IR Film Review: MAYDAY [Apple Original Films]
Making a buddy comedy in the depths of the Cold War can be a tricky sell even with someone like Ryan Reynolds headlining. Unlike the other Ryan, after "Deadpool", it is a little difficult jumping away as it is with certain legacy characters. Reynolds is known for his quick style but it doesn’t work in all scenarios. There has be a balance. "Mayday" is a big budget movie and more mainstream than say "Fly Me To The Moon" which Apple did release in theaters. "Mayday" is going directly to the streaming service like "The Gorge"…and that is understood but the set pieces for what they are is still pretty good (and it is too bad they won't be seen on the big screen). The best part of the film though is the inspired casting of Kenneth Branagh who doesn’t get to do this type of role often. It perhaps was Reynolds who pushed for him but it very much works. David Ellison’s Skydance did co-finance so it looks good. The fight sequences in a bar, in an apartment and beyond, all with Branagh look fantastic. It looks like him doing some of the stunts and even if it isn't, the face replacement is quite good. Even if it is face replacement, it works well.
Reynolds is the straight man in many ways and it is a nice change up and shows his ability to step back...and play the straight man per se. Again it is buddy movie but it is also an interesting dichotomy of that aspect of time which has to do with both sides not seeing the whole picture. The directors behind "Dungeons And Dragons: Honor Among Thieves" and the upcoming "Star Trek" film are at the helm here and like that earlier film there is almost a 90s sensibility to their humor and banter which plays well. Maria Bakalova best know for her breakout as Borat’s daughter plays a relatively straight character as well. Branagh seems to be playing with form since he was allowed to just be an actor. With Poirot or even when he directed "Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit", the weight was more squarely on his shoulders.
Here he was just allowed to have fun and it shows because he could have fun, and even for an actor as accomplished as him (as Helen Mirren can tell you), it is fun to play with expectation. Mayday does have its quirks and it doesn’t hit all of it points corrects. However the first 20 minutes of the films which sets up how Reynold’s pilot ends up behind enemy lines is pretty good...specifically a Blackbird sequence and an ode to Top Gun. One specific manuever passes in a second but it really makes you believe in Reynold’s pilot being that good (like Maverick). The same occurs in response of Branagh when the first escape attempt happens. You almost think it is going to be "Misery" but Branagh plays the guy with heart and not just skill. He knows betrayal but he knows how to see people. "Mayday" is a film that knows its focus. It might go too far at times but it delivers at others with some great sequences to boot and two characters who learn something while getting bashed around. 87%/B+
By Tim Wassberg
