Apple TV+ film Mayday gets mixed reviews

Apple TV+ released the action-comedy film "Mayday" globally on September 4, 2026, starring Ryan Reynolds and Kenneth Branagh. Directed by John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein, the movie is set in 1987 and follows U.S. Navy pilot Lieutenant Troy Assassin Kelly, portrayed by Reynolds, whose secret reconnaissance mission over Soviet Russia goes awry, leaving him stranded behind enemy lines. Kelly's only hope for survival and escape is Nikolai Ustinov, an eccentric former KGB agent played by Branagh. Ustinov, who harbors a deep fascination with American culture, finds Kelly wounded and initially restrains him before revealing his intentions to help. Their unlikely partnership forms as they navigate the dangerous Soviet territory, pursued by Soviet agent Alexander Volkov, who seeks to use Kelly's mission to undermine improving U.S.-Soviet relations. The film's plot escalates as Kelly discovers information that challenges his perception of patriotism. He learns about potential government concealment regarding his father's serious illness, caused by asbestos exposure. This revelation prompts Kelly to question the institutions he once served without reservation.