Ryan Reynolds and Kenneth Branagh's odd-couple thriller landed on Apple TV+ at 81% fresh

If you thought Ryan Reynolds had already teamed up with just about everyone under the sun, think again. His latest caper, Mayday, plants him smack in the middle of an unexpected double act with none other than Kenneth Branagh – yes, that Kenneth Branagh, of Shakespeare-and-Thor-fame. It’s not the partnership I’d have dreamed up after seeing Reynolds banter his way through Deadpool & Wolverine or play off Josh Brolin’s grumpy mutancy, but here we are.

The Premise: Cold War, Cold Feet

The story’s proper throwback: Reynolds stars as Troy "Assassin" Kelly, a US Air Force pilot who ends up crash-landing behind the Iron Curtain in 1987. Stranded somewhere in frozen Soviet Russia – not exactly your dream layover – Troy’s only real shot at surviving is a chance meeting with Nikolai Ustinov, a carpenter who just happens to be a former KGB man and, in quite the twist, a massive fan of America. Ustinov’s played by Branagh, taking a break from Poirot moustaches and Shakespearean monologues to help Reynolds survive Russian winter and, more complicatedly, make his way home with half the USSR in hot pursuit.

Apart from the two leads, the cast also features Maria Bakalova (recently seen in The Apprentice), Marcin Dorociński (from the latest Mission: Impossible), and David Morse for a bit of American stalwart energy.

The Critical Temperature

Already, Mayday is clocking some attention, not least because it landed an 81% score on Rotten Tomatoes – nothing too shabby, especially with the “Certified Fresh” stamp handed out. Reviewers are oddly fond of its retro spirit, with United Press International saying it channels those earnest ‘80s movies the studios don't even try to make anymore. RogerEbert.com’s Brian Tallarico zoned in on the unlikely duo at its core, insisting that the movie’s success hangs on the chemistry between Reynolds and Branagh, and on the “fluid direction” from the pair, with Branagh especially letting rip in the performance department.

Here's how Brian Tallarico put it in his RogerEbert.com review: "It’s a movie that mostly works, thanks largely to fluid direction from the pair and a truly entertaining performance from Kenneth Branagh."

Collider’s Aidan Kelley argues that John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein (yes, the directing-writing team from Game Night and Dungeons & Dragons) have turned out another hidden streaming gem, describing Mayday as set to be “Apple TV's next big sleeper hit.” All the optimism is getting a bit contagious.

The Less-Easily-Impressed

Not everyone’s giving out five-star reviews, mind you. Peter Martin at Screen Anarchy reckons it works best for anyone wanting their action to be big, brash, and openly silly. MovieWeb’s Mark Keizer called out the film’s zest and on-the-nose pokes at old propaganda, but overall, he put Mayday in the “just fine, not life-changing” category.

Mayday’s release on Apple TV+ is set for 4 September 2026.