly taking over the world other than brief moments showing them interacting with humans. The films greatest fault is it's weak premise involving Biosyn trying to control the global food chain, which ultimately feels like a desperate attempt to reunite the OG Jurassic Park cast. The script struggles with not just balancing out their story but also that of Owen and Claire raising Maisie with them later going on a mission to rescue her when she's kidnapped. Maisie's subplot feels  unnecessary and does much in sidelining both the dinosaurs and the original trio. The newer Apex creatures introduced feel like displays at a department store with them lacking a dominating presence. The newer characters feel like cardboard cutouts of ones shown in previous films with nothing present to distinguish them. From certain character development feeling forced to uneven characterization, Dominion's script feels messy with its merging of both parties storylines not blending well together. The tone of the film also feels like it wants to genre hop from being a dinosaur themed film to something like Mission Impossible and F9 with its outrageous suspension of disbelief including a stunning plane crash, which leaves it's main key characters completely unharmed. 

      Watching Dominion, one can't help but revert back to a line spoken by Goldblum's character in the original that best sums up the Jurassic World trilogy: "You stood on the shoulder of geniuses to accomplish something as fast as you could and, before you even knew what you had, you patented it and packaged it and slapped it on a plastic lunchbox and now you're selling it." Dominion lacks the creativity and innovativeness which made Spielberg's film so unforgettable. For Jurassic Park fans and those who enjoyed Jurassic World, Dominion provides a hugely disappointing experience that hopefully leaves the entire franchise extinct once and for all.

Final Verdict: The Worst film of the series. Skip It and rewatch the original film. It's a much more satisfying experience. 

Images Courtesy Of Universal

Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets Of Dumbledore Provides An Honorable Conclusion To It's Somewhat Uneven Trilogy

      It seems that when looking at the newest Fantastic Beasts film, one can't help but notice that it's plagued by numerous amounts of negative controversy ranging from Johnny Depp's firing and recasting as Grindelwald to creator and author J.K Rowling's controversial remarks regarding transgender individuals, and Ezra Miller being arrested for disorderly conduct. Adding further insult to injury, the newest installment experienced a near two year delay from being released due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic along with experiencing a gradual decline in critical stature with each new entry. With Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets Of Dumbledore, the film doesn't provide the prequel series to Harry Potter with a grand finale, but moreso one that's successful in bringing it's characters journey to a viable conclusion. 

      Continuing from where The Crimes Of Grindelwald left off, The Secrets Of Dumbledore focuses on Professor Albus Dumbledore entrusting the help of magizoologist Newt Scamander to lead an intrepid team of wizards and witches against the powerful, dark wizard Gellert Grindelwald as he moves to seize control of the wizarding world. In doing so, they encounter an array of old and new beasts as they clash with his legion of followers. Beasts third installment operates as being a partial trilogy caper despite originally being planned for five movies total. Although Secrets Of Dumbledore brings the series to a close that's satisfactory with some appealing visual scenery, it lacks the magic of the previous Harry Potter films which inspired the newest trilogy with it carrying both pacing and narrative issues that has bogged down the Beast series as a whole.

      Whereas Fantastic Beasts has struggled with maintaining a straight-forward narrative, its cast remains reliable with them delivering fantastic work as a whole. Eddie Redmayne is solid once again as self-proclaimed magizoologist Newt Scamander, despite his character often feeling underutilized in the series overall. Jude Law delivers a terrific performance as Albus Dumbledore with him playing the part with absolute confidence. Ezra Miller is effective as severely abused and disturbed Aurelius Dumbledore, son and adopted child of Mary-Lou Barebone. Dan Fogler steals the show once again as Newt's friend and lover of Queenie, Jacob Kowalski. Folger does a stellar job of investing audiences in his character when Newt isn't in the screen. Alison Sudol does well as Jacob's lover Queenie Goldstein with the two still making their dynamic engaging for audiences along with possessing solid chemistry. Replacing Johnny Depp in the role of Grindelwald is excellent method actor Mads Mikkelsen, who proves to be a worthy replacement as the infamously powerful dark wizard causing chaos across the globe. Any actor stepping into shoes worn by Depp has an enormously tall order to fill, but Mikkelsen meets those demands heads on while makes the role his own. Other noteworthy performances include William Nadylam as Newt's ally Yusuf Kama, and Callum Turner as the formers older brother Theseus whose a dedicated and loyal Auror. Overall, Dumbledore's cast is a terrific ensemble who wonderfully bring their characters to life on the big screen.

Directed by David Yates who helmed the previous Fantastic Beasts films along with several Harry Potter ones, he once again gives the wizarding world an appearance that's visually stunning while keeping things dark and intense as the story requires. The action sequences are intense with frightening scenes including the use of

unforgivable curses that torture, control, and kill along with causing significant property damage. In keeping true to the Potter series, Yates presents scary creatures including a giant tentacled beast. The cinematography presents a dark atmosphere that fits the stories tone, though can make certain action moments tough to see. Some of the films visually striking moments include Theseus and Newt's escape, as well as the third act involving Grindelwald. At 143 minutes, the pacing remains relatively steady without feeling overlong. When it comes to the overall look of the wizarding world, Yates once again proves himself to be the ideal choice for bringing the world of Fantastic Beasts to the big screen in a form that's thrilling and feels larger-than-life. Along with the films rich production and costume design, James Newton Howard delivers a score that's both effective and emotional. 

      When it comes to writing, The Secrets Of Dumbledore focuses on themes pertaining to hate, bigotry, past mistakes, the death of loved ones, abandonment, loyalty, magic, and honesty. The film gives Dumbledore's character a backstory that provides deeper insight into his past along with revealing past mistakes and wounds. As far as narrative goes, Secrets is more focused and straight-forward than Crimes Of Grindelwald, though struggles with similar issues including Newt feeling overshadowed by the side characters despite being the main figure of the story. The audience can't help but find themselves still invested in the relationship between Jacob and Queenie with their dynamic being resolved with a rewarding twist. The reveal of Dumbledore and Grindelwald's past as childhood lovers becomes a key part of the story without it feeling forced. As for the scripts dive into politics, the story keeps things basic with the inclusion of magical creatures in international elections being an interesting twist, particularly the addition of the rare magical creature, Qilin, that's used to choose the winner, despite its usage often be confusing at times. 

      As a whole, the film brings the franchises story to a point where the series could conclude as being an honorable standalone trilogy which feels appropriate given that the series appears to be running out of magic in terms of dazzling audiences. Although the third film operates as a serviceable finale, it often feels by-the-numbers and doesn't offer anything new for audiences. This is a film that's made to cater to the most passionate fans of Rowling's wizarding universe with them being the ones most likely to fully appreciate it. It marks a more satisfying experience than what Grindelwald left, and brings the Fantastic Beasts series to a fitting close. Considering the latters declining status along with numerous amounts of negative publicity surrounding it, that's perhaps best. 

Final Verdict: Worth a watch for fans of both the Fantastic Beasts and Harry Potter series.

Images Courtesy Of Warner Brothers