The Ambush Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.5
Audio		5.0
Extras		0.5
Overall		3.5

The Ambush Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Jeffrey Kauffman December 9, 2022

There has sadly been so much unrest in the world that it can be hard to keep track of so-called "regional" conflicts, and in that regard, it's probably a good thing that The Ambush begins with a rather lengthy text crawl that gives some background on a quasi-civil war that broke out in Yemen, that ultimately led to involvement by a peacekeeping force led by troops from the United Arab Emirates. This film is supposedly based on an actual event, though of course the closing credits roll has another long text crawl about "fictionalization" and "dramatization", but it's nonetheless an often riveting account of three UAE soldiers stuck in their armored vehicle after a surprise attack. With no marquee stars that American audiences at least will recognize, this Blu-ray's cover touts the fact that it was directed by Pierre Morel, whose "particular set of skills" brought viewers Taken.

Parts of this film may seem rote in one way and yet completely distinctive in another, and how you react to that particular mix will probably depend on which you sense is more prevalent. On the rote side of things, this presents an oft told tale of disparate soldiers having to put aside personal differences to work together, especially under duress, and it adds in the also hoary aspect of a small band of brothers badly outnumbered and in dire straits once the "real" plot mechanics start kicking in. There's also the tried and true heroic aspect of a brigade jumping into action to attempt to rescue their stranded members, encountering all sorts of obstacles along the way.

But what gives this film a rather unique aspect is its very setting and the fact that these are Emirate soldiers fighting what are more or less overtly described in the film as being Islamic terrorists. It gives a really interesting and I would argue at least relatively nuanced look at a region where a lot of Westerners probably inevitably due to lack of knowledge tend to lump everyone in together in terms of everything from religious beliefs to preferred forms of government.

This is a first class production all the way, though, with impressive cinematography by Theirry Arbogast and another towering orchestral score by Harry Gregson-Williams.

The Ambush Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The Ambush is presented on Blu-ray courtesy of Well Go USA with an AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 2.39:1. There's no verifiable technical data that I was able to track down online, but this is a handsomely digitally captured feature that I wouldn't be surprised to find out had a 4K DI. Despite the prevalence of neutral toned, semi-barren locales where the film takes place, detail levels are typically very precise looking, to the point that you can pretty much make out individual bits of stone and rubble in the canyon where a lot of the action takes place. The palette, as mentioned, tends to feature a lot of tans, beiges and ochres, so there's admittedly not a ton of variety, but everything looks natural. The kind of CSI-esque HQ can offer little bursts of blues in the backgrounds, and some of the explosions can feature short moments of orange yellow flames, all of which look nicely saturated. There are a few moments where CGI isn't especially compelling, and some minor bouts with crush in some very dark moments.

The Ambush Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

As is its usual standard operating procedure, Well Go USA provides DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 and Dolby Digital tracks in the original language, in this case Arabic, and an English dub. The 5.1 mixes are virtually interchangeable to my ears with the obvious exception of the language being spoken. The surround activity is consistent and often extremely aggressively mixed, especially once the fighting breaks out. It looks like this had an Atmos track in some of its theatrical exhibitions, and that would have been a great addition here since there are so many overhead shots and effects, but this 5.1 track is quite impressive and immersive on its own terms. Dialogue is rendered cleanly and clearly throughout. Optional English subtitles are available.

The Ambush Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Trailer (HD; 1:55)

Note: As tends to be the case with Well Go USA Blu-ray releases, the disc has been authored to automatically move on to trailers for other Well Go USA releases after the trailer for this film plays. Those trailers for other Well Go USA releases also play automatically at disc boot up. Additionally, packaging features a slipcover.

The Ambush Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

The Ambush is one of the films where you can accurately state you've seen a lot of it before, but never quite like this. This should certainly appeal to war film fans in particular, but it has a rather interesting sociopolitical subtext that those interested in this roiling region might also appreciate. Technical merits are solid, and The Ambush comes Recommended.