Mayday, 2026.
Written and Directed by John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein.
Starring Ryan Reynolds, Kenneth Branagh, Maria Bakalova, Marcin Dorociński, David Morse, Lovell Adams-Gray, Louis Cancelmi.
SYNOPSIS:
Lieutenant Troy Brennan’s reconnaissance mission over Soviet territory goes awry, forcing him to crash-land and survive in Russian wilderness while evading capture or rescue.
Part inversion of a certain popular 1980s flick about friendship and aircraft piloting, with writers/directors John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein doing their own riff on mismatched buddy hijinks, Mayday is also an action-comedy that consistently reveals new sides. Perhaps that’s also to the benefit of going in cold, knowing not a single thing about it other than it starred Ryan Reynolds and Kenneth Branagh, as evident by them lying in the snow on the poster. It’s also reasonable to suggest that no one should expect anything less from the filmmakers behind Game Night, which blurred the lines between genres and continually found more to do with its premise.
Set during the height of the Cold War, U.S. Navy Lieutenant Troy Kelly (Ryan Reynolds), callsign “assassin” (there is a reason behind it, and it is an amusing payoff), is a courageous expert in his field, willing to become a daredevil and gamble with his own life in the air to save the life of a comrade. Without much room or time for friends and relationships, he mostly tends to his ailing father, Harold (David Morse), or waxes patriotic alongside his team. America is the “good guys,” and he can’t possibly conceive of a noble Russian civilian opposing Mikhail Gorbachev’s oppression.
As such, he is perfectly fine taking part in a covert reconnaissance black op alongside a new teammate, Sanders (Louis Cancelmi), aspiring to one day achieve the rank of Colonel. The jokes write themselves, and the filmmakers have the perfect wisecrack to deliver them, even if Ryan Reynolds’ schtick is, at this point, tired and inseparable from his portrayal as Deadpool in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Nevertheless, the mission goes sideways, leaving Troy behind enemy lines and bandaged up by an oddball Russian Top Gun fanatic (compulsively re-watching a pirated VHS bootleg in another funny bit), equally obsessed with glorifying America as a whole. His name is Nikolai Ustinov (Nick for short), and he also has no interest in staying in Russia, although he can’t escape given his past deeds. Even if he could, it might endanger his estranged daughter, Anna (Maria Bakalova).
Now, anyone who has watched a movie in the past 20 years knows what they are getting themselves into with the Ryan Reynolds character. He is going to quip nonstop, even in perilous situations that don’t necessarily call for a smart-alecky comment. However, he is such a charming presence and mostly has dialogue that is actually funny, so when those moments are warranted, they land (such as his reaction to cigarettes in the unlikeliest of household objects). Despite his jokey nature, he is also the straight man here, quickly growing tired of Nick’s motormouth and eccentricities. For that part, most people have an idea of their tolerance, what to expect, and whether this movie might be for them to begin with (although it is highly recommended that even someone who hates Ryan Reynolds’ routine stick with this one or give it a shot).
The surprise element, more or less, is that Nick is more than a goof in ways that shouldn’t be spoiled (the trailers probably already have, though). Coupled with Troy’s skills, the film regularly morphs while maintaining a consistent tone; at first, it’s concerned with aircraft spectacle (this is no Top Gun: Maverick though or even Top Gun, as most of it comes with an ugly green screen sheen one would come to expect from streaming movies), then takes the buddy comedy formula into something more action-oriented that also finds its way into a couple of touching emotional beats. Accent and all, Kenneth Branagh is hysterical, finding a real character inside one initially presented as a joke that would have stayed that way in a lazier screenplay.
That journey sees the two teaming up to reach a specific type of Russian radio, untraceable when contacting the embassy for assistance, all while on the run from a high-ranking Russian government goon (Marcin Dorociński), a mostly forgettable villain but serviceable enough. Dreaming of eating McDonald’s for the first time and starting anew, it’s a road Nick will happily tag along on once he ensures the safety of his daughter. However, it’s also about Nick learning the hard way to demythologize the promise of the American Dream, with Troy also learning a thing or two about how dastardly and cruel his country can be.
There is also a point to be made that the film is deconstructing the jingoistic politics of a movie like Top Gun; it’s more than an amusing inclusion, and a piece of media woven into the storytelling fabric and messaging of Mayday, and thoughtfully so. That’s to go along with slickly staged fight choreography and a rousing, refreshing vehicular chase sequence with some era-appropriate heavy artillery, all engaging thanks to the endearing and playful chemistry of its stars. There is no need to shout mayday while watching.
Flickering Myth Rating – Film: ★ ★ ★ / Movie: ★ ★ ★
Robert Kojder
