Mayday Review: Ryan Reynolds and Kenneth Branagh Deliver Pure 80s Action-Comedy Nostalgia on Apple TV+

The 80s action-comedy is officially back — at least for 110 minutes on Apple TV+. Mayday, directed by John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein (the duo behind Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves and Game Night), drops this Friday with a premise that feels like it was pulled straight from a VHS rental shelf: a hotshot American pilot crash-lands in Soviet Russia and bonds with a quirky Russian ex-KGB agent. Think Top Gun meets The Man from U.N.C.L.E., with a generous sprinkle of buddy-comedy charm.

Ryan Reynolds Does What Ryan Reynolds Does Best

Ryan Reynolds plays Troy Kelly, a cocky naval aviator with the call sign "Assassin" who's forced to eject from his plane during a secret spy mission over Soviet airspace. Wounded and disoriented, Troy wakes up in a remote cabin tied to a bed, being patched up by none other than Kenneth Branagh's Nikolai Ustinov — a jovial former KGB operative who happens to own a bootleg VHS copy of Top Gun and has never eaten McDonald's but "suspects he would love it." If that character description alone doesn't sell you on this movie, nothing will.

Branagh Steals the Show as Nikolai

While Reynolds brings his signature rapid-fire wit and physical comedy, it's Kenneth Branagh who walks away with the film. His portrayal of Nikolai — a bearded, affable Russian who's also a lethal hand-to-hand combatant — is equal parts deadpan hilarious and genuinely touching. The chemistry between Reynolds and Branagh crackles on screen, reminiscent of classic 80s buddy pairings like Emilio Estevez and Samuel L. Jackson in Loaded Weapon 1, or Bruce Willis and Damon Wayans in The Last Boy Scout.

Action That Doesn't Quit

Daley and Goldstein have choreographed some seriously impressive set pieces. The opening ejection sequence — where Troy dodges flaming debris before his parachute catches fire — is an adrenaline-pumping start that sets the tone. Later, the duo finds themselves in a foot chase through Red Square (doubled by Budapest's Heroes' Square with some clever digital effects), a nail-biting fight aboard a cargo plane with an open door, and — yes — a car chase in a nuclear missile launcher. It's absurd, it's over-the-top, and it's exactly the kind of spectacle that 80s action movies were built on.

The Verdict: A Fun Throwback That Knows What It Is

Mayday isn't trying to reinvent the wheel. It's derivative, sure — critics have already noted the heavy Top Gun influence and the formulaic plot beats. But here's the thing: it works. The film leans into its 1987 setting with genuine affection, the action sequences are well-staged, and the central duo of Reynolds and Branagh is magnetic enough to carry you through any narrative predictability.

Joining the cast are Maria Bakalova (Borat Subsequent Moviefilm) and Marcin Dorocinski (Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning Part One), who brings a menacing edge as the Soviet agent hot on their trail. David Morse rounds out the ensemble in a smaller role.

With a PG-13 rating and a runtime of 1 hour 50 minutes, Mayday is the perfect popcorn movie for a long weekend. It doesn't demand much from you intellectually, but it delivers exactly what its marketing promises: two charismatic leads, explosive action, and enough 80s nostalgia to make you want to dig out your old aviator sunglasses.

Mayday premieres Saturday, September 6 on Apple TV+. If you're a fan of Top Gun, buddy comedies, or just watching Ryan Reynolds be effortlessly charming while Kenneth Branagh plays a Russian who quotes American pop culture — this one's for you.