Abhiroop Das
Helmed by Michael Bay, ‘Ambulance‘ begins with Will Sharp, a down-on-his-luck former US Marine who is in desperate need of money. When he asks his half-brother, Danny Sharp, for help, he is unwittingly swept into the world of crime. Tasked with robbing one of the most secure banks in Los Angeles, Will gives up on his moral codes, only for things to go completely haywire. From there, this action thriller movie, which is based on a 2005 Danish movie of the same name by Laurits Munch-Petersen, takes the form of a brutal cat-and-mouse chase, where both Danny and Will are forced to question their humanity at every turn. Whether or not they emerge from this fiasco unscathed, their dynamic is irreparably altered, and how both characters react to it constitutes the psychological backbone of this story. As the starting point of this entire saga, LA Federal Bank & Trust exerts considerable influence over the entire narrative, both on a plot and thematic level.
An Iconic Los Angeles Building Complex Brings the Fictitious LA Federal Bank to Life
LA Federal Bank & Trust is a fictional bank created by Chris Fedak exclusively for ‘Ambulance.’ While the name is similar to the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco, which has a Los Angeles branch at 950 S Grand Avenue, the film counterpart bears no resemblance to this real-life institution. Given that the entire movie was filmed in and around the City of Angels, the crew likely decided to take over existing institutions and give them an invented identity. In particular, the iconic Los Angeles Times Mirror Square, located at 202 West 1st Street, was used for the exterior shots of the bank, thus grounding the setting in reality. The real-life complex of architectural marvels built between 1935 and 1973 consists of more than 700,000 square feet of office space, making it a believable location for a high-end financial institution.
In the movie, the name of the bank is inscribed on the glass-and-steel structure that lies on the northwest corner of the complex. In real life, that building was designed by William L. Pereira in 1973 and went on to serve as the headquarters for the Times Mirror Company. Additionally, the complex interior sequences were likely taped in intricately designed sets and sound stages, giving the crew a mix of flexibility and attention to detail. As such, the movie walks on the fine line between what is real and what is fictional to create the immersion effect needed to bring the high-octane action and dramatic sequences to life.
Danny’s Heist at LA Federal Bank Might Have Vague Real-Life Antecedents
Alongside the filming locations of the movie, it is possible that the creative team was also inspired by real-life cases of bank robberies and heists that have taken place in Los Angeles. Notably, ‘Ambulance’ is based on the eponymous Danish film, where the setting for the robbery takes place in Denmark. As such, while the original idea for the plot might not be based in La-La Land, it is likely that real incidents were used as reference points to add details and authenticity to the narrative. One case in particular that draws vague parallels with the movie’s heist is the infamous North Hollywood Shootout. On February 28, 1997, two heavily armed and armored men, named Larry Eugene Phillips Jr. and Emil Mătăsăreanu, attempted to rob a branch of Bank of America in North Hollywood. They were confronted by the police on their way out, and the resulting firefight ended with both the robbers dead, as well as 12 officers and eight victims wounded.
While ‘Ambulance’ zeroes in on two characters in the aftermath of a robbery gone wrong, its similarities with the North Hollywood Shootout case are superficial at best. As such, while the movie’s plot might be vaguely informed by real-life bank heists, its finer details have been written from scratch to bring out the inner turmoils of the characters involved. In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, director Michael Bay confirmed that the bank heist plot was designed to double as a springboard for character development. He stated, “I wanted to give it that very immediate feel. Because I think we all fantasize about robbing banks. I think everyone’s had that fantasy. But what would it feel like to actually be on a crime? I said, “Listen, this is not a movie about action. This is a movie about tension.”” To that end, it is likely that LA Federal Bank’s recreation of real-life details is primarily focused on adding to the believability factor of the movie, which in turn gives the storytelling a boost.
Read More: Is Ambulance Based on a True Story?
You must be logged in to post a comment.