Movie review: First Response

When Dermot is shot during a robbery gone bad his brother, Austin, hijacks an ambulance to get him help. While forcing EMT Camilla to perform emergency surgery her partner, Gerry, is commanded to drive the ambulance and elude police.

Dania Ramirez (Camilla), Kristopher Turner (Gerry), Joris Jarsky (Austin), Adam Butcher (Dermot), Graham Abbey (Spencer), Jefferson Brown (Bryan), Mark Slacke (Kyle), Helena Marie (Sarah), Peter Dillon (Detective).

First Response kicks off pretty well with two parallel plot lines that serve to setup the main plot and introduce the characters. Once the ambulance is hijacked the plot lines converge and the film finally finds footing as a crime thriller. The rest of the show is a suspense filled ride with some nice twists and turns. The film even finishes with a nicely done, if expected, twist.

Acting was decent in this one with Ramirez feeling genuine throughout. Turner was okay but felt a bit out of place, or detached, at times. Jarsky brought good intensity and delivered well. Brown and Butcher did nicely with smaller roles, and the rest of the cast felt pretty solid.

Camera work, sets, and backgrounds were nothing unusual but done well nonetheless. Action scenes were mild for the most part but fit the film well. Dialogue was a big part of this one with a nice contrast between characters that generated momentum while keeping the storyline interesting. Sound and soundtrack were mild but fitting.

As a crime thriller First Response does fairly well. The plot concept is good and technical work is enjoyable. That said, energy in the film felt inconsistent lending itself to solid entertainment punctuated with periods of near boredom. While some may enjoy this one a lot, others may find it too bland for their tastes.

With some foul language, drug use, and violence this should be fine for older teens and above.

Released: 2015
Star rating: 3 out of 5
Genre: Thriller, Crime Thriller, Suspense, Crime Suspense, Crime Drama

copyright ©2015 Dave Riedel