Content Warning: This article discusses spoilers for the movie, Ambulance.
Ambulance, released in theaters on April 8 of this year, is an action-packed movie full of wildly different personalities. The story follows Danny and Will Sharp, who steal an ambulance and run from law enforcement after a bank robbery goes wrong. Ambulance may be a movie featuring cops and criminals, but the line that divides them by likability isn't quite as clear as one may assume.
Directed by Michael Bay and adapted from a 2005 Danish movie by the same name, Ambulance explores how each person involved responds to the situation, revealing each character's best and worst qualities under pressure.
Papi - A Martinez
Papi is a friend of Danny’s father and a colleague that helps Danny get off of the FBI’s scent, if even for a little bit. He uses highly intricate machines and explosive devices to do so, showing no concern for the lives of law enforcement and onlookers. When his son is killed in a confrontation, Papi blames Danny and Will and demands all the money stolen from the bank.
While he’s an interesting character, it’s hard to like anything about him. Most of the characters in Ambulance are careful and actively trying to avoid hurting others. Papi has no problem doing this, and he blames others when his son dies following the plan that Papi himself orchestrated.
Danny Sharp - Jake Gyllenhaal
Danny Sharp is one half of the Sharp brother duo. He’s rich and he wants more money and material things to show for it. He organizes the robbery with his best heist squad and pulls Will into it with him. Danny cares about his brother and is protective of him but he doesn’t do a great job at showing it. He doesn’t realize that he’s the one hurting his brother by getting him into these messy situations.
Danny is not the least likable character, solely because of his love for Will. His care for his brother leads to the conclusion of the car chase, after all. Disdain for Danny comes from his erratic behavior and his desire for more wealth when he has THAT MANY CARS. If he was smart and really wanted to keep Will out of trouble, he could have just sold a car and given Will the money for his wife’s surgery.
Officer Mark - Cedric Sanders
Officer Mark is Officer Zach’s partner. He encourages Zach to ask out the girl he’s been crushing on, which leads to his partner being shot during the bank robbery. When Mark discovers his incapacitated partner, he feels remorse and anger at the robbers, but also at himself for forcing Zach to confront his crush. That anger builds when he realizes Zach has been taken hostage.
Officer Mark’s rage causes him to make rash decisions that get in the way of the police chase, including stealing another cop’s car. His response to the situation is understandable but his composure under pressure makes for an even more difficult pursuit of the ambulance and may cause audiences to feel annoyed at his character.
Officer Zach - Jackson White
The other half of the officer duo, Officer Zach, has a massive crush on a bank teller, a love that should have happened but didn’t. He’s encouraged to pursue his crush and arrives at the bank right as Danny and his men are robbing the place. In an altercation with the Sharp brothers, Zach is accidentally shot and almost loses his life.
Zach is essentially the inciting incident of the whole movie, getting caught in the bank heist and sending the city and law enforcement into disarray. His crush on the bank teller is cute but is played more as a joke than anything. Zach is not very likable, but he isn’t super unlikable. He serves as a plot device, and thus, feelings toward the character are in the middle line.
FBI Agent Anson Clark - Keir O’Donnell
Anson Clark is the FBI agent who is called to assist in the pursuit of the robbers. He is alerted of the police chase while in a marriage counseling session with his husband. When he arrives on the scene, it is revealed that Clark is a former colleague and friend of Danny’s. He believes he can convince Danny to end the pursuit peacefully.
Agent Anson Clark is trying to live his life as best as he can and as honest as he can, which is commendable. His desire to help Danny get out of this mess shows his empathy and alludes to the two men having a strong friendship back in school. Clark ultimately fails to calm Danny down, but his effort was enough to show audiences that he means well.
Captain Monroe - Garret Dillahunt
Captain Monroe is introduced to audiences as a typical guy who loves his dog and is keeping an ear out for criminal activity. When he hears of the robbery taking place, he immediately heads to the scene to take charge of the situation. He leads most of the car chase, determined to capture the Sharp brothers while also ensuring the safety of the hostages.
Monroe is portrayed to be strong-minded and relatable. Similar to Anson Clark, it is clear he is just living as normal a life as he can when he isn’t dealing with stuff like this. The care for his dog and the hostages, as well as his calm composure during the chase, makes for a very likable character.
Will Sharp - Yahya Abdul-Mateen II
Time will tell where Ambulance ranks in Yahya Abdul Mateen II's movies. Mateen's Will reluctantly agrees to assist his brother in a bank robbery to get money for his wife’s experimental surgery. During the chaos, he accidentally shoots Officer Zach. He does everything he can to keep the cop alive, including giving his blood and helping an EMT perform a risky procedure. He doesn’t want anyone else to get hurt.
Will has been through so many difficult times, but he still cares about people and does the best he can. The robbery was a desperate attempt at helping his wife. He has good intentions, but he does the wrong thing, and several other people get hurt or killed because of it. Despite the bank heist gone wrong, every aspect of his personality and his love for his family allows audiences to sympathize with Will.
Cam Thompson - Eiza González
Cam Thompson is the EMT who is held hostage in the ambulance during the chase, arguably one of the best car chases in movie history. She tries to save Officer Zach’s life. Through interactions with her partner, Scott, she is shown to be rock-hard and able to keep her emotions under wrap. She remains calm but direct when she’s helping people. As a hostage in her own ambulance, rather than losing her cool, she drives her fear and emotions into saving her patient and staying alive.
Cam Thompson is the character everyone either relates to or wants to relate to. Her steady composure and bravery are attractive. Instead of buckling under pressure, she faces the situation with logic and care. Nearly every aspect of Cam’s personality and character are an inspiration, giving the character a likability that is unmatched to all the others.