‘Mayday’ is Apple TV’s best comedy movie in years
‘Mayday’ is Apple TV’s best comedy movie in years
Reynolds brings his usual fast-talking energy, but it’s his friendship with Branagh that makes the movie work.
If you haven’t peeked at the Apple TV movie library recently, now is a great time to do it. The platform just dropped a bunch of licensed movies, including a few that are generally hard to find, like “The Bourne Identity,” and some all-time great comedies like “Forgetting Sarah Marshall.” But for this article, I want to talk about a brand-new original movie that just dropped: “Mayday” starring Ryan Reynolds and Kenneth Branagh. Here’s why it’s worth watching.
Best under-the-radar comedy movie on Apple TV
Why ‘Mayday’ is the most underrated comedy movie on Apple TV
The flow of new movies released on Apple TV is more of a trickle than a flood. And that’s even truer for comedies. It’s usually Prime Video that owns the high-concept, direct-to-streaming, star-powered action-comedy space. But not anymore with “Mayday.” The last movie of this kind I remember them dropping is “Wolfs” with Brad Pitt and George Clooney, though “Mayday” is far more comedy-forward.
Set in 1987, “Mayday” follows Lt. Troy “Assassin” Kelly (Ryan Reynolds) — a quippy (does Reynolds play anything else?) U.S. Navy pilot sent on a secret mission over Soviet territory. After his plane goes down, Troy ends up stranded behind enemy lines and is found by Nikolai Ustinov (Kenneth Branagh), a former KGB agent who happens to be obsessed with American culture. Nikolai may be Troy’s only shot at getting home, which turns the movie into an odd-couple escape adventure through the Soviet Union.
Tara and I watched it a few days after it dropped, and we loved it. It took Tara about half an hour to get over it being kind of a “guy movie” before it grabbed her. Because it is kind of a guy movie. First, the love for “Top Gun” is loud and clear, both in the style of “Mayday” and the in-movie references to the film. The flying sequences are very well done, with enough tension to get my palms sweaty — especially the parachute scene near the beginning of the film. The fight sequences are equally impressive, mostly with Nick (as he prefers to be called) unleashing his KGB-trained ass-kicking ability on everyone who gets in their way. The bar fight is particularly fun.
Aside from the action, this is really a buddy-comedy. And the friendship that genuinely builds between Troy and Nick is very sweet. Reynolds and Branagh have weird, funny chemistry, with the latter playing a quirky Russian who wants nothing more than to move to America. Reynolds’ classic fast-talking, witty performance (that he’s built his career around) works well in a foreign land where he’s well outside his comfort zone and forced to learn a few different cultural oddities as he goes.
But what really got me was the message of this movie. It’s about humanizing the people our countries force us to go to war with. It’s about putting faces and stories to the “enemy.” The understanding and friendship that slowly grow between Nick and Troy is nuanced, powerful, and moving. And in a time of such division both nationally and internationally, it really hits the mark. My only complaint? This movie should be in theaters. But alas, I enjoyed it anyway and I think you will too.
Mayday
When a U.S. Navy pilot on a top-secret mission during the Cold War gets trapped behind enemy lines, his only chance at survival is to form an alliance with an eccentric ex-KGB agent.
Other underappreciated comedy movies on Apple TV
If you liked “Mayday” and want more underrated comedies on Apple TV, start with “Wolfs.” It’s more action than comedy, but it’s light and genuinely funny at times. Plus, how often do you get to watch Pitt and Clooney in the same movie outside the “Ocean’s” world?
If you want something a little more globetrotting, I also really loved “Fountain of Youth” starring John Krasinski and Natalie Portman as brother and sister as they search for a literal fountain of youth. There are not many comedy movies on Apple TV, but the ones they make really rock. Happy watching!
Apple TV
Apple TV (formerly known as Apple TV+) is a subscription video streaming service for $14.99 per month, offering a growing slate of original series, films, documentaries, and specials. Unlike other platforms that combine licensed titles with originals, Apple TV is built entirely around exclusive programming, making it the home of critically acclaimed hits such as “Ted Lasso,” “Severance,” “The Morning Show,” and “Silo.” Its lineup continues to expand with award-winning dramas, comedies, family-friendly shows, and blockbuster original films like “CODA,” which won the Academy Award for Best Picture.