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Written by: John Francis Daley, Jonathan Goldstein
Directed by: John Francis Daley, Jonathan Goldstein
Starring: Ryan Reynolds, Kenneth Branagh, Maria Bakalova, Marcin Dorociński, David Morse
Rated: PG-13
Watch the trailer
Plot
Lieutenant Troy Kelly's reconnaissance mission over Soviet territory goes awry, forcing him to crash-land and survive behind enemy lines while evading capture.
Verdict
It's the same Ryan Reynolds routine with a different setting. The emotional moments are undercut by sarcasm and snark. This tries to leverage the tensions of the cold war with two men at odds and from different countries forced to work together. This always feels likes it's desperately trying to land those moments. The action helps make up for the shortcomings as the plane scenes are especially great, though the fighting looks too scripted. In a movie with a less serious plot the setup would work better. With this, it seems like a mismatch.
It depends.
Review
This begins with a barrage of sequences. Troy Kelly (Ryan Reynolds) wakes up from a plane crash, then we see a flashback of a flight training exercise, and then we see Troy's sick father in the hospital. It's a quick introduction to the character that's also a shortcut to fit the first act into just a few minutes.
Troy is selected for a black ops mission, flying an SR-71 spy plane over Russia in 1987. He immediately doesn't get along with his co-pilot. It's the typical sarcasm and quips you'd expect in a Ryan Reynolds movie. The spy mission goes sideways and the plane is shot down. Troy does manage to take out an enemy plane despite his being nearly inoperable.
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| Ryan Reynolds plays Troy Kelly |
While seriously injured, Troy is rescued by Nikolai "Nik" Ustinov (Kenneth Branagh). Nik is a huge fan of America, and it just happens that one of his favorite movies is Top Gun (1986). He provides shelter and tends to Troy's wounds. Despite the hospitality, Troy is in no mood to stay. He attempts an escape, and as he states Nik is surprisingly spry in the ensuing fight. Troy still gets away, but Nik catches up to him. There's more to this guy than being a big fan of America. It's revealed he's former KGB.
Troy needs to get to the American embassy or out of Russia. Either option poses a problem. Neither are close and the Russians are tracking him. Troy hopes to reach the embassy with Nik's help, offering him amnesty in return.
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| Kenneth Branagh, Ryan Reynolds play Nikolai "Nik" Ustinov, Troy Kelly |
This is misadventures in Russia with the typical deadpan commentary from Reynolds. It's an uneasy alliance, accentuated by setting this during the cold war. Troy has to trust Nik as there isn't another choice. Their adventure even involves Nik blowing up an apartment and later stealing a missile transport truck. It helps that Nik is quite adept at evasion. The U.S. can't send a rescue team due to the black ops mission, so Troy must get to the embassy. While he promised Nik asylum, he doesn't have the authority and the U.S. isn't willing to grant that to Nik. The trust is broken when Troy doesn't reveal that to Nik despite risking his life to protect Troy.
Either way, they're both on the run from Russians. Nik continues to help Troy, and that eventually leads to another flight out of Russia. The pair really do encounter planes, a train, and an automobile. The action is a lot of fun, and the plane scenes are the best part as they're the most intense. Overall, this is just another Ryan Reynolds movie as he's plays his typical, overly talkative character. I'd think the life or death situation would make him more focused. His character's tone just doesn't match the movie. With Reynolds typically playing a variation of the same character in every movie, that makes this plot derivative. Maybe the solution was to make this more over the top. It feels strange with a wise cracking pilot thrust into this life or death situation amid political turmoil. This isn't the typical war movie, but Troy still feels out of place.
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