Code 3 – Review

Want to get shot at, thrown up on, strangled, get into a fight, have to avoid dirty needle jabs, and still have 11 hours left on your shift? Quick, join the paramedics! Oh, and despite being in the medical field, the pay is shit so you will be broke, and the paperwork level is high. Ambulance Before Cop after all, as the police officers point out at a house call, hoping the case is an overdose and the medical services are stuck with the bodies.

Usually if you need an ambulance, you are having a bad day and potentially emergency help to survive. It is high stress and low reward, and is needed all day every day. So, who is part of a rugged emergency services crew that can handle such a job which can even require 24-hour shifts?

Randy (Wilson) is sure trying to handle it, but after years of the work, he is burnt out. The dead body parts, excess fluids, combative druggies, unsafe needles, and virtually zero thanks have finally taken their tolls, leaving him absolutely disgusted with life and in desperate need of a change. The ambulance driver Mike (Howery) does his best with Randy’s shit attitude, but he just knows he has hit his limit. So, what’s next? Training the new student Jessica (Carrero) and hopefully a final shift since he has eyes on a new job at an insurance company.

Okay, so despite what I just said about the plot, the film is pretty funny throughout and moves at a fast pace with plenty of glee at times, but does get a touch morbid also. It does deliver realistic observations on humanity as well as the paramedic role, usually with a hefty side of snark. Code 3 can be slightly intense, but mostly it maintains its comedic edge and zips along pace-wise. There are stressful events, body parts and big vomit sprays, nudity, most every type of emergency, and the lows of humanity.

I would say it is a slight satire but likely presents real and frustrating situations faced by these paramedic warriors, just with a mostly humorous take. If it were fully presented as reality is, it may be too bleak, and some parts are pretty tense. If you can handle some realism and morbidity along with jokes and life observations, jump on the ambulance for a 24-hour shift.

We can’t get here faster than six minutes, what the fuck you think we got a teleporter?

I can’t think of many movies to compare this to; it’s more like an edgier movie version of Scrubs or something, but focused on being an EMS.