Sometimes a movie doesn’t have to reinvent anything to be a good time. Mayday, now streaming on Apple TV, is exactly that kind of movie: fast, funny, action-packed, and familiar enough that there are very few surprises. Still, thanks largely to the chemistry between Ryan Reynolds and Kenneth Branagh, I had a lot of fun with it.
Directed by John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein, Mayday stars Reynolds and Branagh alongside Maria Bakalova, Marcin Dorociński, and David Morse. Set during the Cold War in 1987, the film immediately earns a few extra points with me simply by going back in time. I always enjoy a period setting, and the late-’80s backdrop gives the movie extra personality, even when the story itself feels familiar.
Reynolds plays Lieutenant Troy “Assassin” Kelly, a hotshot U.S. Navy pilot sent on a secret mission into Soviet territory. Things go badly, leaving Troy stranded behind enemy lines, where his unlikely lifeline comes in the form of Nikolai Ustinov, played by Branagh, a former KGB agent with an enthusiastic fascination with American culture. The two form an uneasy partnership as Troy attempts to make his way home, and from there the movie settles comfortably into buddy-action territory.
There are chases, shootouts, narrow escapes, jokes in dangerous situations, and plenty of bonding between two very different men. None of this is particularly new, but the movie moves quickly enough that I didn’t really care. Mayday knows what kind of movie it is, and for most of its running time, it simply has fun being one.
Reynolds is very much doing the Ryan Reynolds thing here — cocky, sarcastic, and constantly ready with a smart remark. It is a familiar performance, but it works especially well beside Branagh. Their contrasting styles give the movie much of its energy.
Branagh is terrific and, frankly, steals a good portion of the film. His Nikolai is eccentric, unexpectedly funny, and completely engaging, and Branagh commits to every odd little detail. The chemistry between the two leads gives Mayday considerably more charm than its fairly standard plot might otherwise have.
The contrast is what makes the pairing work. Reynolds delivers the rapid-fire sarcasm while Branagh plays things just differently enough to keep their exchanges funny and unpredictable. Both leads are highly engaging, but I found myself watching Branagh most closely whenever the two shared the screen.
The action is plentiful, and the movie is definitely violent, but it isn’t overly bloody or gruesome. It has more of an old-fashioned popcorn-action feel than something designed to shock with gore. That tone makes it an easy date-night movie — entertaining, energetic, and not especially demanding.
There are a few moments when Mayday seems determined to make larger points that I’m not convinced it needed to make. Some of the commentary feels superfluous in a movie whose greatest strength is simply watching these two men banter while things explode around them. I would have been perfectly happy with even more mindless action, ridiculous situations, and silly banter.
Not every action-comedy needs to say something profound. Sometimes airplanes, explosions, narrow escapes, jokes, and a giant bucket of popcorn are more than enough. Mayday delivers plenty of all of those things.
It isn’t groundbreaking, and it certainly isn’t especially original, but it is entertaining. Reynolds and Branagh make an unexpectedly enjoyable pair, and Branagh, in particular, is a delight. The 1987 Cold War setting adds another layer of fun for anyone, like me, who enjoys stepping back into another era for a couple of hours.
For a relaxed date night at home, Mayday is an easy recommendation. It is familiar, silly, violent without being excessively bloody, and just clever enough to keep things moving. Most importantly, it is fun.