Ambush (2023) Film Review

Ambush, directed by Mark Burman, attempts to bring one of the most contentious periods in American history, the Vietnam War, to mainstream entertainment. Despite several attempts to make the war the subject of action films, such as Missing in Action, The Last Hunter, and Siege of Firebase Gloria, the Vietnam War has remained resistant to such efforts, and Ambush seems unlikely to change that.

The film follows Special Forces Captain Mora, played by Gregory Sims, who is sent by General Drummond, portrayed by Aaron Eckhart, to retrieve a binder full of names and locations of Vietnamese operatives from a remote firebase. However, the Viet Cong attack and steal the binder back, prompting General Drummond to order its retrieval at all costs. The problem is that the troops available to him are the engineers constructing the base, led by Corporal Ackerman, played by Connor Paolo, who are deemed “a bunch of construction workers” by Drummond.

Although he has a couple of non-engineers at his disposal, including a tracker named Miller, played by Jonathan Rhys Meyers, and another Special Forces operative, Crawford, played by Mac Brandt, Mora may not trust Crawford if he had overheard the conversation between him and Drummond. This premise may sound like Battle for Saipan, where non-combat troops are forced to fight, but it is not a new trope, going as far back as the 1944 film The Fighting Seabees starring John Wayne. What sets Ambush apart is that it takes place mostly underground in the maze of tunnels the Viet Cong used to navigate unnoticed, a setting that has only been used once before, in Uwe Boll’s The Tunnel Rats.

This setting allows the film to develop a claustrophobic atmosphere and focus more on suspense and fear of booby traps, such as tripwires that release live scorpions and pits full of stakes, among others. Given that Ambush is a low to mid-budget film, it lacks standup battle scenes. Moreover, by keeping the name actors above ground, the film has an excuse to limit their screen time. While the two above-ground battle scenes are decent, the film’s low budget is evident during the attack on the base. It is clear that they are shooting around a lack of extras and lack the budget to show much in the way of explosions.

The film’s best moments are when it stages small-scale skirmishes inside the tunnels, using the small spaces to cover up the lack of major set pieces. Unfortunately, too much time spent underground is wasted on scenes of people complaining about being lost or going in circles. This quickly becomes tedious, and the film would have benefited from trimming most of them out, which would have been possible given its runtime of 104 minutes.

Oddly enough, Ambush seems to want the viewer to care about Drummond and Mora, despite their willingness to bury their own men alive if need be. In contrast, Ackerman, who takes the risks and gets things done, is portrayed as weak and naive. Drummond gets to deliver inspiring speeches from far behind the lines, while Mora struts around screaming, “I didn’t order you to breathe, I ordered you to answer my question!”. Ackerman, on the other hand, tells us how much fiber is in an MRE. The film ends with the last shot of Drummond looking pensively into the camera, rather than focusing on the few survivors back at the camp.

Despite being a good idea, Ambush is let down by a poor script, largely unlikable characters, and some painful dialogue. It is watchable, but viewers may find themselves hitting the fast-forward or mute button more than once before the film is over.

Despite its flaws, Ambush does have some redeeming qualities. Director Mark Burman effectively creates a tense and claustrophobic atmosphere within the tunnels, and the film's suspenseful moments are well-executed. The use of the underground maze also sets it apart from other Vietnam War films, and the film's low budget is cleverly hidden by limiting the above-ground battle scenes and focusing on the small-scale skirmishes inside the tunnels.

In terms of performances, while the characters are mostly unlikable, the actors do their best with what they are given. Aaron Eckhart brings gravitas to his role as General Drummond, even if the character's motivations and actions are questionable. Gregory Sims delivers a solid performance as Captain Mora, despite the character being written as a stereotypical tough guy. Jonathan Rhys Meyers is also effective as the tracker Miller, bringing a sense of unpredictability to the character.

However, the film's dialogue is a weak point, with some lines being cringe-worthy and difficult to take seriously. The attempts at creating character development fall flat, with the characters coming across as one-dimensional and lacking depth. The portrayal of Corporal Ackerman as weak and naive also feels like a missed opportunity, as the character could have been developed into a more interesting and complex figure.

Ultimately, Ambush is a watchable but flawed attempt at turning the Vietnam War into mainstream entertainment. While it does have some effective moments and interesting ideas, the film is let down by its poor script and lack of likable characters. Fans of war movies may find some enjoyment in the film's suspenseful moments and unique use of the underground tunnels, but others may find themselves hitting the fast-forward button.

In conclusion, Ambush is a film that tries to tackle one of the most divisive events in American history and turn it into an action-packed thriller. While the film does have some redeeming qualities, such as its effective use of the underground tunnels and tense atmosphere, it is ultimately let down by its poor script, lack of likable characters, and cringe-worthy dialogue. It may be worth a watch for fans of war movies, but others may want to give it a pass.