‘Mayday’ Review: Kenneth Branagh Steals The Show Alongside Ryan Reynolds

There is something undeniably fun about a movie that knows exactly what it wants to be. Mayday is not trying to reinvent the action-comedy, nor is it attempting to deliver some overly complicated examination of Cold War politics. Instead, directors John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein take Ryan Reynolds, Kenneth Branagh, a wonderfully nostalgic 1980s setting, some old-fashioned action and plenty of laughs and throw them together for an incredibly entertaining ride.

On paper, Reynolds and Branagh may not immediately seem like the most obvious comedy pairing, but that becomes one of Mayday‘s greatest strengths. Reynolds brings the sarcastic charm audiences have come to expect from him, while Branagh delivers the movie’s biggest surprise. As Nikolai Ustinov, Branagh completely steals the show, creating a character who is funny, eccentric, dangerous when he needs to be and ultimately far more heartfelt than you might expect.

That heart becomes even more apparent once the film introduces Nikolai’s daughter, Anna, played by Maria Bakalova. Their strained relationship gives Branagh an opportunity to move beyond the comedic side of the character and adds some genuine emotional weight to an otherwise lighthearted adventure.

Throw in Marcin Dorociński as the relentless Alexander Volkov, a Soviet officer determined to capture Troy at practically any cost, and Mayday finds just enough danger to balance its comedy.

The result is the type of buddy action-comedy that Hollywood does not make nearly enough anymore.

A Mission That Quickly Goes Wrong

Set in 1987 during the height of the Cold War, Mayday follows Lieutenant Troy “Assassin” Kelly (Ryan Reynolds), a talented and extremely confident U.S. Navy pilot who finds himself sent on a highly secretive mission into Soviet territory. Things obviously do not go according to plan, leaving Troy stranded behind enemy lines with very few options available to him.

His situation changes when he crosses paths with Nikolai Ustinov (Kenneth Branagh), a former KGB operative living a much quieter and more isolated life away from the world he once knew. Considering Troy’s current location and Nikolai’s former profession, this is not exactly the person an American military pilot would expect to become his best chance of survival.

Troy certainly does not trust him.

That mistrust becomes the foundation for some of the movie’s funniest moments, especially because Nikolai is completely fascinated by American culture. His affection for America, particularly its movies and music, immediately makes him one of the more unusual former KGB agents you are ever likely to meet.

Yet beneath all of the jokes is someone who understands exactly how dangerous Troy’s situation has become.

That danger comes primarily from Alexander Volkov, played by Marcin Dorociński. Volkov is leading the effort to locate the missing American pilot, and unlike some of the other characters surrounding him, he does not feel like a bumbling comedy villain. He is persistent, intelligent and completely committed to his cause.

Once Volkov begins closing in, Troy and Nikolai are forced onto the road, and Mayday settles into the buddy-comedy rhythm that carries most of the movie.

Ryan Reynolds Finds The Right Partner

Ryan Reynolds is very much Ryan Reynolds in Mayday, and whether that works for you will likely depend on how much you enjoy his familiar style of comedy. Troy is sarcastic, confident and capable of finding something to joke about even when his situation suggests that he probably should not be joking at all.

However, the character works particularly well here because Reynolds has someone completely different to bounce off of.

Branagh’s Nikolai is not simply another character waiting around for Reynolds to deliver a punchline. He has his own personality, history and, most importantly, his own sense of humor. The comedy comes from the differences between the two men rather than one character constantly trying to out-joke the other.

There are moments where Troy does not quite know what to make of Nikolai, and those reactions become some of Reynolds’ funniest scenes. Instead of always having to be the most outrageous person in the room, Reynolds gets the opportunity to occasionally serve as the straight man while Branagh does something completely unexpected.

That change in dynamic helps keep Reynolds’ familiar comedic style from becoming exhausting.

Troy is also important to Nikolai’s story in ways that go beyond simply helping him escape the Soviet Union. As the two men spend more time together, Troy begins to understand that the eccentric former spy sitting beside him has far more going on beneath the surface than his love of American movies initially suggests.

Kenneth Branagh Completely Steals The Show

As enjoyable as Reynolds is, Mayday belongs to Kenneth Branagh.

Nikolai could have easily been nothing more than an exaggerated Russian stereotype used to generate jokes, but Branagh gives the character far more personality than that. There is an almost childlike innocence underneath all of his experience and toughness, particularly when it comes to his fascination with American culture.

Watching this former KGB agent become excited about pieces of American life gives Mayday some of its funniest moments. His obsession with American movies and culture could have become a one-note joke very quickly, but Branagh commits to it so completely that Nikolai becomes increasingly endearing as the movie continues.

More importantly, Branagh never seems like he is simply trying to be funny.

That is what makes the performance work.

Nikolai takes everything about himself seriously, even when the audience knows what he is doing is ridiculous. Branagh plays those moments straight enough that the comedy feels natural rather than forced. He can have you laughing in one scene and then suddenly remind you that Nikolai was once a very dangerous man in the next.

The action gives Branagh another opportunity to surprise audiences. Nikolai is far more capable than Troy initially realizes, and watching Branagh suddenly shift from eccentric companion to experienced operative produces several of the movie’s best moments.

There is also a sadness underneath the character that becomes increasingly important as the story moves forward. Nikolai has essentially separated himself from the life he once knew, and while he may dream about America, it slowly becomes clear that his daughter is the biggest reason he cannot simply leave everything behind.

That is where Branagh really elevates the character.

Nikolai And Anna Give The Story Its Heart

Maria Bakalova does not have nearly as much screen time as Reynolds or Branagh, but Anna Ustinov becomes an important piece of Nikolai’s story.

The relationship between father and daughter is complicated and clearly carries years of unresolved frustration. Nikolai wants Anna to leave the Soviet Union with him, but Anna has built a life and an identity around standing up against the very system her father once served.

That creates an interesting divide between them.

Nikolai sees escape as freedom. Anna sees staying and fighting for change as something equally important.

There is also something deeply personal underneath their disagreement. Nikolai’s former association with the KGB has created distance between them, and Anna does not fully understand every reason her father walked away from that world. When the film finally slows down enough to let the two confront some of those feelings, Branagh and Bakalova give Mayday one of its most sincere moments.

For a movie that spends so much of its runtime moving from one joke, chase or fight to the next, the quieter scenes involving Nikolai and Anna are surprisingly effective.

They also help explain why Nikolai is willing to risk so much.

His interest in America is funny, but his motivations are not simply built around wanting to watch movies, listen to music and experience the country he has spent years romanticizing. Nikolai wants something better, and much of that hope is tied to what he wants for his daughter.

Bakalova brings enough strength to Anna that she never feels like a character who exists simply to give Nikolai something to protect. She has her own convictions and her own idea of what freedom means, even when those ideas conflict with her father’s.

That difference makes their relationship considerably more interesting than if Anna had simply agreed to follow Nikolai wherever he wanted to go.

Alexander Volkov Brings Some Real Danger

Every buddy action-comedy needs someone chasing the heroes, and Marcin Dorociński’s Alexander Volkov gives Mayday exactly the villain it needs.

Volkov is not especially complicated, but he does not need to be.

He represents the hardline Soviet system that Nikolai has chosen to leave behind and that Anna openly pushes against. While Nikolai has become increasingly disillusioned with that world, Volkov remains fiercely committed to it.

Dorociński plays him with an intensity that helps create a sharp contrast with Reynolds and Branagh. Troy and Nikolai spend much of the movie joking, arguing and stumbling their way through increasingly ridiculous situations. Volkov, meanwhile, treats every moment with deadly seriousness.

That difference works.

It would have been very easy to make Volkov another goofy Soviet caricature, especially considering how openly Mayday embraces the style of 1980s action movies. Instead, he feels genuinely capable of catching them.

There is an almost Terminator-like persistence to the character. Every time Troy and Nikolai seem to gain some distance, Volkov is not far behind.

He also gives the film a necessary sense of urgency. Without Volkov, there would be very little preventing Troy and Nikolai’s journey from becoming an extended road trip. His presence means the movie always has something pushing the characters forward.

Dorociński understands that he does not need to compete with Reynolds and Branagh for laughs. His job is to provide the threat while everyone else gets to have fun around him, and he does that extremely well.

The Reynolds And Branagh Relationship Makes The Movie

Even with Anna and Volkov adding important layers to the story, the best decision Mayday makes is understanding that the relationship between Troy and Nikolai needs to remain at the center.

There are shootouts, fights, chases and the expected international stakes surrounding them, but none of those elements would matter nearly as much without the friendship developing between the two leads.

They begin as two people who have every reason not to trust one another. One is an American military pilot trapped inside the Soviet Union. The other is a former member of the KGB. Decades of political hostility are hanging over practically every conversation they have.

Yet the movie slowly strips away those labels.

Troy stops seeing Nikolai simply as a former enemy, while Nikolai begins seeing Troy as something beyond the idealized version of America he has constructed through movies and popular culture. Their differences remain a constant source of comedy, but the film also finds something surprisingly sincere underneath them.

Anna’s introduction further changes how Troy sees Nikolai. He begins to understand that the man beside him is not simply running toward America. He is also trying to repair a relationship with his daughter and reconcile with decisions he made long before Troy dropped out of the sky.

That gives their friendship more substance.

It never becomes overly sentimental, either. Daley and Goldstein understand what kind of movie they are making and resist the temptation to stop everything for some massive emotional speech every few minutes. The friendship develops naturally through their experiences together.

By the time the movie reaches its final act, their bond feels earned.

A Great 1980s Setting

The 1987 setting is another huge part of Mayday‘s charm.

There would have been an easier version of this movie that simply moved the story into the modern era and used current technology to drive the plot. Thankfully, the filmmakers embrace the Cold War setting instead.

The absence of smartphones, GPS tracking and instant communication immediately makes Troy’s predicament more interesting. Being stranded behind enemy lines feels considerably more dangerous when calling someone for help is not as simple as pulling a phone out of your pocket.

The period also gives the filmmakers an opportunity to have fun with the type of action movies that dominated the decade.

You can feel pieces of classic buddy comedies, Cold War thrillers and military action movies throughout Mayday. There is an obvious affection for Top Gun, which fits perfectly considering that movie had arrived only a year earlier within Mayday‘s timeline.

Nikolai’s love for American pop culture makes those references even more entertaining because they are actually connected to his character rather than being random nostalgic moments thrown onto the screen.

The production design, music and overall atmosphere help give Mayday the feeling of a movie that could have existed alongside many of the films it is paying tribute to.

Plenty Of Laughs With Just Enough Action

Mayday is primarily a comedy, but it does not forget about the action.

The film spreads its action sequences throughout the story rather than overwhelming the audience with nonstop spectacle. That balance works particularly well because it allows each sequence to feel like an event instead of simply another explosion before the next explosion.

There are entertaining fights, shootouts and chase sequences along the way, and the movie occasionally allows Nikolai’s old skills to take center stage. Those moments are especially effective because Branagh does not initially look like the traditional action hero standing next to Reynolds.

Then Nikolai reminds everyone exactly what his background was.

The action is energetic without becoming excessively complicated, and the comedy continues to work even when bullets start flying. Daley and Goldstein previously demonstrated with Game Night and Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves that they know how to blend comedy with larger action sequences, and Mayday plays directly into those strengths.

Most importantly, the jokes rarely bring the movie to a complete stop.

The humor happens while the characters are moving through the story rather than feeling like scenes created solely to deliver punchlines.

The Pacing Keeps Everything Moving

One of the easiest ways for a buddy comedy like this to lose momentum is to overstay its welcome, but Mayday maintains a strong pace throughout.

The movie gets Troy into trouble quickly, introduces Nikolai and then keeps the pair moving. Volkov’s pursuit gives the story a constant sense of momentum, while the trip to find Anna provides the film with a more personal objective beyond simply getting Troy back to American soil.

Even when the story slows down to develop Nikolai and Anna’s relationship, those quieter moments rarely feel like they are preventing the plot from moving forward. If anything, they are necessary because they give the audience a chance to care about something beyond whether Troy escapes.

The actual story is fairly straightforward. There are not endless plot twists or layers of espionage that audiences need to keep track of. The filmmakers understand that the appeal is watching these characters attempt to survive together.

By keeping things moving, Mayday never gives you much time to become bored.

There is usually another joke, character moment, confrontation with Volkov or action sequence waiting around the corner.

Final Thoughts

Mayday is exactly the kind of entertaining action-comedy that works because everyone involved understands the assignment.

Ryan Reynolds is reliably funny and fits comfortably into the role of Troy Kelly, but the movie truly comes alive once Kenneth Branagh enters the picture. Branagh’s Nikolai is hilarious, unpredictable and surprisingly lovable, turning what could have been a ridiculous supporting character into the heart of the entire film.

His relationship with Anna gives that character additional depth. Maria Bakalova makes the most of her role, and the tension between father and daughter allows the movie to briefly step away from the jokes and action to show why Nikolai’s journey actually matters to him.

Marcin Dorociński’s Alexander Volkov works equally well on the opposite side of the story. His relentless pursuit of Troy and Nikolai gives the film a legitimate threat and prevents the comedy from eliminating all of the tension.

Still, the chemistry between Reynolds and Branagh is what ultimately gives Mayday its identity. Their friendship keeps the audience invested while the 1987 Cold War setting provides the filmmakers with plenty of opportunities to embrace the action movies and pop culture of the decade.

Add in strong pacing, plenty of laughs, some surprisingly heartfelt family drama and enough action to keep things exciting, and Mayday becomes an easy movie to recommend.

It does not completely reinvent the buddy-comedy formula, but it does not need to. Sometimes you simply need two talented actors with great chemistry, a fun premise, a villain you genuinely want to see defeated and filmmakers who know how to keep an audience entertained.

And if there is one thing you are likely to remember after Mayday ends, it is Kenneth Branagh.

Reynolds may be the pilot who gets this adventure off the ground, but Branagh is the one who ultimately flies away with the movie.