A criminally underrated Jake Gyllenhaal action sounds the alarm on streaming

You’d think that an action-packed cinematic experience with notable names like Michael Bay and Jake Gyllenhaal attached would have moviegoers flocking to their local multiplex in herds. In reality, Ambulance grossed an underwhelming $52 million worldwide in response to a $40 million budget, which hardly helps the flick stand out.

In the film, Gyllenhaal stars as Daniel “Danny” Sharp, a smooth-talking criminal who, along with his adoptive brother Will, hijacks an ambulance after a bank heist goes terribly wrong. Amidst the hijacking, Danny and Will take two paramedics hostage and things rapidly spiral downhill. The cast also includes several recognizable names and faces in the end credits, including Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Garret Dillahunt, Eiza González, and Keir O’Donnell.

With critically-acclaimed feature films like Armageddon, Bad Boys, and Transformers in his versatile back pocket, it’s hard to believe that any film directed by Bay would fail to connect with an overall audience. Nevertheless, Ambulance wasn’t welcomed by critics on Rotten Tomatoes, who pointed to lazy plotting and bland dialogue — which resulted in the movie’s mediocre 68 percent score.

Regardless of its release in April of this year, the Gyllenhaal vehicle has managed to discover a new life on streaming after an obvious box-office disaster. As per FlixPatrol, Ambulance has jumped an impressive 60 places to secure itself as one of the most-watched movies on iTunes this week — proving that Bay still has it in the directorial tank, even when the engine appears to be running on empty.