Simple, but scattered. Scattered, but uniquely unifying.

Deep at the core of this two-and-half hour hodgepodge of unadulterated Bayham, is a tale of lost souls in the city of angels. Depravity, carnage, and chaos are cranked to a fuckin 11. Everyone is in this for themselves.

This is without a doubt the most visually gorgeous film I've seen from Bay, with scenes that feel like they're ripped straight out of a Michael Mann flick. The way the camera glides through each scene is so delicate and gentle. Each shot is meticulously decorated with constant subtle camera movements that draw the viewer in. I specifically adored the shots where the camera essentially takes a nosedive from the tops of skyscrapers—perfectly emulating the feel of a bird swooping down from its treacherous perch. There is not a single shot that is boring in this film. This is also due in part to the fantastic editing. The cuts are so quick, yet so fluid. The entire film gives off this aura of watching your buddy play Grand Theft Auto V while on five stars and with the cinematic camera mode.

Ambulance exists in a world where death and destruction are meaningless. Human life serves as nothing more than mere cannon fodder for the thrilling beats of the story, as well as the strikingly gorgeous cinematography. The authentic heaviness of the narrative is innately divorced from its aesthetic. However, this isn't to the film's detriment—Bay wears this glaring hypocrisy right on his sleeve.
The beauty that fills the crevices of this film cannot outmatch the cold hard reality that each character is faced with. No one is truly happy, everyone has that glaring hole inside them that remains unfulfilled. Characters appear before us, just as quickly as they are taken away; each with their own hopes and dreams—goals and aspirations.

No one wants to do what they do. They only feel like they have to.

The chase Danny and Will find themselves in aren't just from the police, nor the scene of their crime. They're attempting to speed away from the cruel legacy that is their family. While Will is trying to run from the awful criminal legacy their father left for him and his brother, Danny chooses to run with that past, not wanting to let it go. The motifs of love and family are what drives each character to commit their actions. Even if the character is unreasonable or unlikeable, their decisions feel like they have weight and merit. Everyone's pain is genuine.

They all just want to go home.