Movie Review: Kenneth Branagh and Ryan Reynolds star in irreverent Cold War action-comedy ‘Mayday’

Apple TV’s Mayday has drawn mixed early reviews ahead of its September 4 streaming debut, with critics praising Kenneth Branagh more than Ryan Reynolds. The Cold War action-comedy, directed by John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein, stars Reynolds as U.S. Navy pilot Lieutenant Troy “Assassin” Kelly, who becomes stranded in Soviet territory after a secret mission fails. Branagh plays Nikolai Ustinov, an eccentric former KGB agent who admires American culture and helps Kelly escape. Apple confirmed the film’s September 4 release and September 1 world premiere in New York. The Associated Press gave Mayday 2.5 of four stars, describing Branagh as the film’s strongest element while calling Reynolds’ performance familiar. The Guardian found the pairing entertaining despite the film’s silliness, while The A.V. Club was substantially harsher. Metacritic and Rotten Tomatoes had not yet posted critic scores during verification. The supplied review is substantially accurate, with some details requiring attribution.