Produced by Saban Entertainment (yes the same group that brought you The Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers in the 90s), Ambush tells the story of the early days of tunnel warfare in Vietnam.

Ambush

American soldiers have a long history of harrowing experiences and bravery that make for captivating theater, and Ambush is no exception. Despite the hackneyed efforts of its director and cinematographer, Connor Paolo’s excellent performance as Corporal Ackerman keeps your attention focused and your tension high.

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Ackerman is a young and inexperienced member of the Army Corp of Engineers charged with maintaining a small base on the outskirts of the Vietnam theater. When the base is ambushed and sensitive documents are stolen, Ackerman and his equally inexperienced, yet disposable, team are ordered to infiltrate enemy tunnels and recover the documents before time runs out, and deadly secondary options are employed.

Like I said, it’s a recipe that only the most inept could ruin. Fortunately, most of the cast is up to the task and the pacing is generally good, which makes up for a lot because the director is constantly at a loss as to what story he’s telling. He’ll introduce a seemingly interesting secondary character to only ignore them for the vast majority of the film. Then he’ll try to make the movie about the green corporal coming into his command and earning the respect of his men, only to immediately undermine him in the next scene.

The director’s lack of finesse in switching between subplots is exacerbated by the cinematographer’s awkward use of nasal-zoom closeups and clumsy attempts at creating a claustrophobic atmosphere. While it should be a straightforward task, given that the actual Viet Cong tunnels could be as narrow as two feet, the shots often fall short of their goal. Despite some successful moments, largely thanks to the performances, the camera shots frequently widen and give a sense of space that undermines the previously built tension.

Also, the combat scenes are so frenetic that it’s difficult to follow what’s happening. Finding a balance between chaos and storytelling is key, as exemplified by the differences between the artistry of Saving Private Ryan and many of the frenzied shaky-cam fight scenes in Batman Begins.

Another issue with Ambush is that many of the background characters are homogenous and dispensable. They’re difficult to distinguish from one another and lack any real development or purpose beyond being generic soldiers who are there to fill space. This makes it challenging to care about their fates or feel invested in their stories, which is a missed opportunity to add depth to the film’s overall narrative.

Despite the director’s lack of focus and the cinematographer’s ineffective attempts at artistry, the core story of Ambush is enough to hold the audience’s attention. While some of the cast struggles, most are up to the task and the pacing is generally good. While the film may fall short of cinematic greatness, it is a solid choice for war movie fans who can rest assured that the warriors who gave their lives for this country will be treated with respect, if not always with the highest level of competency.

WOKE ELEMENTS

None.