I believe that director Michael Bay took Transformers a little too far, that he overdid that franchise. And I was concerned that his latest movie, Ambulance, would be just another explosive Transformers style movie. But Ambulance is actually a suspenseful, high-octane chase thriller and it’s one of Michael Bay’s better films.

The two actors behind this excellent film are Jake Gyllenhaal and Yahya Abdul-Mateen II. Put those two in a film about a heist gone wrong and you have the makings of a daring thrill ride, which is just how I would describe Ambulance.

Ambulance takes place in Los Angeles. Adoptive brothers Danny (Gyllenhaal) and Will (Mateen II) plan a bank heist to help Will’s wife out of financial problems. Danny has a criminal background and lots of money for a well-funded heist, but things don’t go as planned. Their crew makes some critical mistakes, and the bank they rob ends up being swarmed by a SWAT team. Danny and Will initially escape on foot, and then they hijack an ambulance, hence the name of the film. What Danny and Will don’t initially realize is that in the back of the ambulance is a critically wounded person and a paramedic, Cam Thompson, played by Eiza Gonzalez. With intense media coverage, the fleeing ambulance drama comes to a boiling point.

I found myself amazed by the performances of Gyllenhaal and Mateen II as Danny and Will. Danny is totally focused on their escape and sees himself as a criminal mastermind, despite getting he and his brother in an incredibly sticky situation. Will is focused too, but his focus is just on making it home.

Ambulance is definitely one of Michael Bay’s best films in a while. I loved the whole experience. It felt like an amusement park ride mixed with a human version of Tetris. It is a heist film taken to new heights. Three and a half stars for Ambulance.

To this day, the Sonic video games are still very popular—and addicting. With Sonic the Hedgehog 2, director Jeff Fowler has shown that he knows how to make a video game adaptation faithful to its nostalgic fan base. People around the world who love the Sonic video games and the first Sonic film will love Sonic the Hedgehog 2. The quirkiness and creativity of Sonic the Hedgehog 2 make the film a joyful and lighthearted experience.

In Sonic the Hedgehog 2, Ben Schwartz is back to play Sonic, who has adapted to a life of being a hero and living with Tom, played again by James Marsden. Tom is living a great life with his new love Maddie, played by Tika Sumpter, and they decide to go on a getaway without Sonic. Unfortunately, the evil Dr. Ivo Robotnik, played by Jim Carrey, shows up and is back for revenge. This time Ivo has a sidekick, Knuckles, played by Idris Elba. The planet is once again at risk, and the job of stopping Ivo and Knuckles is in the hands of Sonic. Fortunately, Sonic also has a sidekick, Tails, played by Collen O’Shanussy, to help him; although Sonic and Tails are really put to the test. Everyone is absent-minded in some area, and that is one of the things that makes the Sonic franchise a fun and joyful ride.

The hysterical situations of Sonic the Hedgehog 2 and the hidden gems are unexpected and entertaining, and several of the main character performances are stellar. Carrey has those clever one-liners and wit, Marsden has just the right nice guy vibe, O’Shanussy is the ideal sidekick for Sonic, and Elba makes the perfect evil partner for Carrey.

I loved reliving my childhood with Sonic the Hedgehog 2. It’s a positive adventure and a rollercoaster of fun—a lighthearted kick that kids and adults will love and cherish, making it great family entertainment. Three stars for Sonic the Hedgehog 2.

Jared Leto is often disfigured or killed in his films. In Panic Room (2002), his arm was badly burned, In American Psycho (2000) he was brutally killed with an axe, and in Lord of War (2005) he was shot. With his newest, Morbius, it is the film itself that is disfigured—the storyline, the screenplay, and the continuity are a mess. Despite the Marvel hype, Morbius is a trainwreck.

In Morbius, Leto is Michael Morbius, a biochemist studying blood diseases who himself contracts a deadly blood disease. Morbius develops a cure for his disease that causes him to turn into a vampire. Morbius’s friend Milo, played by Matt Smith, contracts the same blood disease.

The chemistry between Leto and Smith are a highlight of Morbius, but there is not much beyond that. The pacing of the film is off and the storyline is rushed. It has some cool visuals, but they don’t blend with the storyline, and the plot is predictable. It really is just a cheesy thrill ride that relies on visuals for its entertainment. It’s not as bad as the Fantastic Four reboot from 2015, but close.

While watching Morbius I found myself thinking that the filmmakers really needed to look back to previous Marvel films to have an idea of how to build a storyline. There was a definite disconnect to previous amazing Marvel films. I have no doubt that most fans of Marvel and superhero films will still go to see Morbius, and maybe some will love it. But I don’t think so, and I don’t think it does justice to the franchise. In my view, it is disaster after disaster. Having said that, and trying to end on a positive note, I didn’t totally hate the film; I was just very disappointed. Two stars for Morbius.