'Mayday' review: An irreverent Cold War action-comedy
AP News • • entertainment
Key Points:
- Sir Kenneth Branagh stars as Nikolai Ustinov, a U.S.-loving ex-KGB agent who helps a downed U.S. Navy pilot, played by Ryan Reynolds, escape the Soviet Union in the 1987-set action comedy "Mayday."
- The film blends buddy action comedy with 1980s Cold War nostalgia, featuring Branagh's comedic and soulful performance as the standout, while Reynolds plays a typical snarky and confident pilot character.
- Directed by John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein, known for their irreverent takes on genre films, "Mayday" embraces the goofiness of macho 80s action movies but does not aim for historical accuracy or serious political commentary.
- Despite the sensitive timing of a comedy involving Russia and Cold War tensions, the movie offers a fun, self-aware experience with slick production, though it lacks depth in exploring geopolitical themes.
- "Mayday" is available on Apple TV, rated PG-13 for violence, language, and suggestive content, with a runtime of 112 minutes and a rating of two and a half stars out of four.
