Helicopter pilot Fred North has worked on severalMichael Bay movies, but he reveals the action director has one flaw. Bay is one of the most popular action movie directors currently working in Hollywood, having directed movies such asArmaggedon,Bad Boys, and fiveTransformersfilms. His most recent movie,Ambulance, follows two adoptive brothers, played by Jake Gyllenhaal and Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, who steal $32 million from a bank and attempt to escape through the streets of Los Angeles. In the process, they end up hijacking an ambulance and taking two hostages - an EMT and a police officer.
Bay has garnered a reputation as a filmmaker who likes to include the most over-the-top action scenes in his films. A lot of the time, these scenes include massive explosions that are captured by cameras in helicopters. North has worked as a helicopter pilot on various Bay movies, giving him key insight into Bay’s process filming some of his most explosive action scenes. However, North points out one flaw that Bay has.
Michael Bay Is Known For Action Scenes Involving Helicopters And Explosions
Ambulance Is One Of Michael Bay’s Best Movies
In a video with theCorridor Crew, North talked about working on the LA river scene inAmbulancewhere the pair of brothers is pursued by two helicopters through the city.North explained that designing a scene like this is all about timing to get the proper shots, but acknowledged that Bay is not the best when it comes to counting. He also cited an example of Bay’s poor timing from when he was working on aTransformersfilm with the director. Read his full comments below:
Usually the way we do it, we choose what we call a number one position. So the number one position was before the bridge, so the ambulance is there. The first helicopter, the black and white, is behind it, and then the camera ship is a little bit higher, further away because you need to be on the move when everything starts to move. The camera ship is basically the one in control of the whole timing and to give the action. Michael, bless his heart, is amazing doing so many things, but to count, his timing is not good.
I remember on one of the Transformers, I’m hovering and there’s a huge explosion. Michael wanted to give us the timing, and we all know it’s not a good idea. But it’s Michael and he can do whatever the f*ck he wants.
Due to his intense, sometimes cartoonish, action sequences,not all moviegoers take Bay’s movies seriously. Bay’sTransformersmovies, especially the later sequels, did not receive positive reviews at all, and were mostly thought of as dumb action movies. However,Ambulanceis one of the best Michael Bay movies, and tells a truly emotional story between two brothers. Therefore, it is clear that Bay is still capable of crafting an exciting action movie with an intriguing premise.
Our Take On Fred North’s Comments About Michael Bay
Based on Fred North’s comments, it’s clear that he and Bay have a very strong working relationship. It’s refreshing to hear that North is not afraid to criticize the director, as filmmaking is a collaborative effort.Ambulance, in particular, featured various outstanding aerial shots, and it is obvious that North deserves a lot of credit for his work on the film. If they team up again for a future action movie, it’s possible it could even surpassAmbulance.
Ambulance
Cast
Michael Bay returns to the director’s chair with Ambulance, an action-thriller film that follows siblings Danny and Will Sharp in a high-stakes heist that goes terribly wrong. When Afghanistan veteran Will’s wife needs medical treatment they can’t afford, Will seeks help from his criminal-record-toting brother, Danny. To help him, Danny offers him the chance to join him on the biggest heist of his life, which would take care of his wife and more. But when the heist goes wrong, the two find themselves hijacking an ambulance with a wounded officer and a stellar EMT as they attempt to fend off law enforcement in a bombastic unyielding chase across Los Angeles.
