Streaming Review: MAYDAY

When I first saw that a film starring Ryan Reynolds (DEADPOOL) and Kenneth Branagh OPPENHEIMER) was going straight to streaming, I wondered why that was.

And then I saw the film.

Make no mistake, the “Buddy Cop” film MAYDAY starring Reynolds and Branagh and now streaming on AppleTV+ is a perfectly “fine” film, entertaining (enough) for it’s 1 hour and 50 minute time frame with solid peformances from the leads.

But it doesn’t really do anything new, different or innovative. We’ve seen this film before - but like eating a perfectly good meal at one of your favorite “cozy” eateries, MAYDAY goes down smooth and is satisfying at the end.

Set during the Cold War between the U.S. and Russia in the 1980’s, MAYDAY stars Reynolds as Naval Aviator Troy Kelly who’s spy plane is shot down over Russia. Kelly survives and wakes up in the cabin of the mysterious Nikolai Ustinov (Branagh) who is fascinated by the U.S. and wishes to defect.

Can these 2 opposites find common ground and respect for each other to work together to get BOTH of them out of Russia?

What do you think?

But, for these types of films it is the journey, not the destination that is important and this journey is fun (enough) as the 2 leads give professional performances.

Branagh, of course, looks like he is about a millimeter away from reciting a Shakespeare soliloquy throughout this film - and that is welcome. But what is MORE welcome is the restraint that Reynolds shows in this film.

Credit for that has to go to Co-Directors and Co-Writers John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein (the criminally underrated DUNGEONS & DRAGONS: HONOR AMONG THIEVES) as they keep Reynolds usual boisterous personality down a few notches, making his character likeable and not grating (which he can certainly be).

The duo also keep the action moving along sprightly jumping from one action sequence to another and it works well.

They also know how to use - at appropriate levels - the supporting cast of Maria Baskova (Oscar nominee for BOART SUBSEQUENT MOVIEFILM), Marcin Dorocinski (the criminally underrated ANTHROPOID) and the always good David Morse (WORLD WAR Z). They all show up from time-to-time and help keep the pace going without getting in the way.

If only the Directors/Writers would have come up with something a little more spectacular and a little more original - this film could have been very, very good.

But, for now, we’ll just have to settle for a “fine”, entertaining film that will pleasantly pass a few hours.

Letter Grade: B+

7 1/2 stars (out of 10) and you can take that to the Bank(ofMarquis)