The Ambulance

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Allan C Lesser, but still solid Larry Cohen thriller The Ambulance (1990) *** Writer/director Larry Cohen made consistently interesting low-budget genre films, wether it was horror (IT’S ALIVE, MANIAC), thrillers (PHONE BOOTH, MANIAC COP), blaxploitation (BLACK CAESAR), sci-fi/fantasy (THE STUFF, Q: THE WINGED SERPENT), so I was a little disappointed with how pedestrian this film felt compared to his other more outrageous films. Eric Roberts plays a comic book artist in NYC working at Marvel Comics for Stan Lee, when, after trying to pick up a cute girl, Janine Turner in a pre-NORTHERN EXPOSURE role, on the street one day, she has a medical episode and is whisked away by an ambulance to take care of her. Roberts checks all the local hospitals to connect with the object of his affections, but she seems to have completely disappeared. Kind of an urban update of THE LADY VANISHES, the setup has promise and there is a conspiracy storyline, where no one believes Roberts, except possibly an NYPD detective, James Earl Jones in an uncharacteristically colorful role, where he gets to ham it up and chew the scenery. The film also features a solid score by underrated composer Jay Chattaway. Overall, I enjoyed THE AMBULANCE, and it was never boring, but it didn’t grab me the same way Cohen’s films usually do. FUN FACT! Cohen wrote a script for an unproduced film version of DOCTOR STRANGE, and that’s where he and Stan Lee became friends, which is how he got Lee to appear in the film.  AI CAPSULE REVIEW: The Ambulance is a slick, conspiracy-laced thriller with a fun premise and an energetic performance from Eric Roberts, even if it never quite reaches the wild heights of Larry Cohen’s best work. James Earl Jones steals scenes in a rare comedic turn, making this a solid but lesser entry in Cohen’s eccentric filmography. Rated 3/5 Stars •  Rated 3 out of 5 stars 07/20/25 Full Review Andrew J While a promising concept, the film itself is a disappointment from the outset. As time goes on, disappointment turns into frustration, as it becomes clear that the poor writing, questionable acting, and disagreeable direction are indicative of a theme - as opposed to a rocky start. The plot is driven entirely by flat and cynical characters with dialogue of macho-sarcasm that might have earned a titter in a college locker room. These elements combined with fanciful action render the protagonist unable to gain support, forcing the setup of a repetitive game of cat and mouse - while James Earl Jones chews gum as though it's his first time. Rated 1.5/5 Stars •  Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars 06/14/25 Full Review Logan S I remember watching this movie as a kid and kinda got obsessed with it for a month. i finally got to sit down and watch it for the first time in many years and i was very disappointed that i loved this film. I guess younger me was so focused on the idea of the film and not the actual quality. the actors do a pretty good job. they had good dialogue and there was great comedic lines(I laughed quite a few times). the main music theme of the film is great. the rest of the music that takes place throughout the film is crappy. doesn't fit with the action and suspense. the script is the killer of this film. the movie starts and goes way too fast. In just the first 10 minuets of the film, we already get to the plot moving way too fast and having no build-up. there are quite a few plot holes and things that aren't brought up again in the film.(The roommate character for example and how the ambulance can always find people at exact moments). it feels like we ended up with a rough draft instead of a final film. like young me saw, the idea of the film is great. it could of been a underrated horror/love/comedy that could have received high appraise but, the poor writing has caused it to be a film worth forgetting. Rated 1.5/5 Stars •  Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars 05/06/25 Full Review Sarfaraz A Larry Cohen directed the comedy thriller. Starring Eric Roberts, James Earl Jones, Megan Gallagher, and Janine Turner. The film is about Joshua, a comic artist who sees a beautiful young woman named Cheryl on the bustling street of New York City every day and musters the courage to approach her and offer her to lunch. She fends off his advance with a cheerful demeanor until she loses her balance and falls dizzy. The ambulance arrives fast and transports her to the hospital before Josh asks her name, but he cannot hear her last name. Using his artistic skill, Josh creates a drafting of the ambulance and the young woman and shows it to Lieutenant James Earl Jones, an eccentric guy. As more women fall victim to the same ambulance, Josh goes on a search, and realizes that the majority of them are diabetic women. The film features a comedic story and subpar acting. James plays a hilarious character. There is nothing important that you could regret not seeing. I would not recommend this, but if you have a boring day, you may give it a try. Rated 3/5 Stars •  Rated 3 out of 5 stars 03/23/25 Full Review RyDawg084 Love this movie so much! Rated 5/5 Stars •  Rated 5 out of 5 stars 10/22/23 Full Review Steve D Some good ideas and a bad script. Rated 2/5 Stars •  Rated 2 out of 5 stars 09/09/23 Full Review Read all reviews

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