REVIEW: Mayday (2026 Film) - Starring Ryan Reynolds and Kenneth Branagh.

Review by Jon Donnis

Mayday has a lot going for it. It has Ryan Reynolds. It has Kenneth Branagh. It has Cold War espionage, aerial dogfights, KGB agents, stolen military hardware and a reluctant friendship forged while two very different men try to survive behind enemy lines.

What it does not have is much of a surprise.

John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein's action comedy is polished, energetic and frequently entertaining, but it is also remarkably content to follow the well-worn path laid out by countless buddy movies before it. Fortunately, when you put Reynolds and Branagh together and give them plenty of opportunities to bicker, argue and reluctantly save one another, there is enough personality to keep the formula moving.

Set in 1987, Mayday opens with US Navy Lieutenant Troy "Assassin" Kelly rescuing his wingman before being sent on a top-secret mission aboard an SR-71 Blackbird with US Air Force pilot Major Sanders. The mission goes badly when they are intercepted by a MiG, leaving Sanders dead and Kelly stranded in Russian territory.

His situation looks bleak until he is discovered by Nikolai Ustinov, a former KGB officer who has grown disillusioned with his past and harbours an affection for American culture.

Naturally, Kelly does not immediately trust the man who has just rescued him.

That distrust forms the basis of the film's strongest element. Reynolds and Branagh have excellent chemistry, and their relationship develops in a way that feels considerably more entertaining than the increasingly predictable plot surrounding them. Kelly wants to get home. Ustinov wants a new life. Neither man quite knows what to make of the other, and their constant friction gives the film much of its personality.

Branagh, in particular, is terrific.

Ustinov is easily the most enjoyable character in the film, and Branagh steals practically every scene he is in. There is a wonderfully eccentric quality to his performance, but he also gives the character genuine warmth. Ustinov could easily have been reduced to a collection of stereotypical Soviet traits, yet Branagh finds enough humanity beneath the gruff exterior to make his predicament matter.

It is arguably Branagh at his most effortlessly entertaining.

Reynolds is equally assured, although Mayday does not exactly ask him to venture into unfamiliar territory. Troy Kelly is another cocky, sarcastic protagonist who can throw out a one-liner while surrounded by danger, and Reynolds has played variations of this character many times before.

The difference here is that Reynolds works particularly well opposite Branagh. Rather than competing for attention, the two complement each other. Reynolds provides the familiar wisecracking action hero while Branagh gets to play the more unusual and unpredictable character.

The result is a convincing odd-couple pairing.

The action also gives Mayday enough momentum to compensate for some of its weaker storytelling. The opening sequence immediately establishes the scale of the film, while the subsequent pursuit provides plenty of opportunities for the two leads to become increasingly entangled in situations that neither anticipated.

A train escape, a desperate journey towards Moscow, an attack on Ustinov's daughter's apartment and the theft of a mobile nuclear launcher all contribute to a story that becomes increasingly ridiculous as it progresses.

Thankfully, the film mostly understands that ridiculousness is part of the appeal.

There are some excellent action sequences here, and the film looks and feels suitably polished. It is the kind of production that is easy to sit back and watch. There is always another chase, confrontation or escape around the corner, and the pacing rarely becomes completely stagnant.

Unfortunately, the comedy is much less consistent.

Some jokes work because they come naturally from the relationship between Kelly and Ustinov. Others feel considerably more forced, and there are several moments where the film seems to assume that a particular joke will land simply because the characters are in an absurd situation.

It does not always work.

Some of the humour also feels dated, which is particularly noticeable in a film that otherwise seems determined to keep its action and presentation modern. When the comedy succeeds, it is usually because Reynolds and Branagh are allowed to bounce off one another. When the script starts reaching for obvious gags, the results are considerably less impressive.

That points towards Mayday's biggest weakness, the screenplay.

There is nothing fundamentally wrong with a formulaic action comedy, particularly when it is this watchable, but Mayday rarely attempts to escape its formula. The major beats are easy to anticipate, the character dynamics are familiar and the eventual developments do not carry much in the way of surprise.

Even the more outrageous elements feel strangely safe.

The story moves from espionage thriller to buddy adventure to increasingly broad action comedy, but the transitions never quite produce the sense of unpredictability that the premise promises. Instead, Mayday often feels like a collection of familiar ideas arranged around two very charismatic actors.

The film could also have benefited from a sharper edit.

At around 105 minutes, Mayday is hardly overlong, yet it feels about 15 minutes too long. By the latter stages, the central premise has already delivered most of its entertainment value, and some of the remaining material feels like it is simply ticking off the final requirements of the story.

The film's conclusion is perfectly serviceable, but the journey there could have been considerably tighter.

The supporting cast do solid work, with Marcin Dorociński providing a suitably threatening presence as Alexander Volkov, while Maria Bakalova adds another layer to Ustinov's personal story. David Morse and Clark Johnson also contribute effectively, although this is very much Reynolds and Branagh's film.

And that is ultimately both Mayday's greatest strength and its biggest limitation.

The film does not have a particularly compelling reason to exist beyond putting these two actors together.

Fortunately, that is a pretty good reason.

Branagh and Reynolds are entertaining enough to carry a familiar script, and their chemistry makes the increasingly improbable journey across Russia considerably more enjoyable than it has any right to be. There is a genuine sense of fun whenever they are sharing the screen, and Branagh's performance alone gives the film an identity it would otherwise lack.

But there is a nagging feeling throughout Mayday that something better was possible.

The ingredients are all there. The Cold War setting, the spy thriller framework, the action, the comedy and two enormously recognisable leading men should have produced something sharper and more memorable. Instead, the film settles for being good enough.

And, to its credit, good enough is often enough here.

Mayday is a polished, enjoyable action comedy with two excellent leads, some genuinely entertaining action and enough laughs to make the journey worthwhile. It is also predictable, occasionally sluggish and saddled with a screenplay that rarely takes the opportunities presented by its premise.

For fans of Ryan Reynolds and Kenneth Branagh, there is plenty to enjoy. Branagh in particular makes the film worth watching, delivering a performance that is easily the highlight.

But once the credits roll, Mayday is unlikely to demand much further thought.

It is a perfectly decent evening's entertainment, rather than a film that will be remembered.

I score Mayday a solid 7.5 out of 10.

Out Now

https://link.amazon/B09qI8C3i

REVIEW: The Runner (2026 Film) - Starring Gal Gadot

Amazon Director:

"So I got an idea for a film.

Amazon Boss:

"I'm listening"

Amazon Director:

"Gal Gadot, in skin tight Lycra, running through London for 85 minutes, we'll call it The Runner"A

Amazon Boss:

"Genius, how much money do you need?"

True story, probably. 

Review by Jon Donnis

The Runner wastes very little time getting started. Maia Marten is introduced as a successful London prosecutor and devoted mother, but her carefully controlled life is shattered when she receives a phone call telling her that her diabetic son Noah has been kidnapped. The instructions are brutally simple. Keep running, follow the orders and tell nobody. If she stops, her son dies.

From there, The Runner settles into an unusual rhythm. Rather than building towards a conventional series of action set pieces, director Kevin Macdonald places Gal Gadot's Maia in what is essentially a race against the clock, with the story playing out almost in real time. It is an intriguing approach, and at its best the film creates a genuine sense of urgency as Maia tears through London trying to save her son while simultaneously attempting to work out who is behind the entire ordeal.

Visually, The Runner is one of the film's strongest elements. Macdonald's direction gives Maia's journey a physicality that makes the audience feel as though they are being dragged through the streets alongside her. The camera keeps the action immediate, while the constantly changing locations help prevent the film from becoming visually monotonous. Maia moves through roads, public transport, underground tunnels, bridges and buildings, and the city becomes as much a part of the chase as the characters themselves.

The decision to make Maia spend so much of the film running is also surprisingly effective initially. There is something inherently stressful about watching a character desperately trying to reach a destination while knowing that every second could mean the difference between life and death. The ticking-clock element gives even the quieter moments a degree of tension.

The psychological side of the story is another positive. The Caller is not simply giving Maia physical obstacles to overcome. He knows intimate details about her life and uses them to psychologically dismantle her while she is already under enormous pressure. The revelations concerning Maia's family and the death of her father add another layer to what initially appears to be a straightforward kidnapping thriller.

Gal Gadot is also well cast in the central role. She gives Maia enough determination and vulnerability to make the character believable as a mother pushed into increasingly desperate circumstances. Gadot is convincing when Maia is frightened, exhausted and under pressure, while she also sells the physical demands of the role. There is no denying that she looks the part while sprinting through London.

Damian Lewis, meanwhile, gets an interesting role as the mysterious Caller. Much of his performance is delivered through his voice rather than physical presence, which gives the character an appropriately detached quality. His knowledge of Maia's life makes his phone calls increasingly uncomfortable, although the film could arguably have done more with the character. Leaving his face reveal to the end seems silly, when we all know it is Damian Lewis, he has a recognisable voice, and it didn't really make much of a difference.

The eventual resolution is satisfying. The film does not simply throw a last-minute twist at the audience and leave everything hanging. It also answers some of the questions raised throughout the film and gives the story a reasonably neat conclusion.

There is also a nice final touch when Maia receives another mysterious call in the car and simply throws her phone away rather than answering it. After everything she has endured, it is an appropriately cynical little moment.

Unfortunately, The Runner is also a film where the limitations of the premise become increasingly apparent.

The biggest problem is that there simply is not enough substance here to justify the feature-length treatment. The basic concept is strong. A mother is forced to run across London while a mysterious caller threatens to kill her son. That is a perfectly workable thriller premise. But once the initial novelty wears off, the film begins to feel as though it is stretching a relatively thin idea across its running time.

The film is around 80 minutes, which is certainly not excessive, and the brisk pace means it never becomes a complete slog. In fact, the short runtime probably helps it considerably. Even so, there were moments when I found myself thinking that The Runner might actually have been more effective at around an hour. Some sequences feel like they exist primarily to get Maia from one location to the next rather than because they are particularly important to the story.

That leads to another issue. For something sold as a pulse-pounding action thriller, there simply is not enough action. There is plenty of movement, but running is not the same thing as action. Gadot spends a considerable amount of the film sprinting from one place to another, and while she certainly looks impressive doing it, eventually you start wanting something more substantial to happen.

There are moments that attempt to break this up, including the car accident, the Underground chase and Maia's escape from the police, but I wanted more. Given Gadot's action background, The Runner feels like it is leaving a considerable amount of potential on the table. Maia could have been tougher, more resourceful and more physically capable. Instead, the film often makes her feel like an ordinary woman who happens to be exceptionally good at running.

The portrayal of London is another problem, and one that becomes difficult to ignore.

The film's version of London feels strangely disconnected from the real city. At one point Maia's phone is stolen on the train by two English White men, and this was probably the single least convincing moment in the entire film. More broadly, London appears remarkably white throughout the story, despite Maia travelling through parts of the capital where that simply would not reflect the city most people actually encounter.

This gives the film the feeling of a Hollywood interpretation of London rather than London itself. The locations may be recognisable, but the people and atmosphere surrounding them often do not feel authentic. Anyone familiar with the route Maia takes would likely notice the disconnect.

There is also an uncomfortable question hanging over the entire production. Watching Gal Gadot run around London for 80 minutes, it is difficult not to wonder whether the film was developed around having Gadot first and the story second. The premise is good enough to stand on its own, but there are moments when it feels as though the filmmakers have found an attractive action star and then built a relatively simple thriller around her.

That is not necessarily a criticism of Gadot herself. In fact, she is one of the reasons the film works as well as it does. She gives Maia enough emotional credibility to keep the audience invested, and her presence makes the film considerably more watchable. The problem is that the script does not always give her enough interesting material to work with.

Ultimately, The Runner is a difficult film to score.

I happily sat through the whole thing, and importantly, I was never tempted to constantly check my phone. That is worth something. The film held my attention, maintained a decent sense of urgency and delivered an ending that brought the various strands together.

But I cannot ignore the fact that it is relatively weak on substance. Some scenes feel like filler, the action is lighter than you might expect, and the central concept is stretched close to its limits. The London setting also feels artificial in places, which undermines what should have been one of the film's biggest advantages.

There is definitely a good thriller hiding inside The Runner. The real-time structure works, the visual presentation is strong, Gal Gadot delivers a solid and believable performance, and the conclusion is satisfying. I simply wanted more from it. More action, more depth, a tougher Maia and a story substantial enough to justify being a feature film.

The Runner is entertaining enough to keep you watching, but it never quite becomes the relentless, bruising thriller its premise promises.

I score The Runner a very generous 7 out of 10. Mainly because it kept my attention, which takes a lot these days, but maybe that was more to do with Gadot running in skin tight Lycra as opposed to a captivating story.

Out Now on Prime Video

https://link.amazon/B0cSCn3XM

REVIEW: Motor City (2026 Film) - Starring Alan Ritchson, Ben Foster, Pablo Schreiber, Lionel Boyce and Shailene Woodley

Review by Jon Donnis

Motor City is the kind of action thriller that immediately stands apart from the crowd. While the story itself follows a familiar path of betrayal and revenge, director Potsy Ponciroli presents it in a way that feels remarkably fresh. With very little dialogue, the film leans almost entirely on visual storytelling, expressive performances and an expertly curated rock soundtrack, creating an experience that often feels closer to an extended music-driven fever dream than a conventional Hollywood action film.

Set in a grimy, industrial 1977 Detroit, the film follows John Miller, played by Alan Ritchson, a factory worker whose life is destroyed after he is framed for a crime he did not commit. Sentenced to decades behind bars, he eventually escapes and embarks on a relentless mission to hunt down the gangster responsible, Reynolds, portrayed with trademark menace by Ben Foster. Along the way, Miller leaves behind a trail of destruction as he battles his way through Reynolds' criminal empire in search of justice for himself, Sophia and the friends who sacrificed everything to help him.

Motor City deserves praise simply for taking creative risks. American action films often rely on endless exposition and constant quips, yet this film strips almost all of that away. Instead, it trusts its audience to follow the story through visuals, facial expressions, action and music. It is an approach that feels bold rather than gimmicky, and for the most part it works brilliantly.

Alan Ritchson carries the film almost entirely through physical performance. Without lengthy speeches or dramatic monologues, he communicates John's anger, heartbreak and determination through body language alone. His imposing presence makes him entirely believable as an unstoppable force of vengeance, while quieter moments reveal enough vulnerability to stop the character becoming a one-dimensional action hero.

Ben Foster once again proves why he remains one of the most dependable screen villains. Reynolds is cold, manipulative and utterly ruthless, providing exactly the sort of antagonist needed to fuel the film's revenge narrative. Pablo Schreiber also makes a memorable impression as the corrupt officer Savick, particularly during one of the film's most savage and brutally choreographed fights.

The action itself is consistently impressive. Every confrontation feels impactful, with bone-crunching violence and inventive staging. Rather than relying on excessive computer-generated spectacle, the film favours grounded brutality that gives every punch, gunshot and explosion genuine weight. The explosive final act delivers exactly the payoff the film has been building towards, with several standout sequences that rank among the year's most entertaining action set pieces.

Equally important is the soundtrack. Setting much of the film to existing rock songs gives Motor City a distinctive rhythm and identity. Combined with the limited dialogue, it creates the feeling of watching a violent mixtape unfold on screen. There are echoes of silent cinema mixed with classic 1970s vigilante films, yet the finished result still feels original rather than nostalgic imitation. It is refreshing to leave an action film feeling as though you have genuinely seen something new.

That originality does not completely disguise the familiar framework underneath. At its core, this is still a fairly standard revenge story featuring many of the genre's well-established tropes. Betrayal, prison escape, corrupt criminals and bloody vengeance all play out much as expected. The presentation may be unique, but the narrative itself rarely surprises.

The pacing is another area where the film could have been stronger. At around 100 minutes, Motor City is not especially long, but it occasionally feels as though it is stretching material that would have benefited from a tighter edit. Several slow-motion sequences linger longer than necessary, reducing the momentum rather than enhancing the emotion. Trimming a few of these moments could have made the film even more effective.

Despite those shortcomings, Motor City succeeds because it fully commits to its unusual vision. It demonstrates that action films do not need endless dialogue to engage an audience, trusting visuals, music and physical performances to tell the story instead. The revenge plot may be familiar, but the stylish execution, brutal action and confidence behind its storytelling ensure it never feels routine.

Motor City is refreshing, exciting and unapologetically different. It proves there is still room for experimentation within mainstream action cinema, delivering a visually striking revenge thriller that leaves a lasting impression long after the credits roll.

Score: 7.5 out of 10

Out Now in Cinemas.

REVIEW: Descendants: Wicked Wonderland (2026 Film) - Starring Kylie Cantrall, Malia Baker, and Leonardo Nam

Review by Jon Donnis

Disney's Descendants franchise has never been afraid to embrace colourful fantasy, catchy musical numbers and ever-expanding family trees of famous fairy tale characters. Descendants: Wicked Wonderland continues that tradition, picking up after the events of the previous film with Red and Chloe discovering that changing the past has created consequences they never expected. Unfortunately, while the premise offers plenty of opportunities for an entertaining adventure, the execution quickly spirals into an overstuffed and confusing mess.

The story sees Red and Chloe returning to Wonderland after Maddox Hatter seizes control of the kingdom by kidnapping the now reformed Queen of Hearts. Along the way they are joined by an ever-growing collection of new allies, including Red's newly introduced sister Pink, Maddox's son Max and several descendants of other Disney favourites. On paper it sounds like an ambitious crossover, but the film never gives itself enough room to develop any of these characters before introducing another. Every few minutes another familiar surname appears, each demanding attention, until it becomes difficult to care about anyone because nobody receives enough focus to leave much of an impression.

The biggest problem is the story itself. Descendants: Wicked Wonderland attempts to juggle time travel, alternate timelines, family drama, magical artefacts, betrayal, redemption and multiple character arcs all at once. Rather than weaving these ideas into a satisfying narrative, it feels like several different scripts stitched together into one film. Plot developments happen simply because the story needs them to happen, with little regard for logic or consistency. The result is a film where the central adventure barely makes sense, leaving audiences struggling to follow exactly why characters are making certain decisions or how the constantly shifting timeline is supposed to work.

It also suffers from trying to recycle ideas from the original Descendants trilogy instead of carving out its own identity. Familiar themes of redemption, friendship, magical family conflicts and choosing your own destiny are all revisited, but without adding anything particularly fresh. Instead, the film comes across as a patchwork of old concepts unsuccessfully merged into one increasingly chaotic adventure.

The cast is another mixed bag. The performers themselves do what they can with the material and there is no shortage of enthusiasm in their performances. However, the production once again falls into Disney's now familiar approach of assembling what feels like a tick box cast where diversity appears to take priority over finding the strongest performers for each role. Combined with the enormous number of characters fighting for screen time, very few are given the opportunity to genuinely stand out.

Not everything falls flat. Younger viewers will likely enjoy the musical numbers, with several songs proving catchy enough to stick in the memory long after the credits roll. The production design is also undeniably impressive. Wonderland bursts with vibrant colours, imaginative costumes and visually playful set pieces that constantly give the audience something interesting to look at. Even when the story loses its way, the film rarely looks dull.

Sadly, colourful visuals and energetic songs cannot compensate for weak storytelling. As the film continues to pile on more characters, more magical objects and more convoluted twists, it becomes increasingly exhausting rather than exciting. Emotional moments fail to land because relationships are never explored deeply enough, while the endless stream of new arrivals only serves to make an already cluttered narrative even harder to invest in.

After watching this for 90 minutes, I found myself wishing I had a Pocketwatch of my own so I could travel back in time and simply skip the experience altogether. Descendants: Wicked Wonderland throws together recycled ideas, an overcrowded cast and a story that never finds its footing. While the colourful presentation and catchy songs may entertain younger fans, everything else feels muddled and frustrating. The actors give it their best effort, but they cannot rescue a film weighed down by its own confused ambitions.

Even if you already subscribe to Disney+, it is difficult to recommend spending your time on this one.

Score: 2 out of 10.

Out Now on Disney +