Apple TV's Mayday is a witty action-comedy that stars Ryan Reynolds as a U.S. Air Force pilot behind enemy lines in 1987 Soviet Russia. Directed by Jonathan Goldstein and John Francis Daley, the film is a buddy comedy that plays to everyone's strengths, with a mix of outrageousness and discipline in its action sequences. While the film has its flaws, such as Reynolds' grating shtick and Branagh's shaky Russian accent, it is still a fun and entertaining watch. The film's pacing, dialogue, and action sequences are all well-executed, and the directors' previous work, such as Game Night and Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves, suggests that they are capable of shaking up what on paper seems like a staid project. Mayday is a big-scale film that could have made a decent dent at the box office, but it is ultimately a streaming release, which may limit its impact. Overall, Mayday is a delightful and entertaining film that is worth watching, and it is a testament to the fact that Reynolds still has life in him as a star, so long as he is directed by the right people.
