r/movies • u/LiteraryBoner Jackie Chan box set, know what I'm sayin? • Sep 05 '26
Official Discussion Official Discussion - Mayday [SPOILERS] Spoiler
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Mayday
Summary
Lieutenant Troy Brennan's reconnaissance mission over Soviet territory goes awry, forcing him to crash-land and survive in the Russian wilderness while evading capture or rescue.
Director John Francis Daley Jonathan Goldstein
Writer John Francis Daley Jonathan Goldstein
Cast
- Ryan Reynolds as Lieutenant Troy "Assassin" Kelly
- Kenneth Branagh as Nikolai Ustinov
- Maria Bakalova as Anna Ustinov
- Marcin Dorociński as Alexander Volkov
- David Morse as Harold Kelly
- Wendy Crewson as Assistant Director Meadows
- Louis Cancelmi
- Clark Johnson
- Alex Mallari Jr.
Rotten Tomatoes: 80%
Metacritic: 59
VOD / Release Apple TV — September 4, 2026
Trailer Official trailer
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u/ICUMF1962 Sep 05 '26
I watched it this morning. Fun little buddy movie. Maybe I expected it to be on the level of Game Night and it didn’t have to be but I feel like there was just something missing from it for it to be GREAT. Branagh is delightful.
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u/yourtoyrobot Sep 06 '26
the last act kind of lost its pacing and intensity and we needed more fight scenes. they introduced Branagh as this insane badass and then dont do much with it beyond the train. loved the fun use of camera angles and placements.
with Anna keep suggesting he wasnt ex-KGB it felt like maybe he was a double agent to get info or access to be extracted as a mole, or the KGB guys “unsanctioned” interrogation plot but didn’t really do anything with that either.
it really helped Ryan dialed back the deadpool quips and they had a fun energy. it was like they had a good formula and story with “we’re both just guys wanted to do our best and victims of believing our country” but just couldnt quite push it into “great” territory with the writing. fun family watch though
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u/justsyr Sep 09 '26
or the KGB guys “unsanctioned” interrogation plot but didn’t really do anything with that either.
I thought something would come out of that, like Gorbachev returning Troy to the USA and having 'Nick' made some kind of hero but then I realized that would meddle into too much politics and the film despite the initial plot seemingly to be related to it it was more of a just a couple of guys learning about their countries and realizing they had many things in common.
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u/Really_McNamington Sep 05 '26
Late career change into action star?
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u/throwawar4 Sep 06 '26
I think he’s just playing Russians until he perfects the accent lol (Jack Ryan, tenet, now this)
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u/ICUMF1962 Sep 05 '26
Ehh I’d rather not see him fall the Liam Neeson route that ends up with forgettable streamer flicks
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u/Antique_Knowledge902 Sep 07 '26
Me too. I liked the movie. Watched it with hubby and grandson. But I watched it for Sir Kenneth, not RR.
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u/Lord_Hexogen Sep 11 '26
Them putting a leash on Reynolds is like the top 5 best thing about the movie. He still goes for his style of jokes but he's noticably more reserved and serious than usual, his character finally stands for something
Would be great to see him more in action too tho because all that on Branagh here
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u/ruka_k_wiremu Sep 08 '26
I really thought it was Jason Bateman until 5mins ago
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u/jamesneysmith Sep 06 '26
Yeah I think I expected more humour in the vein of Game Night as well but I think they were going for something a little more sincere and serious than Game Night here. Still a lot of fun but trying for a different vibe for sure. I'm sure I'd enjoy it even more on rewatch knowing what the movie is
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u/IAmTheHerald Sep 05 '26
The camera work is crazy. Please give these directors more projects.
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u/AshevilleHawkens Sep 05 '26
Game Night and Honor Among Thieves both have great camera work as well.
When GN was in theaters, I found an Every Frame A Painting video about why comedy movies of that time all kind of felt kinda lifeless, and they attributed that to flat camera work that is just there to allow the performers to riff. They pointed to Edgar Wright as being someone who understands allowing the camera to tell jokes.
I watched that video, and that evening or the one after, I went to see Game Night. And it was like a perfect example of that. The slow push ins on Jesse Plemmons every time he talks, the table gag, the one shot chase, the drone shots in the car chase, the list goes on.
I honestly think Game Night is one of the best comedies of this century, so I was a big champion of Honor Among Thieves even before it came out, and that paid off like crazy.
All this to say, I'm excited to see this movie, even if it doesnt match up to those two movies.
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u/jamesneysmith Sep 06 '26
Honestly it feels like Wright has dropped the mantle from his Cornetto heyday and Daley/Goldstein have now officially taken it. Thee amazingly directed action comedies ain't no fluke. These guys are for real. They manage to innovate new styles and shots with each project too. They're now among my most anticipated directors.
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u/DGanj Sep 05 '26
Branagh hasn't done nearly enough comedy. He was by far the best part of the movie, and really funny at all the right times
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u/littlemusicteacher Sep 13 '26
He was great at slapstick humor as Gilderoy Lockhart in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets.
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u/DGanj Sep 14 '26
For sure, I just think overall in his filmography it would have been great to see him do more comedy, since both Mayday and HP show his excellent comedic chops.
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u/stvneads Sep 10 '26
What the fuck I went in blind and thought that was Bryan Cranston the whole time
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u/McZalion Sep 05 '26
Better than expected.
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u/justsyr Sep 09 '26
Indeed. I had my reservations watching Reynolds being... Reynolds.
But Branagh stole the movie. And the camera work, wow, it's been so long since I watched a movie with such amazing camera work.
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u/Potore5 Sep 05 '26
I want a sequel: these two roaming around America and eventually getting hunted down by the KGB (for obvious reasons) as well as by the CIA not trusting Nik to be fully “reformed”…
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u/marct334 Sep 05 '26
The beginning had me thinking it was going to be a Top Gun Knockoff, but I truly cannot hate anything Kenneth Branagh is in.
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u/chefguy47 Sep 09 '26
I enjoyed the comedy a lot, but it also had me thinking about Behind Enemy Lines.
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u/jpc9129 Sep 05 '26
Just finished watching.
What a treat!!
Kenneth Branagh is the new Liam Neesom! Stole every scene he was in. Great story, great action and the perfect Springsteen soundtrack. One that could be watched again and again.
Shame it didn’t get a cinema release. Just the sort of movie that’d gain word of mouth traction and get bums on seats.
8/10.
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u/_lippykid Sep 09 '26
I loved it. Such a refreshing fun movie. The world needs more unity and understanding. Plus some genuinely impressive camera work, action scenes and comedy. Exactly what I needed right now
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u/Poet-Laureate Sep 05 '26
I enjoyed it for what it was: an easy to watch, unserious, comedy action movie. Branagh was good and Reynolds played the same character he always does (and is good at). Would I watch it again? Probably not, but it was a nice, easy watch and that’s what I wanted.
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u/Magical_critic Sep 06 '26
Really enjoyed this one! It's not as comedically refined as the director duo's other works, but this was still a very entertaining, technically well-put together movie. Ryan Reynolds was surprisingly good in this (didn't go too Deadpool) but Kenneth Branaugh absolutely stole the movie. His character was so likeable, and Branaugh was surprisingly convincing in the fight scenes, which were shot and choreographed beautifully. Lowkey wish I could have seen this one in theatres. It's just a breezy fun time that does not try to be anything more than it is.
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u/Potore5 Sep 06 '26
My metric to see if a movie clicks is: would I enjoy more of its characters? And as far as Mayday goes the answer is yes. I do want a sequel where Nick’s “American Adventure” becomes yet another action packed road trip. There’s no way the KGB will leave him alone…
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u/newpotatocaboose54 Sep 07 '26
Jason Bateman is great in this movie!
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u/iSoReddit Sep 08 '26
lol or Ewan mc Gregor
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u/yesthatstrueorisit 4d ago
I legitimately watched the entire movie thinking it was Ewan McGregor and that he just got older than I remembered before reading about it after and realising it's Kenneth Branagh.
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u/carbirator Sep 10 '26
If i hadn't read the cast before watching the movie, i would have thought it was Jason Bateman too.
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u/big-papito Sep 06 '26
The start of the movie was marvelous. I was glued. Plus, I've seen the SR-71 in RL a few times.
I also grew up in the USSR, so the demand to suspend the disbelief was too much for me.
It reminds me of the cartoonish representation of USSR in American movies of the 80s and 90s. In fact, Spies Like Us was actually OK.
To be fair, they actually used a bunch of Russian-speaking actors, but when the "soviets" speak in mutilated Russian accent or break out into perfect English makes me cringe.
I know, I know it's a comedy, but it's just such a fictional world, not grounded in any reality of the times. The only authentic thing was the shoddy soviet elevator. I got stuck in those goddamned boxes a few times as a kid for hours at a time. Brings back memories.
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u/wheelchaircowboy Sep 06 '26
I was born in the 70s in Austria, and I personally couldn't get past a guy like Kenneth Branagh having a VHS player and a color TV as well as all those American things in his house. Maybe my stereotypes are showing, but how likely was that, or the neon sign on a bar in rural Russia?
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u/nakwurst Sep 08 '26
It was hard to get this stuff, but during the late 80s there was tons of bootleg movies, music, smuggled clothing and other stuff, including posters, books, etc. Color TVs weren't unusual, but they were expensive. I'd say all of the stuff was accessible if you had a bit of money and knew who to buy from. For a KGB guy seems very plausible. The worst thing he had was the US flag on the wall. I remember neon signs being everywhere, even in the remote city I grew up in.
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u/Darmok47 Sep 08 '26
Well, he was former KGB and would have access to things like that, probably by seizing them from actual smugglers.
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Sep 05 '26
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u/cfc25_ Sep 05 '26
D&D has more laugh out loud moments, but Mayday was fine
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Sep 05 '26
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u/jamesneysmith Sep 06 '26
Yeah I think people were just expecting more comedy which is fair given their other projects. But it's clear they weren't going for as many laughs with this one. An action comedy with more earnest commentary about the state of our world
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u/Only_Animator_2341 Sep 07 '26
They also did Vacation and Game Night, which were both fucking great.
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u/ttx13 Sep 12 '26
Too many people think they need to have the Academy Awards grading sheet out when they watch every movie
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u/FredererPower Sep 06 '26
Ryan Reynolds and Kenneth Branagh hiding in the closet then being caught by both the sex worker and the Russian was hilarious
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u/neal1701 Sep 05 '26
Mayday is another good movie by Jonathan Goldstein and John Francis Daley
- Ryan Reynolds and Kenneth Branagh have great chemistry together
- The first 20mins felt like leftover footage from Top Gun Maverick. Even the Blackbird jet in this movie looked like the Mach 10 jet in TGM
- Like in their previous movies, the cinematography is a high point, with some creative shots.
- The wine cellar joke is the best one in the movie.
- Maria Bakalova had a very small role. I wish she had more screen time.
- The final set pieces with the missile vehicle and the plane was just a Fast and Furious movie, in a great way
I think it is a step lower than Game Night and Dungeons & Dragons: HAT but still had a fun time
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u/wheelchaircowboy Sep 06 '26
the Blackbird jet in this movie looked like the Mach 10 jet in TGM
Just for your information, the Blackbird is a real plane that looks like that.
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u/BonfireinRageValley Sep 05 '26
Good for the directing duo! Sounds like another good one from them and I'm excited to watch
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u/Combo_Breaker01 Sep 05 '26
This was way better than it had any right to be, although having Kenneth attached is usually a good sign. I thought it was beautifully shot, with the scene where they travel across the USSR coming to mind, as well as the dogfighting. But who in their right mind would try and outmanoeuvre in the SR-71 😭 speed was the whole point of that thing!!
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u/hounadomanda Sep 06 '26
Why didn’t it have any right to be good?
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u/Combo_Breaker01 Sep 06 '26 edited Sep 06 '26
That’s just my own bias cause I’m sick of watching Ryan Reynolds playing the same character. He was decent in this tho
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u/jamesneysmith Sep 06 '26
This was way better than it had any right to be
I'm guessing you're not familiar with the directing team. You should go watch their two other movies and see they make nothing but quality
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u/Combo_Breaker01 Sep 06 '26
I just don’t like Ryan Reynolds
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u/Umlunguboy420 Sep 06 '26
I downloaded the movie and was going to turn it off when I saw it was his goofy ass, but decided to stick with it and yeah it was solid, that whole thing with the ICBM truck was crazy
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u/Shes_dead_Jim Sep 05 '26
I hadn’t seen any trailers or ads for this so going in completely blind after sitting down to watch a movie on a lazy day it was a surprisingly good movie. You can tell they had fun making it. It’s not a blockbuster but if you like Ryan Reynolds action comedies it’ll be right up your alley
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u/Furdinand Sep 06 '26
I liked that they understood that a having a "cool" call sign meant that you did something very embarrassing to earn it.
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u/throwawar4 Sep 06 '26
Good action, good looking movie, Kenneth Branagh is awesome in it, funny moments..what more can you ask for? Better than what I expected
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u/Infamousx14 Sep 06 '26
Just finished it. What a fun movie! I laughed so hard during the closet scene 😂 Ryan and Kenneth’s chemistry was amazing.
I could totally see them doing a second movie where they go on some kind of caravan adventure and somehow get caught up in a government mess, with people coming after them 😂
Also, it was great seeing the girl from Borat again. She’s such a gem!
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u/jamesneysmith Sep 06 '26 edited Sep 06 '26
I just wanted to comment on the overall message of the movie.
The movie opens directly on the back of a cormorant which is then flipped upside down when two American jets fly past. This immediately stood out as an interesting beginning as you would always expect the bald eagle to be the bird that is visualized alongside symbols of American might and military. But it's a cormorant and it's immediately negatively affected by the force of military. The use of Van Halen's 'Jump' in concert with the flipping of the world seemed pretty intentional as well. I wasn't sure what it meant at first but it was a strong opening statement.
Later on we get Nick and Troy being taken in by the Russian family for food and warmth. Troy's surprise at their help despite having nothing to give causes Nick to admonish Troy for knowing absolutely nothing about the Russian people. He then explains that the cormorant while hunting fish needs to dive into the water and swim with the fish in order to understand them.
The movie then ends on a cormorant flying directly toward the Capitol Building in DC as Springsteen's 'Dancing in the Dark' plays over top.
The message is probably pretty overt here but I just found it really interesting.
The cormorant is a bird that is found all across the planet. It has no state nor region. It is not the official bird for any country yet it exists everywhere, just as humans do. Opening the movie on the back of the cormorant instead of the bald eagle was a statement that this is a movie about the common people, not the state. This is a symbol of the entire world and is shown being flipped upside down by a symbol of the American military, itself a symbol for the American government. The American government is acting in opposition to regular people. However, in that same moment we get Van Halen yelling 'I get up, and nothing gets me down!' Not only is this a story about the common people being negatively affected by their government but it's telling us to not give up and to stand up to said government. We're being flipped upsidedown by American power but, 'Nothing gets me down' because we can always get back up. But more than that we need to 'go ahead and jump'. Yes, we can get back up but it's going to take more effort and we need to jump into action. That jump is in part acting as the cormorant does and going into an unfamiliar environment to better understand one another. The government is above us and doesn't care how we're being affected. But this means we can all connect in the ocean beneath them and get back up together.
The story of the movie very clearly paints both the American and Russian governments in a negative light. They're both acting out of self-interest and knowingly harming their own citizens. Nick acted as an arm of government and tortured his own people and realized he'd lost his humanity in the process. His daughter is enemy of the state just because of who she loves. Troy's father is being killed by a cancer which was given to him by his government's unsafe workplace practices. Troy is being left to fend for himself in enemy territory because his government won't acknowledge his existence. And neither the Russian nor American governments want Nick who's only crime is helping another human being survive. Government is the opposition here, not the saviour. This is further enforced by Troy's testimony in which he receives empty platitudes from members of his government about honoring his service. It's only when he shows evidence of catching them red handed in their misdeeds that the movie indicates that anything will change. This is movie saying if you want help you're going to have to do it yourself with the help of your fellow common people. The government won't change itself as all you'll get is empty promises.
The movie then ends on a conversation between Troy and Nick as they sit in McDonald's and contemplate their future. Nick is excited to explore the nation via his newly purchased caravan. He wants to drive across the land and see the whole country. The caravan is symbolic of his grounding among the people which is in antithesis to how the movie started with symbols of the American government flying above a symbol of the common people. Troy indicates that he may be permanently done with military and will join Nick on his journey. He's now moved away from being a representative of his government just like Nick had to do and will once again join the regular people. The movie then ends by cheekily moving directly away from a symbol of American commerce back to the universal symbol of the cormorant, of the people, as it flies toward The Capitol Building. The movie has now fully inverted the opening of this story. Now we are with a symbol of the people as it flies above a symbol of the government. Just as we see the cormorant with The Capital in its sights, Bruce Springsteen's voice wails out, 'You can't start a fire without a spark'. This small bird pales in comparison to the size of the two jets in the opening and even smaller still compared to the Capitol and the expanding DC cityscape, itself a symbol of the government, as the cameras rise. But that small bird is the spark which is us and as we stick with the camera we see The Capitol, DC, and even America fade into a shapeless mass as we pull out for a universal view of Earth. This is the reminder that the cormorant is across the whole globe and even governments pale in size to the planet.
Again it's an obvious message and may seem earnestly hokey but I just really appreciate a movie made today which so heavily references the jingoism of Top Gun yet entirely subverts it by saying it's us that are mighty, not the weapons of war, not the military, and not the government. And today we need to believe that more than we have in a long time.
edit - forgot to mention Mayday as the title being the obvious call of a state of emergency in our world
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u/Rubenb Sep 09 '26
Well, damn. That’s beautifully put. I got the overall theme but I didn’t get all those details with the cormorant and the way you explained it puts it together so nicely. It was a pleasure to read. Thanks for sharing!
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u/TheDocOfWho Sep 13 '26
Holy damn, James. I really enjoyed this film, an easy 3.5/5. But your comment has bumped it to 4 without a doubt. Wonderfully worded.
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u/marajadefan Sep 05 '26
What annoys me about this movie is that it only needs a little changing to be great.
- stop having Reynolds speaking in English so goddamn loudly everywhere
- have him attempt to conceal his identity since he KNOWS they have a photo of him, and he looks so American.
Like, I know it was a comedy, but it didn't have to be dumb. You lose all investment in the premise when simple things like that are ignored.
But the wine closet scene was excellent (apart from them talking loudly in there!!)
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u/jamesneysmith Sep 06 '26
stop having Reynolds speaking in English so goddamn loudly everywhere
I had this thought initially as well. I think a couple things are probably going on there. First I think they're making a sort of lighthearted movie that is dialed back on the realism. So the characters aren't talking in hushed tones but it's assumed that they can't be heard as much as they would be if the movie was more realistic. Second, Ryan is almost entirely casually talking in English around regular Russian people. Part of the movie's commentary is that the regular Russian people are not the problem, it's the government. So regular Russians on the train might not be so bothered as their army compatriots are. This especially rings more true in the late 80's when faith in the Russia Communist government had largely faded. Third, Reynolds' character is very arrogant and the 'loud talking ugly american' is a known trope worldwide so perhaps it was a subtle nod to the general arrogance or his specific arrogance.
have him attempt to conceal his identity since he KNOWS they have a photo of him, and he looks so American
Similar comment about the lack of realism here. However I do agree that even in a slightly unrealistic movie I think this could have made for some fun comedic moments if he had tried to disguise himself. They weren't ultimately in many places where he needed concealment after the train sequence but in the places where he would have I agree they could have used a disguise as a great way to make some jokes. I wonder if that was ever discussed during the production at all.
Personally those things don't ruin the movie for me as the vibe definitely wasn't super realistic however they were both opportunities for some character development, story development, and comedy.
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Sep 05 '26
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u/thepolesreport Sep 06 '26
If you didn’t see the news this week, they have the script written and are shopping it to studios after Paramount passed on it. Hopefully someone is willing to pick it up
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u/jamesneysmith Sep 06 '26
It feels like these guys are going to be stuck in director's limbo forever. They're clearly very talented but for whatever reason their stuff isn't clicking with the mainstream. They deserve to be getting whatever they want funded for their talent but I think they're always going to struggle or be stuck making streaming movies.
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u/ExcellentWalk1699 Sep 06 '26
I liked it. Feels like movie was trying to make a strong point in light of current geopolitics, but in a good way.
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u/SpongeJake Sep 07 '26 edited Sep 07 '26
The long shot of the ICBM launcher knocking cars into the river got me. Wasn’t expecting it at all.
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u/GeologistDistinct633 Sep 07 '26
It’s been a while since I laughed throughout a movie and Mayday does it without throwing in repetitive f-bombs and over the top violence. It was just a fun summer ride and I’m down to watching the sequel as well if they ever make one.
Oh - watch through the credits.
You’ll thank me later. I promise.
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u/ishyaboy Sep 06 '26
Went in blind and like everyone else has some RR fatigue, but I actually enjoyed it for what it was. Solid popcorn flick with some great comedy/action scenes. Kenneth Branagh was fantastic!
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u/seadev32 Sep 06 '26
Watched it tonight. This movie is just plain fun. Pacing was good, had some good humor, it’s just an enjoyable watch.
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u/taway9925881 Sep 06 '26
This movie would have been way better with Chris Pine and Kenneth Branagh.
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u/AdGlum1793 Sep 06 '26
The scene when the blackbird crashes was genuinely jaw dropping. I wasn't sure about sitting down for the full thing but that scene was perfect and it hooked me.
It's also a surprisingly touching film that manages to avoid denigrating either America or Russia. You can't help but love the main cast and the humanity they bring to the film. Ryan Reynolds is just playing Ryan Reynolds but his type-cast fits the movie's script perfectly.
Really just a great film start to finish with a lot of genuinely funny moments. Not absolutely groundbreaking, but something I'll remember in a sea of forgettable flicks.
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u/JasonVorhehees Sep 05 '26
It was ok. I can see why it was streaming.
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u/Dukethegator Sep 05 '26
I enjoyed Palm Springs and Mike & Nick & Nick & Alice both streaming only on Hulu. I wish Apple could pick movies like they do series.
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u/Cash4Jesus Sep 06 '26
It was fun and far better than any other movie we’ve seen on Apple TV+. But that’s not saying a lot.
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u/dplans455 Sep 06 '26
I didn't realize a Deadpool and Hercule Poirot buddy movie was what I really needed.
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u/KPlusGauda Sep 07 '26
Obviously nobody cares but assuming the plot takes place in the European part of Russia (and it is, since Finland is 2000 km away), there shouldn't be hills, let alone alpine mountains, anywhere near.
Also, Moscow is really flat, but since the movie was filmed in Budapest, there are some hills far in the city. Lastly, the Baltic sea shore is also flat so the nice town shown before they landed is probably French and not Soviet or Russian.
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u/Ok_Survey_7480 Sep 06 '26
great movie, awesome way to let the world know americans are brainwashed and their gov hates them lol
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u/Interesting_Rush570 Sep 06 '26
Very original screenplay, thank you for writing something different. It's not The Godfather, but a very intresting well done movie. When you find it difficult to see where the movie is going is a good thing.
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u/iamjames Sep 06 '26
Good movie except mentioning the car phone in the RV at the end. In 1987 having a car phone with cellphone service would have been prohibitively expensive. Per minute would be the equivalent of $2-$3 in 2026 money and just to have service would be $150 a month in 2026 money but that does not include any minutes, that’s just for service. If he’s calling Russia that’s an international call which is $24 a minute in 2026 money. Would have been more realistic to say he would use a pay phone.
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u/noticingcontinues 16d ago
How do you enjoy any movie at all? It’s a joke. Suspend your disbelief or watch documentaries dude
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u/sadcybersec Sep 07 '26
Just finished this film and wow I miss films like this just a buddy film with good laughs
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u/clovers2345 Sep 09 '26
Is Ryan Reynolds using makeup/face mask? his face looks odd.
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u/w0ndwerw0man 15d ago
He has had a bunch of plastic surgery lately. It’s a shame actors can’t just age and play characters with normal faces like Annette Benning she was amazing in Lucky and her forehead actually moved and she had wrinkles and imperfect skin it was a breath of fresh air.
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u/Coza_1812 Sep 09 '26
Pretty damn enjoyable with some well written characters and fun action scenes. Branaugh was awesome but the chemistry between him and Reynolds was great too.
I enjoyed Reynolds believing Russians were brainwashed by their government while Top Gun was constantly referenced throughout the movie. Very clever.
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u/Extreme_Willow9352 Sep 09 '26
What's with all the comments that Ryan played his usual Deadpool self in Mayday?
I found that to be quite the opposite. Ryan dialed it back just enough in this movie. Did these people actually watch the movie?
The funniest scene (closet) actually had no dialog.
I thought it was an enjoyable movie.
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u/aidanjarvis Sep 11 '26
I have no idea how anyone could watch more than 20 mins of this. I love KB & RR but this was torture. I couldn’t even get through the first act. That Russian accent was atrocious.
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u/Reggaeton_Historian Sep 15 '26
That plane scene was fucking incredible. I really enjoyed this movie. If you hate Ryan Reynolds because Reddit told you to, you might actually not hate this as much.
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u/Lumpy-Dark-2400 26d ago
Well, the opening is kinda goofy; using the afterburners to heat up the aileron after banging the canopy with his wing was a little too much, followed by narrowly missing the tower while the bridge crew just kinda stood there like he wasn’t inches from killing all of them. Since it was 1987, I would’ve preferred to see more F-14’s, but the Blackbird made up for it, even if it was a stretch.
You can expect every Ryan Reynolds movie to be the same, because he’s the same. Jokes, buddy stuff, action, jokes, action, some piece of drama, jokes, ending, but overall usually decent.
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u/capsuccessful1294 Sep 09 '26
I didn't laugh once during it. And wanted to like it. It's not funny in the slightest.
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u/Extreme_Willow9352 Sep 09 '26
I loved the closet scene. Had me laughing hard. And the barrel scene.
I thought the movie was good.
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u/Shot-Society159 Sep 05 '26
Kudos to the directors and Kenneth Branagh. Very talented. However, I wish they had re-casted Ryan Reynolds. He just acts like Deadpool and it ruins the immersion aspect.
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u/Extreme_Willow9352 Sep 05 '26
I actually enjoyed Reynolds in this. Yes we get his typical humor but there were some unexpected emotional scenes as well. I think it was well done by all the actors.
Reynolds did produce as well and I expect he also marketed the film.
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u/TheGreatLake Sep 06 '26
Reynolds didn’t come across as Deadpool at all in this. But he was probably too old. He’s 49 and in the beginning he’s out on the town in his dress whites.
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u/chrissamperi Sep 05 '26
He produced. What likely happened is his company snatched the rights specifically so he could star in it. I felt the same. Felt like his involvement ended up being a hindrance to the end product.
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u/Carninator Sep 06 '26
Went in with low expectations (Reynolds fatigue) and was pleasantly surprised. Fun movie!
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u/Gwyllithar Sep 07 '26
I liked it, it was suitably silly and fun with moments to great sincerity. good balance. Did it make sense? nope, does it have to? not at all as long as its enjoyable, and it was.
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u/YOIMREALLYHAPPY4YOU Sep 11 '26
A Canadian actor playing an American who's character is basically morally Canadian lmao.
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u/Hairy_Ad5966 Sep 14 '26
What’s really awful is that those malignant Russians are going to kill his daughter and her gf. They never addressed that again but she’s as good as gone. 😢
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u/TrueCryptographer616 27d ago
Anyone else catch the Firefox reference?
They don't train us to hide our planes in frozen lakes
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u/bimbambaby Sep 05 '26
I thought it was really convoluted story to get him in the cockpit of an SR-71. Just make him a navy pilot that gets shot down over Soviet Russia. Couldve gotten to the story 20 minutes sooner.
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u/jamesneysmith Sep 06 '26
Just make him a navy pilot that gets shot down over Soviet Russia
The entire point is that he was on a black op which is why the government wouldn't come in and rescue him because then they'd need to admit they were engaged in espionage. This is the set up for the buddy comedy hijinks across russia. Also required for the commentary about America not being perfect if they won't rescue one of their own
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u/bimbambaby Sep 06 '26
Yes I fully understand thats the excuse given. What im saying is find an excuse for a Navy pilot to get shot down over Russia and then have the US government look the other way. Youd arrive at the same point. But doing this incredibly convoluted, quick change (and then having him serve as a backseater) took me out of the movie, personally.
Furthermore: “you’re one of the navy’s best pilots…so…be the RIO and take some photos” can be filed under the same logical jazz hands that got him to be “decommissioned.”
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u/taway9925881 Sep 06 '26
I'm sick and tired of seeing Reynolds just act like himself. The guy puts zero effort. He wakes up and does what he always does..
Kenneth Branagh on the other hand is a fucking legend who elevates every movie he's in. Watch it for him and him alone.
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u/jamesneysmith Sep 06 '26
I did enjoy the movie but I agree that it would have been better without Ryan. Even though he was toned down here I don't think he has any clue how to get rid of that smarmy persona. I think Bateman in Game Night was tasked with a similar role but made the comedy much more naturalistic. He felt like a real human in the crazy circumstances. Reynolds always feels like he's floating above whatever movie he's in. I hear Ryan produced the film and that's likely why he starred in it so all in all maybe it never got made without him. So in that sense I'm happy we at least got the movie. But I hope that Daley/Goldstein get enough juice soon that they don't need to make such compromises. Another lead actor could have had great chemistry with Branagh and felt more within the movie
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u/staceypppp Sep 09 '26
We couldn’t get past the first 20 minutes. Unrealistic and Reynolds is so grating.
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u/w0ndwerw0man 15d ago
The first 20 mins was a bit rough in that overly Ryan Reynolds way but once Kenneth Branagh comes on the scene and kidnaps him it starts to get much more enjoyable.
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u/chrissamperi Sep 05 '26 edited Sep 05 '26
I love Daley and Goldstein so I went in fully ready and expecting to love this movie. Unfortunately there were a lot of issues I couldn’t get around. The movie as a whole is fine. It felt like a movie they conceived as a comedy and then through development they leaned too heavily on the action at the expense of comedy opportunities. So I didn’t find it particularly funny like their past movies generally have been.
The things I liked: Kenneth Brannaugh. His accent, his performance, his pathos, his ability to carry fight scenes. His comedic timing. All of it. He looked like he was having a blast the whole movie b100% of the time he was on camera he stole every second.
The things I had issues with: Reynolds. I’ve done my best to avoid the stigma surrounding him due to some of the PR crises he’s been dealing with lately but this whole movie felt like a PR move for him more than anything else. He wasn’t particularly charming in the film. He relied almost entirely on his usual schtick in everything. The comedy, the action sequences, his interaction with Brannaugh. His character had no conflict with Brannaugh and he was the straight man most of the time but he kept doing that bickery “why are you so mean to me?” Thing with every line. He felt like he was trying to be his witty Ryan Reynolds self when he should have been the setup guy. And to me it felt flat.
As far as direction, they went VERY stylized with their camera work and it looked excellent like they were auditioning for a bigger tentpole type film and I hope it gives them the chance to do one, it became very distracting for me at times. Also stylistically they tried to hand their cake and eat it with the film. They went for that shiny glossy modern shooting style but shoehorned a lot of 80’s style too. But it felt like they didn’t want it to be too 80’s or too modern and the mixing just never felt cohesive. The choreography felt very much in the direction of that modern Cross between John Wick and Scott Pilgrim that is popular right now, but many of the people performing it, particularly Reynolds felt really stiff and it didn’t seem to fit well into what they were trying to go for with the motif of the film. And they clearly tried to be very in the nose with how much of a Top Gun knockoff it intentionally was but they didn’t seem to stop to check if the audience was in on the joke so that felt half baked and flat too.
Except Brannaugh. He was so amazingly natural and fluid with it. I honestly cannot say enough about how unbelievably good he was in this movie despite its shortcomings. He almost felt too good for the end result.
All in all, it was fine. Had some good and even great moments (the scene in the closet with the mistress was genuinely hilarious) was very over the top, and not very original. I’d watch Brannaugh watch Paint dry, I think we might be seeing Daley and Goldstein’s type of film on the verge of being a tired genre and I hope they grow into something more interesting. And I think Reynolds just may not make it out of this era of his career on top. He seems to be holding on for dear life as more and more people see through the Van Wilder/Deadpool veneer he’s made a fortune off of and are tired of the inauthenticity it’s turning out to be.
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u/Tall_Opportunity_521 Sep 06 '26
A movie set in the 80s, that felt 80s for exactly the same amount of time as Jump played over the start of the movie. And then it could have been set at any time because it felt generic as all fuck. Its a fine little road movie about two opposites growing together that you've seen a million times before. Theres not thing really special about it at all, and Ryan Reynolds playing not deadpool again seems to be his only trick. Only that trick is getting tired as fuck. Kenneth Branagh is good as a former Spetznaz with a hardon for everything American. His fight scenes are solid enough, and he does it bit well. He could easily have fallen into clown territory here, but he pulls it off and is easily the more interesting of the two characters.
Theres a daughter involved that normally would play out as a love interest, and maybe a bone of contention for the duo, but instead shes outed as gay for a very forced moment of father/daughter bonding and then instantly removed and forgotten by the plot and characters, except for when theres a threat to be made by the villain. Its very odd, as they make a lot about the relationship having broken down, and how she would have to come to America with him, only for her to be on screen for 5 minutes. And the whole relationship conflicted is resolved with a dialogue free heart to heart about him being understanding of her being gay... This needed to be longer and the resolution more nuanced and impactful. If youre gonna do it, do it right. Dont half ass it like this.
All in all, this is worst thing I can think of from Goldstein and Daley. Its not awful, its not offensive, its just meh and forgettable and wastes so much potential. Especially in the Nic character.
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u/arbrebiere Sep 05 '26
How annoying is Ryan Reynolds in this? I really can’t stand the schtick he’s been doing where he acts like Deadpool in everything
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u/no_offenc Sep 05 '26
He's not that bad. He's been much worse. Still kind of feels like an 80s Russian dude and Ryan Reynolds on screen tho
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u/jamesneysmith Sep 06 '26
Honestly if you hate Reynolds you probably won't have a good time with this. He's toned down from other projects but he's still doing it as a fair bit. It's a fun movie but with your bias you probably won't like it
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u/MarvinMonroeZapThing Sep 05 '26
He’s better in it than I expected. He doesn’t do that smarmy humor like he normally does and actually shows more heart and emotion than usual. IMHO casting Reynolds did not take away from this movie being a fun buddy action film. And the cinematography was fantastic.
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u/Top_Rekt Sep 05 '26
Was more of a Kenneth Branagh movie than a Ryan Reynolds. He's not bad but it feels like there's always a Ryan Reynolds quip he has to say.
I thought Reynolds was the weakest in the movie cause a number of other actors could probably fill in his role and be less distracting.
The physical comedy bits were better than the one liners he does.
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u/fuzzy_dice_99 Sep 05 '26
Disappointing movie considering I loved the directors’ other works. The camera work was fun but the script needed more work. Felt very “been there done that”
Reynolds snarky quips once again are overdone. It’s fine in a Deadpool movie but deflated the emotional moments every time here. Also meeds to lay off the botox. He could barely move his forehead.
Kenneth Branagh does love playing Russians though
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u/jastcabr1 Sep 06 '26
Haven't seen it yet, is it as fun as most of Reynolds previous work has been? That's all I'm really after from this.
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u/ChainLC Sep 06 '26
It was fine. dragged a little at the end but overall a fun watch. 7.5/10
best line was " sometimes to stand up FOR your country, you have to stand AGAINST it."
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u/Interesting_Rush570 Sep 06 '26
Good opening, they did that right for sure. The opening will keep you glued down
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u/funkhero Sep 06 '26
Wished it was as funny as D&D or Game Night, but it was still good. Branagh has some great action, and it's kind of nice that Reynolds wasn't this action superstar.
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u/ddelisle Sep 06 '26
Really enjoyed it! Thought I could turn off my brain for a formulaic action-comedy, but the film did provoke me to think about 'big picture' stuff several times.
The only things that didn't work for me was the Dad c-plot, and the main antagonist didn't quite land as a credible threat.
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u/Big_Introduction2385 Sep 07 '26
Every time I see Kenneth Branagh in this movie I see Jason Bateman! Can unsee it now.
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u/FoxMcCloudOwnsSlippy Sep 07 '26 edited Sep 07 '26
It really is just a lighter Behind Enemy Lines concept movie containing a more earnestness tone, thought there would be more laughs but the ones that were in it, was some good ones (that wine room scene with the sex escort slayed me).
Contains some inventive camera work and sequences such as the bar fight, the flat escape and the zero-g plane fight which made it pop. It's overall fine but lacks that certain something to rank alongside their best work alongside Game Night and D&DAMT.
Maybe Ryan Reynolds is just too overexposed but felt maybe Chris Pine would be a more convincing pick. Though Kenneth Branagh had the time of his life in this one.
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u/AshevilleHawkens Sep 07 '26 edited Sep 08 '26
I watched it, and as a self-proclaimed Daley and Goldstein fanatic, I thought it was fine. The camera work is a standout as always with them, and Kenneth Branagh is an absolute delight. That motherfucker is 65 years old and still has it.
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u/RayU_AZ Sep 09 '26
Top Gun vibes. Proud to wear the uniform in public.
Couldn't do the same movie in present day Trumps presidential term & current political situation.
Had to go back 40 years to the 1980s avoid today's political discourse mixing with good honest entertainment. Smart move by Movie Studio. The MASH TV series did same thing in the 70s, using the Korean War of 1950s for story basis vs Vietnam war going on in 1970s. Safe play for studio.
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u/EmergencyJacket207 Sep 12 '26
I really enjoyed this film. Hadn't seen anything about it but found it to be quite enjoyable.
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u/CaptainDogParty Sep 05 '26
I wish it had been a little more fun, but the camera work in this was phenomenal and dynamic. Branaghs fighting was a hell of a thing to see.
I think my favorite joke was the escort finding them in the closet 😂