Ambulance (2005) Poster

(2005)

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5/10
muddled
mr.slut24 January 2006
Two brothers rob a bank to have enough money to get their cancer-ridden mother to a private clinic in Germany, where she could possibly be saved. So it's a noble course for the crime and the subsequent chase of the ambulance the two brothers take hostage during their escape. But is it okay to endanger the life the stroke patient and the female intern for their course? - The trailer for this film suggests it to be an action comedy - where in fact the film really never decides whether it wants to be a family-drama, a witty comedy or an action flick. The idea to limit the film to the ambulance and it's four persons is interesting but ultimately it also limits the characterization of the main protagonists. You'll have to take their work for their ambitions, their life-stories and their motives. Which sometimes does not really work - at least for me. The action is marvelous - in my opinion, the filmmakers should have sticked to straight drama and/or thrilling action. The comedy did take a bit of the intended impact. (P.S.: Extremely nice bleeding effects - VERY convincing. Nope, it does not really matter in the context of the film - but struck me heavy when I watched the DVD. Oh yeah - there is a DVD with English subtitles available in Danmark - see laserdisken.dk for example.)
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5/10
A 80 minutes real time ride
OJT6 April 2014
This film is made on a concept that it's done after certain set of rules, just like the dogma rules was back in the nineties. The rules of the ride has been described as: The entire film must take place in only one location; an ambulance, the story has to be shot in real time and there should be only 4 persons we get to know.

If this is right, then there is a couple of minor breaches of the rules, but never mind. This is a psychological thriller about two brothers which robs a bank to be able to get their mother to alternative cancer treatment. The older is a criminal, but still doesn't want the younger to become one. Things go wrong, and on the flight from the bank they have to steal a car, which happens to be an ambulance on mission.

The idea is good, the effects are excellent, the filming is both and asa whole the film is interesting, yet I must say I wasn't really fond of any of the persons. That's a main rule when it comes to a thriller like this. The actors are good, and if we got to like the two main persons, the brothers, it would be a whole different story. The problem is that they are too unlikeable. When the film tries to establish this, it's too late. I'm also not too sure if I like the concept of going inside the body of the hear patient. I'm not sure if I get the effect of this, and that it helps the film's dramatization.

If you're able to get past this, it's an OK film to watch.
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4/10
Nothing interesting
AndersHede8 July 2005
A quite uninteresting movie.

Two criminals uses a ambulance as their escape vehicle. Of course this ambulance keeps an important role throughout the movie.

This movie reminds a lot of the whole bunch of action comedies, that Denmark has produced in the last six-seven years. There is almost nothing new in this one. Just the fact that Thomas Bo Larsen once again plays a bad criminal says a lot about the lack of originality in this movie.

The movie is actually quite short. Aprox. 1 hour and 15 minutes. But since the movie was very uninteresting, I was quite pleased that it was not any longer.

I give it four out of ten.
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1/10
Another danish film below average. 2 men trying to rob a bank to give their dying mother a lung-transplantation with the money.
andersgroth10 July 2005
Thomas Bo Larsen displays yet another character as an imbecile criminal from Copenhagen. The movie doesn't bring anything new to the Danish movies and he's seen in this role dozens of times before. The action scenes are not many and not so entertaining at all. It simply needs action to have at least something worth seeing.

The best scene of the film is the opening scene from whereon everything goes wrong.

It's hard to see what the movie wants to contribute with. After I saw it I felt a bit of having wasted my own time on it. The twists the movie tries to give are way to easy to predict.

The whole plot of the movie is way better on paper that on film.
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7/10
Ride with me
kosmasp2 June 2021
How do you make a movie interesting that plays in a vehicle most of the time? A vehicle that is mentioned in the title in this case ... well if you think that is not an easy task, you are right to think that. But the movie makes it almost look seemless! The characters and their ordeal/situation is sometimes tough to follow or understand/empathize ... but the actors make it work.

The script also seems tight enough to make you forget about any story issues or continuity/logic error that may occur. A story about people not being able to get what they want - and resorting to drastic measures ... not always a good idea, right?
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2/10
Danish cinema setting new standards - the bad way
aeskild20 February 2010
Warning: Spoilers
Spoiler alert: When the scroll texts appear, it means you're close to actually making it through this school example of a trashy movie picture. The original category pick by both director and writer surely meant to be something inbetween action/comedy and a psychological drama. Trash however, is the most describing category into which this flick is catapulting itself. Few scenes with some humorous or dramatic potential, soon get spoiled through a talentless script, unforgivable clipping errors, as well as through the flawless ability of all characters, surrounding the medium well played main character Frank set into scene by Thomas Bo Larsen, to kill any hint of substance of reality. The list of positive aspects about this movie sadly includes, nothing more, nothing less, than "the movie is not a waste of time as long as you don't watch it". Only reason for not going further into the analysis of this movie picture, is merely because I don't think it deserves it. Two stars both go to Thomas Bo Larsen, for doing his part of the job. AE
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6/10
Fast paced but boring.
searchanddestroy-123 March 2021
Because this is too much predictable with many clichés and no suspense at all. I watched this one pushing the fast forward button, because I was so in a hurry to finish watching this - I repeat - so predictable topic which brings absolutely no surprise at all. But directing is sometimes offbeat, with unusual shots from time to time. That's so rare to watch a fast paced but boring film, especially so short length feature; only 72 mn.
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1/10
I really wish I could give this -10
bluebloodripper10 July 2022
The review is quite simple... This is a complete load of garbage!

I actually paid to watch this on Amazon prime and I think I should get my money back just because this film is terrible in all possible aspects.
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9/10
Heart and blood!
prik17 July 2005
Warning: Spoilers
I think this is a different kind of action film, actually more a drama than a comedy. I was very fascinated by the shots inside the body with the heart and the blood veins. And the idea about the story taking place in real time also gives quite a special feeling to the film.

Maybe it's not that original to cast Thomas Bo Larsen as the criminal, but it's nice to see the other two new faces in Danish cinema; Paw Heniksen and Helle Fagralid. I think they all do it very well in this intense and original little road movie.

It reminded me about Phone Booth with only one location and real time. You don't really need anymore to make a good drama.
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10/10
Original
yohannamark30 October 2005
Warning: Spoilers
I saw this Danish Feature Film at The Umeå Film festival and found it very special. The whole film takes place in a car (an ambulance) and it all takes place in real time. These two elements themselves give the film a very special atmosphere. Maybe the experiment doesn't work all the way trough the film, but at least it's very original. And the story about the two brothers actually touched me.

I will recommend you to see the film if you meet it at a festival. At least you'll get to see something you haven't seen before. ANd the Danish actor Thomas Bo Larsen (who was also in the film Festen) is brilliant as the big brother. I didn't know the other two actors, but they were also giving good performances.
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8/10
Good film - bad marketing
el-2819 July 2005
It left me breathless! I was hanging off the edge of my seat for the entire film and covering my eyes continuously! The Ambulance is full of nerve-wrecking action - but I must say that my expectations were not met entirely on the comic aspects! After having seen the trailer and chosen to see this film on account of it being an action comedy - I was a little disappointed! In retrospect I think this is due to poor marketing - leading the audience to believe one thing but delivering another! It really IS a good film - it has many layers and was even touching - but when you are mislead in the marketing department you are bound to have some unsatisfied customers! So see this film with new eyes - definitely action - but more drama than comedy (not that it doesn't have some brilliant humor from time to time) - and judge for yourself!
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