Ryan Reynolds, the KGB, and Top Gun: How the Russians Rescue an American Pilot and Why It Works Strangely

What is the movie Mayday 2026 about in general

A story about a US Navy pilot named Troy Kelly, who is sent on a secret mission deep into the Soviet Union at the end of the Cold War. The plan goes awry, the plane is shot down, Troy falls somewhere in a snowy field and wakes up on a bed in an unfamiliar house.

And here the circus begins, instead of a torture chamber, the main character sees posters with Tom Cruise, American flags and a bunch of other paraphernalia in an unfamiliar house, for which in the then USSR they could be shot. And the owner of all this good, Nikolai (Kenneth Branagh), turns out to be a former KGB officer who went crazy about American culture ten years ago.

He has never eaten burgers, but he dreams of them. He has never been to the US, but he knows more about this country than any American. And now these two have to escape the pursuit, survive in the Russian wilderness and not kill each other on the way. There is enough action, there will be trains, shootouts, a nuclear missile and a lot of nonsense.

What is really interesting

The best thing about this film is the duet of Reynolds and Branagh. Ryan here is not the usual Deadpool with eternal jokes, he is more reserved and scared. But Branagh is just a bomb, his Nikolai is funny, dangerous and touching at the same time. He can knock out three big guys with one punch, and a minute later he is quoting "Die Hard" with such enthusiasm as if it were the Bible. He sincerely loves America, although he has never been there. And this contrast works 100%.

And what's wrong

There are a lot of stereotypes here, the Soviet Union is shown as a fairy-tale country, where everyone is either evil geniuses or complete idiots. Somewhere in the middle of the film, you want a little less pictures and a little more living history. The secondary characters are quite mediocre and passable, you forget about them immediately after the scene. And some jokes about the 80s may not be suitable for the younger generation, if you haven't seen those times, half of the references will fly by.

What's the bottom line

«Mayday» is a light, dynamic and senseless movie for the evening. It doesn't claim to be deep, but it honestly delivers what it promises: action, laughter, and a beautiful picture. The main thing is not to take it seriously, but to just relax and watch. If you're ready for the absurd, you'll like it.