Like just about everyone else, Michael Bay found his entire working life upset by Covid-19. The Hollywood film director behind such behemoths as the Transformers franchise, The Rock, Armageddon and Pearl Harbor, was planning his latest epic Black Five when the pandemic broke. Immediately, the project was derailed, with the industry in flux and Bay caught in limbo.
“It was so hard to be creative,” Bay recalls. “And everyone was so scared.”
It’s hard to imagine Bay terrified of anything. A former director of music videos and commercials at Propaganda Films, the Los Angeles native has been making movies since 1995’s seminal cop drama Bad Boys, with Will Smith and Martin Lawrence. Now aged 57, Bay's films have grossed close to $6.5 billion across the world.
“I could retire,” he says. “But it’s fun! I mean, I like shooting. I really do enjoy it.”
Yet the pandemic stopped Bay dead in his tracks. Unable to shoot Black Five, he went back to his team. “I said to my agent, ‘Goddamnit, I just want to get out and shoot something fast. I’m tired of being locked up at home.’”
Thankfully, he was reminded of a script, based on a Danish film released in 2005, called Ambulance. A visceral heist movie, that could be filmed swiftly and economically.
“It kind of suited my needs,” he says.
The story sees decorated war veteran Will Sharp (Abdul-Mateen II), in need of money for his wife’s surgery, approach his adoptive brother Danny (Jake Gyllenhaal).
"They had a dad who was a bank robber [and] was pretty vicious,” explains Bay. “And one started to go on the straight and narrow and one kept going the darker way.”
Soon enough, Danny is leading Will into a lucrative bank robbery in downtown Los Angeles.
Unsurprisingly, the heist goes wrong, and the brothers find themselves in a stolen ambulance, carrying a cop who has been shot in the ensuing chaos. Bay calls it “a study in tension”, especially when Will and Danny run into an emergency medical technician or EMT (emergency medical technicians) played by Mexican star Eiza Gonzalez (Baby Driver) in the stolen ambulance.
“She’s really tough in this movie, which is good. Women really, really like her a lot," says Bay.
The director has already screened the movie to select audiences and says women have loved it.
Whether that will translate to box office gold is another matter, but with a bonafide A-lister such as Gyllenhaal and rising star Abdul-Mateen II, there’s every chance it will. In the case of Abdul-Mateen II, he’s enjoyed a remarkable past year, after taking the lead role in horror remake Candyman and co-starring in The Matrix Resurrections.
When Bay first saw him in 2018’s superhero tale Aquaman, he knew of his potential.
“I’m like, ‘That guy’s gonna be a star. I want to work with him'," he says. “I’ve worked with so many famous people in my lifetime and it’s just like I told him, ‘Dude, you are so humble. And you just have a spark about you. Don’t lose that.’ He really is just a humble guy. Just salt of the earth.”
He felt the same about Gyllenhaal, an actor whose diverse credits range from Donnie Darko and Zodiac to Spider-Man: Far From Home.
“We really hit it off,” says Bay. “Just great energy. He brings his A-game. I’ll embrace his different ideas, and he’ll give me different things.”
The chemistry with the two leads is there for all to see, he says. “Jake is fun to watch. Even though he’s out of his mind and Yahya ... the audience just loves him, and they just latch on. Even though their characters are doing something bad. It’s weird.”
Around his actors, Bay sprinkled real-life law enforcers to add to the verisimilitude. Yet, what really gives Ambulance its energy is the fact that he shot it on the hoof, in only 38 days.
“These smaller movies are hard because they challenge you, because you’ve got less of everything but it’s good,” he says. “It puts a lot of structure in the things. This is all you’re gonna get and you’ve got to make it work.”
The only time he’s done anything similar was 2013’s Pain & Gain, a riotous comedy-thriller with Mark Wahlberg and Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson.
“I mean, that was just running around my place in Miami with actors. And that was a pretty shoestring budget," he says.
Bay is also thriftier than you might think.
“I’m a type of director … I do not go over budget. I come on budget. And I don’t like spending more than I absolutely must. On big movies, there’s so much waste, it’s ridiculous,” he says. “You’re creating such a big world for so many people on payroll.”
It’s why he loved scaling back on Ambulance, with a smaller crew. Often, he’d jump in a car with just a soundman and a camera operator to shoot some footage.
Even his company, Platinum Dunes, that Bay co-founded in 2001, is devoted to producing low-budget horror movies, including John Krasinski’s hit film A Quiet Place and its 2021 sequel. Does Bay hanker after a grimy horror himself?
“I would love to do a scary movie,” Bay says. “But I’m wondering what I’m going to do next. I think it’ll probably be a big movie … but I don’t know.”
Ambulance is out in UAE cinemas on March 17
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
About Takalam
Date started: early 2020
Founders: Khawla Hammad and Inas Abu Shashieh
Based: Abu Dhabi
Sector: HealthTech and wellness
Number of staff: 4
Funding to date: Bootstrapped
A little about CVRL
Founded in 1985 by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, the Central Veterinary Research Laboratory (CVRL) is a government diagnostic centre that provides testing and research facilities to the UAE and neighbouring countries.
One of its main goals is to provide permanent treatment solutions for veterinary related diseases.
The taxidermy centre was established 12 years ago and is headed by Dr Ulrich Wernery.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League final:
Who: Real Madrid v Liverpool
Where: NSC Olimpiyskiy Stadium, Kiev, Ukraine
When: Saturday, May 26, 10.45pm (UAE)
TV: Match on BeIN Sports
Developer: Ubisoft Montreal / Ubisoft Toronto
Publisher: Ubisoft
Platforms: Playstation 4, Xbox One, Windows
Release Date: April 10
Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
Available: Now
The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
In numbers: China in Dubai
The number of Chinese people living in Dubai: An estimated 200,000
Number of Chinese people in International City: Almost 50,000
Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2018/19: 120,000
Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2010: 20,000
Percentage increase in visitors in eight years: 500 per cent
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
More on Quran memorisation:
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Ronaldo's record at Man Utd
Seasons 2003/04 - 2008/09
Appearances 230
Goals 115
Essentials
The flights
Emirates and Etihad fly direct from the UAE to Los Angeles, from Dh4,975 return, including taxes. The flight time is 16 hours. Alaska Airlines, United Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Aeromexico and Southwest all fly direct from Los Angeles to San Jose del Cabo from Dh1,243 return, including taxes. The flight time is two-and-a-half hours.
The trip
Lindblad Expeditions National Geographic’s eight-day Whales Wilderness itinerary costs from US$6,190 (Dh22,736) per person, twin share, including meals, accommodation and excursions, with departures in March and April 2018.
RESULTS
Dubai Kahayla Classic – Group 1 (PA) $750,000 (Dirt) 2,000m
Winner: Deryan, Ioritz Mendizabal (jockey), Didier Guillemin (trainer).
Godolphin Mile – Group 2 (TB) $750,000 (D) 1,600m
Winner: Secret Ambition, Tadhg O’Shea, Satish Seemar
Dubai Gold Cup – Group 2 (TB) $750,000 (Turf) 3,200m
Winner: Subjectivist, Joe Fanning, Mark Johnston
Al Quoz Sprint – Group 1 (TB) $1million (T) 1,200m
Winner: Extravagant Kid, Ryan Moore, Brendan Walsh
UAE Derby – Group 2 (TB) $750,000 (D) 1,900m
Winner: Rebel’s Romance, William Buick, Charlie Appleby
Dubai Golden Shaheen – Group 1 (TB) $1.5million (D) 1,200m
Winner: Zenden, Antonio Fresu, Carlos David
Dubai Turf – Group 1 (TB) $4million (T) 1,800m
Winner: Lord North, Frankie Dettori, John Gosden
Dubai Sheema Classic – Group 1 (TB) $5million (T) 2,410m
Winner: Mishriff, John Egan, John Gosden
Omar Yabroudi's factfile
Born: October 20, 1989, Sharjah
Education: Bachelor of Science and Football, Liverpool John Moores University
2010: Accrington Stanley FC, internship
2010-2012: Crystal Palace, performance analyst with U-18 academy
2012-2015: Barnet FC, first-team performance analyst/head of recruitment
2015-2017: Nottingham Forest, head of recruitment
2018-present: Crystal Palace, player recruitment manager
Specs
Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
On sale: Available for pre-order now
Price: On request
Dust and sand storms compared
Sand storm
- Particle size: Larger, heavier sand grains
- Visibility: Often dramatic with thick "walls" of sand
- Duration: Short-lived, typically localised
- Travel distance: Limited
- Source: Open desert areas with strong winds
Dust storm
- Particle size: Much finer, lightweight particles
- Visibility: Hazy skies but less intense
- Duration: Can linger for days
- Travel distance: Long-range, up to thousands of kilometres
- Source: Can be carried from distant regions
Know your Camel lingo
The bairaq is a competition for the best herd of 50 camels, named for the banner its winner takes home
Namoos - a word of congratulations reserved for falconry competitions, camel races and camel pageants. It best translates as 'the pride of victory' - and for competitors, it is priceless
Asayel camels - sleek, short-haired hound-like racers
Majahim - chocolate-brown camels that can grow to weigh two tonnes. They were only valued for milk until camel pageantry took off in the 1990s
Millions Street - the thoroughfare where camels are led and where white 4x4s throng throughout the festival
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Meydan racecard:
6.30pm: Handicap | US$135,000 (Dirt) | 1,400 metres
7.05pm: Handicap | $135,000 (Turf) | 1,200m
7.40pm: Dubai Millennium Stakes | Group 3 | $200,000 (T) | 2,000m
8.15pm: UAE Oaks | Group 3 | $250,000 (D) | 1,900m
8.50pm: Zabeel Mile | Group 2 | $250,000 (T) | 1,600m
9.20pm: Handicap | $135,000 (T) | 1,600m
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre, twin-turbocharged V8
Transmission: nine-speed automatic
Power: 630bhp
Torque: 900Nm
Price: Dh810,000
'Midnights'
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Results
5pm: Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 (Turf) 1,600m; Winner: Nadhra, Fabrice Veron (jockey), Eric Lemartinel (trainer)
5.30pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 (T) 1,400m; Winner: AF Dars, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel
6pm: Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 (T) 1,400m; Winner: AF Musannef, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel
6.30pm: Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 (T) 1,200m; Winner: AF Taghzel, Malin Holmberg, Ernst Oertel
7pm: Wathba Stallions Cup Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 (T) 2,200m; Winner: M’Y Yaromoon, Khalifa Al Neyadi, Jesus Rosales
7.30pm: Handicap (TB) Dh100,000 (PA) 1,400m; Winner: Hakeem, Jim Crowley, Ali Rashid Al Raihe
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
The specs: 2018 BMW R nineT Scrambler
Price, base / as tested Dh57,000
Engine 1,170cc air/oil-cooled flat twin four-stroke engine
Transmission Six-speed gearbox
Power 110hp) @ 7,750rpm
Torque 116Nm @ 6,000rpm
Fuel economy, combined 5.3L / 100km
Company profile
Company name: Dharma
Date started: 2018
Founders: Charaf El Mansouri, Nisma Benani, Leah Howe
Based: Abu Dhabi
Sector: TravelTech
Funding stage: Pre-series A
Investors: Convivialite Ventures, BY Partners, Shorooq Partners, L& Ventures, Flat6Labs
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Bio:
Favourite Quote: Prophet Mohammad's quotes There is reward for kindness to every living thing and A good man treats women with honour
Favourite Hobby: Serving poor people
Favourite Book: The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
Favourite food: Fish and vegetables
Favourite place to visit: London
