Check out my full review @ https://www.manuelsbento.com/mayday-2026-kenneth-branagh-steals-the-show-from-ryan-reynolds-in-an-unapologetically-formulaic-throwback/ Rating: B- MAYDAY knows exactly what it wants to be: a fun, unpretentious '80s throwback carried almost entirely by the chemistry between its two leads. Kenneth Branagh is the real standout, gruff and unexpectedly funny, while Ryan Reynolds keeps his usual instincts nicely in check. The action is sharp and the pacing brisk, but the film takes zero risks — predictable from start to finish, with underdeveloped side characters and a Cold War backdrop that never amounts to much. Still, a solid, entertaining watch.

**The return of filmmaking as they used to make it** What a rare treat it is to be genuinely surprised by a movie nowadays. And how telling it is of contemporary cinema that stumbling upon a gem like this feels more like a stroke of pure luck than the product of routine industry talent. The year is 1987, at the absolute height of the Cold War. Troy "Assassin" Kelly (Ryan Reynolds), a cocky, reckless US Navy pilot, is shot down over enemy territory during a top-secret reconnaissance mission. Stranded in the brutal Siberian wilderness and hunted by Soviet security operatives, his only hope for survival rests on a completely unexpected ally: Nikolai (Kenneth Branagh), a gruff carpenter and former KGB agent who, ironically, harbors a deep, secret love for American pop culture, Bruce Springsteen, and Hollywood movies (talk about a needle in a Soviet haystack). Together, this odd couple must bridge their cultural divide to forge a chaotic alliance and outsmart the Bolshevik army—one just wants to get home, while the other is looking for political asylum. After all, who wouldn't want to live in the America of Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush? Directors Jonathan Goldstein and John Francis Daley show a real knack for balancing witty humor and high-octane action in "Mayday". They write, direct, and deliver one of the most entertaining rides of the year; a fresh, unapologetic comedy that plays like a nostalgic love letter to '80s buddy movies and the iconic "Top Gun", which gets plenty of nods throughout the film. There is an undeniable chemistry between the two leads, which, in my book, is mostly thanks to the writers' ability to craft rich characters with actual depth and personality—a concept that sadly feels totally alien in today’s cinema. Will we ever learn a thing or two from the Coen brothers? Reynolds brings his signature comic magnetism and fast-talking wit, while Branagh perfectly captures the rugged communist captivated by the American way of life. Watching them play off each other on screen almost takes you back (and I emphasis "almost") to the classic screwball comedies of Wilder or Lubitsch.

There was a time when Ryan Reynolds presentation on screen was refreshing. Now it is repetitive and derivative of his own work. He becomes less and less funny the more you see him, and this movie brings **nothing** new. I wish to emphasize that it is really nothing new. It is just watching the same character in a different suit do the same thing all over again. He is perfectly cast for the part because he's playing the same character that he does in every other movie. The addition of Kenneth Branagh is of course very welcome, and he does his best with the material, but his character is simply not very engaging, and the movie isn't very good overall. I'm sure that it will sell on the names alone and that people will have a lot of other opinions than mine, but if you have grown tired of watching Ryan Reynolds do the same thing over and over and over, then this movie will leave you flabbergasted at how bad it can get. While technically proficient I cannot recommend this in any way.