Ambush (2001)
While escorting an elderly man to an undisclosed location, The Driver is confronted by a van full of armed men and is warned that the old man has stolen a large amount of diamonds. The old man claims to have swallowed the diamonds and that the men will likely cut him open to retrieve them. The Driver decides at the last minute to help him, participating in a car chase and shootout with the van. The Driver eventually evades his pursuers and watches their destruction. He then delivers the old man to a town nearby and asks the merchant if he did indeed swallowed the diamonds. The client merely chuckles and walks away. The Driver then leaves.
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Don't listen to the Hype. It's awful
The performances transcend the film's tropes, grounding it in characters that feel more complete than this subgenre often produces.
It's an amazing and heartbreaking story.
There's no way I can possibly love it entirely but I just think its ridiculously bad, but enjoyable at the same time.
The Hire series should start changing some perspectives towards advertising. I've taken a profound interest in watching how each director manipulates the topic of BMW and Clive Owen with their own personal touches.From the East we have Ang Lee, Kar Wai Wong, and John Woo. The dedicatedly Western Tony Scott and John Frankenheimer. The last group can be classified as the "new blood" with Alejandro Inarritu, Guy Ritchie, and Joe Carnahan. I can say that Frankenheimer takes the most pedestrian route with his work, his lack of cinematic prowess is displayed in the second half of the chase, but it still is the most powerful in creating a mood. The Eastern influence tries too hard to make poetic overtures in their collective work and, despite their respective differences, they're all the same.So, Frankenheimer is solely in search of entertainment here. Not as good as Inarritu's, but more focused than Carnahan's.
BMW had a great, unique idea when it hired 5 big Hollywood directors to make 5 short films showing off their cars. Ambush was a perfect start to the series - going in, you don't know what to expect but after this first short, you're hooked and you're looking forward to watching the next in the series.Of all 5 of the movies, this one is the most basic. Very little to think about here - there's a powerful 7-series being driven down a dark road, and a van pulls up and "provokes" a short, adrenaline filled, unique, and effective car chase. Straight-up "show off the car", especially compared to the next 4 in the series, but also straight-up fun.Watch this one - it's a fairly small download by today's standards - then watch the other 4 because a couple of them are even better.
Before the review, a brief plot summary: The Driver, a chauffeur-for-hire, now has a new customer in his BMW: a mysterious old man from Cuba. As they drive, however, a van pulls up next to them, a gun sticks out, and it's drivers contact The Driver. His passenger is carrying a suitcase full of two million dollars in uncut diamonds, and they want The Driver to pull up and let the man out so they can have his suitcase. When the pleading man explains that he swallowed the diamonds, and that they will cut him open to get it, The Driver realises he can't let these criminals get a hold of his cargo, and a car chase ensues.This short, which is really a commercial for BMW and the first in the "The Hire" series, is one of the most brilliant shorts ever. Directed by John Frankenheimer (of "Reindeer Games" and "Ronin") this ad has some of the best car stunts you can find on film. The acting is great, Clive Owen is a pleasure. "Gone in Sixty Seconds" can barely match this one. The climax is great, the suspense and tension build up quickly, and The Driver remains as mysterious as ever.It even promotes safety! The BMW is powerful, and can outrun a van full of crooks, but always buckle your seat belt. Your kids will like it, there's no langauage or such, it's mostly just a lot of fun watching The Driver show the true power of the BMW.Watch this film, as well as it's sequels, "The Hire" series. It's worth downloading, although I am blessed with a modem that downlands FAST. I pity those of you who must wait, but believe me, it's worth it!
Having seen the TV blurbs about BMWFilms, I wasn't sure what they actually were, but I suspected your usual product-centric infomercial...just webified. I have since seen all BMWFilms' offerings and can't wait for the next one. Ambush, staged on an urban freeway, features: The Driver; his "fare", a diamond courier; a terrorist-loaded van; and some of the finest high-performance and stunt driving I have ever seen. Without noting the director, I was immediately reminded of Frankenheimer's Ronin, not just because of the driving, but also the entire tone of the piece. The initial parrying between The Driver and The Terrorists is wonderfully choreographed and delivers both the precision of attack and defense, and the precision of the BMW machines used in the film (without coming across as pitchy). Once this jousting is over, they opposing forces engage in a high-tech, high-velocity, high-tension chess match ultimately won by The Driver. The intriguing ending leaves you wanting more. Seemlessley edited, highly believable, and mind-grabbing.