Ambulance: Michael Bay's Action Thriller Surges on Netflix Chart

Michael Bay's Cult-Favorite Box Office Flop Is Racing Up The Netflix Streaming Chart Eiza Gonzaelz injured and bloodied, holding her shoulder, in Ambulance By  Abdullah Al-Ghamdi Published 10 minutes ago Abdullah Al-Ghamdi joined Screen Rant in 2019 and is now one of the leading contributors of the TV News team. Having written over 3000 news stories since 2019, with his work cited in Buzzfeed and TV Insider, he's always bemoaning that there's too many shows and not enough time. You can contact him at: [email protected]. Sign in to your ScreenRant account Summary Generate a summary of this story follow Follow followed Followed Like Like Thread Log in Here is a fact-based summary of the story contents: Try something different: Show me the facts Explain it like I’m 5 Give me a lighthearted recap

Ambulance, the Michael Bay action thriller led by Jake Gyllenhaal, is lighting up Netflix's streaming charts. Released in early 2022, and based on the 2005 Danish film of the same name, the story centers on two brothers in dire circumstances who steal an ambulance and end up taking a few hostages with them for what turns out to be a perilously deadly ride.

Although the film received praise for its inclusion of Bay's trademarks, with critics also commending Gyllenhaal's energetic performance, Ambulance underperformed at the box office. It debuted with roughly $8.7 million in its opening weekend, ultimately grossing $52.3 million at the worldwide box office against a reported $40 million budget.

According to FlixPatrol, the 2022 movie is getting a bit of a second wind at Netflix. It has been swiftly climbing the U.S. charts since November 24, coming in at #3. It has moved up to the #2 spot since then. As of this writing, on November 27, Ambulance continues to hold on to its #2 ranking. It comes in just behind Champagne Problems, a new Netflix holiday movie.

Jake Gyllenhaal and Yahya Abdul-Mateen II play adopted brothers, Danny and Will Sharp, in Michael Bay's Ambulance.

With an Ambulance cast that also starred Yahya Abdul-Mateen II and Eiza González in main roles, along with Garret Dillahunt, Keir O'Donnell, Jackson White, Olivia Stambouliah, Moses Ingram, Colin Woodell, Cedric Sanders, A Martinez, Jesse Garcia, Jose Pablo Cantillo, Wale, and Devan Chandler Long in supporting turns, the movie sits at 68% on Rotten Tomatoes based on 255 reviews. The audience score is significantly higher, coming in at 87%.

Teen Wolf and The Maze Runner's Dylan O'Brien was initially reported to be in line for the role of Gyllenhaal's younger brother.

Even among critics who didn't necessarily love the thriller, there was an agreement that Ambulance is exactly the kind of film that theaters need more of to continue to be viable outside of blockbuster events and reliable animated films. It's a movie with a relatively smaller budget, featuring a familiar face in the lead, which offers an intriguing twist on a classic and familiar premise.

There is an argument about whether the mid-budget thrillers like Ambulance can still do well in the streaming era. There is still a market for these types of movies, as evidenced by the success of streaming originals like Netflix's Carry On and Rebel Ridge. But audiences aren't rushing out to see them.

Hopefully, that can still be balanced out in the future. It's true that some thrillers work fine when viewed at home. Others, with spectacle and set pieces, should still break out in theaters first before finding a spot on the streaming charts. It makes Ambulance's box office results and recent spike a bit bittersweet.

6.0/10 6/10

Ambulance

10 stars 9 stars 8 stars 7 stars 6 stars 5 stars 4 stars 3 stars 2 stars 1 star Like Follow Followed R Drama Crime Action Release Date April 8, 2022 Runtime 136 minutes Director Michael Bay Writers Chris Fedak

Cast

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• Cedric Sanders
• Yahya Abdul-Mateen II

Genres Drama, Crime, Action Powered by Expand Collapse

• Movies
• Ambulance
• Michael Bay

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