Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.5
Audio		4.0
Extras		2.0
Overall		3.5

The Ambulance Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Martin Liebman January 26, 2021

The Ambulance isn't a Horror film by traditional definition. There are no ghouls or grisly beasts but there is a very real horror at work, and that horror is man. The film, from Writer/Director Larry Cohen (writer, Maniac Cop), follows one man's dive into obsession when an ambulance drives off with a woman he's just met. The film blends procedural beats with scary undertones as it peers into human psychology from several different angles. Though it's best enjoyed as a darker popcorn film, attentive audiences will find a healthy subtext amidst the movie's basic ebbs and flows that compliment the superficial elements quite nicely.

The search begins.

Josh (Eric Roberts) is a talented comic artist who works for none other than Stan Lee himself. He has a vivid imagination, and an eye for the ladies, and when he approaches a beautiful, and familiar looking, stranger named Cynthia (Janine Turner) in search of a date, he's turned away. But he's persistent and eventually turns the tide. But as he does, Cynthia collapses. A diabetic attack leaves her in need of medical attention. An old-fashioned ambulance whisks her away. Josh vows to visit and arrives at the hospital with a bouquet of flowers but nobody to present them to. She's not gone; she was never there. Josh checks hospitals all over the city with no luck. His pleas for help from the police, including Lt. Frank Spencer (James Earl Jones), fall on deaf ears. In fact, it's believed Josh is out of his mind. But even as the odds stack against him, he persists in his pursuit and quickly finds himself immersed in a dark conspiracy involving an evil doctor and missing diabetic patients from all over the city.

Eventually, Josh finds a couple of allies, one in the police department (Megan Gallagher) and another in his elderly roommate at the hospital (Red Buttons), but the film mostly centers on Josh's single-minded focus on his task. His journey takes him around the city, from hospitals to dumps as he searches for clues. He uses his artistic talents to draw the girl from memory. He hands out flyers with her likeness and, early on, carries around a placard begging for anyone who has seen her to help. For Josh, it becomes a consuming journey to find a girl he barely knows, which throws into question his mental state. That, and his peculiar demeanor, (which Roberts plays with hands-on gusto), leave him largely isolated in search of the truth that's at his fingertips from the outset but elusive in several different ways, particularly from the roadblocks the authorities erect and also from his target's evasiveness and as he falls victim to random happenstance that sets him back. It's an interesting construct that's dark but at times mildly humorous thanks to Roberts' performance of an eccentric character.

Mild Horror notes dot this Thriller but it's not scary in the traditional sense. There's a macabre underbelly which the film reveals fairly early on and it quickly becomes clear that it's not the supernatural at work but rather something else entirely. Man is the enemy with the ambulance serving more as a pre-hearse than its usual function as a preventative life saver. The film makes many of its secrets known early on and hints at the troubles to come almost from the beginning. The film's pleasure is in watching Roberts, as Josh, not only piece together the truth but also to soak in the character's journey through a world that seems hellbent on preventing him from reconnecting with his girl. His driving obsession makes for a fascinating subtext as well, and the film actually does a better job shrouding Josh's inner persona than it does masking the truth behind the girl's unexplainable disappearance.

The Ambulance Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Scream Factory's 1080p transfer for The Ambulance rates as excellent. The picture is crisp, sharp, and clear. Light, natural grain is retained for the duration, a flattering, filmic compliment that is a vital component to the image's superiority. Textural output is terrific. Facial features are effortlessly sharp. Complex pores, hairs, and makeup are visible in practically every scene while location details are superbly defined, whether dense urban exteriors, worn police station interiors, hospitals, and other locales throughout the film. In Lt. Spencer's office, the clutter on his desk and papers taped to the wall enjoy sharp definition, allowing the viewer to absorb location specifics with ease. Color output is very good. Bright makeup in the early daytime exterior when Josh meets Cheryl stands as one of the chief highlights, but throughout the film clothes, painted walls, and other elements present with stellar depth and natural contrast. Skin tones look good and blacks are fine with only a few examples of slight lightening. A few fleeting pops and speckles appear here and there but are not bothersome. There are no other source or encode issue of note. This one teeters on perfection.

The Ambulance Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The Ambulance wails onto Blu-ray with a DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 lossless soundtrack. There's little here to excite the listener but the track is at least well rounded and capable within its rather meager channel confines and simple sound design. Music finds favorable front side stretch and good foundational detail to the era-familiar score. The ambulance sirens blare with positive detail and front end stretch at the 33-minute mark while a hospital alarm goes off two minutes later with enough front end fill and detail to please. While the track cannot stretch to immerse the listener with ambient integration, like office and workplace locales – light din at a police station, mild reverb at the studio where Josh works (with Stan Lee) – the basic sonic landscape offers enough space and sense of place along the front to convey the basics. Dialogue is clear and images nicely to the front-center location.

The Ambulance Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

The Ambulance includes a commentary track, a photo gallery, and a trailer. No DVD or digital copies are included, and neither is a slipcover, but this title does include reversible artwork.

• Audio Commentary: Director Larry Cohen and Moderator Steve Mitchell, director of King Cohen, dissect the film in detail. It's technically heavy but engages from the outset as Cohen breaks down the opening sequence on New York streets. It's a quick and engaging listen that flies by.
• Still Gallery (1080i, 2:36): A series of production stills. They auto advance. There is no accompanying music.
• Theatrical Trailer (1080p, 1:37).

The Ambulance Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

The Ambulance is an interesting film that seems to promise Horror (judging a movie by its poster, anyway) but instead delivers a frenzied Thriller that is better enjoyed as a journey through its protagonist's mind rather than watching for the essential narrative ebbs and flows. Eric Roberts is great in the lead, playing the part with a skewered perspective that fits the character very well. Support cast and production values are excellent, too. Scream Factory's Blu-ray is terrific. Video is just about reference and the two channel audio is solid. A top-notch commentary track also included. Highly recommended.