15 Movies Like Apple TV’s ‘Mayday’ You Absolutely Have to See

Apple TV’s action-adventure film ‘Mayday‘ delivers a high-stakes survival tale packed with humor, following a downed American fighter pilot who must navigate hostile Soviet territory alongside an unlikely Russian ally during the Cold War. Directed by Jonathan Goldstein and John Francis Daley, the movie combines aerial tension, mismatched buddy chemistry, and pulse-pounding escape sequences.

Audiences drawn to its blend of military aviation, espionage thrillers, wilderness survival, and sharp comedic banter have plenty of cinema history to explore. From Cold War espionage clashes to gripping stories of pilots stranded behind enemy lines, several films capture the exact same adventurous spirit.

‘Behind Enemy Lines’ (2001)

Directed by John Moore, this military thriller follows Lieutenant Chris Burnett, an American naval flight officer who is shot down over Bosnia during a reconnaissance mission. Stranded deep within hostile territory, Burnett must use his survival skills to evade ruthless paramilitary forces tracking him across rugged terrain. Meanwhile, his commanding officer works relentlessly from an aircraft carrier to mount a rescue mission despite diplomatic restrictions. Much like ‘Mayday’, the narrative centers on a downed aviator navigating treacherous foreign wilderness while evading enemy capture.

‘Red Heat’ (1988)

Directed by Walter Hill, this classic action comedy pairs a disciplined Soviet militia captain with a cynical Chicago police detective. Arnold Schwarzenegger portrays Captain Ivan Danko, who travels to the United States to capture a dangerous Georgian drug lord. Danko is forced to partner with James Belushi’s brash American cop Art Ridzik, resulting in constant culture clashes and banter. The dynamic between an East-bloc operative and an outspoken American directly mirrors the cross-cultural alliance seen in ‘Mayday’.

‘The Man from U.N.C.L.E.’ (2015)

Directed by Guy Ritchie, this stylish spy adventure is set during the height of the Cold War in the 1960s. The story follows CIA agent Napoleon Solo and KGB operative Illya Kuryakin, who must set aside national rivalries to stop a rogue criminal organization from building a nuclear weapon. Despite their mutual distrust and contrasting operational styles, the two secret agents forge an effective partnership. Like ‘Mayday’, the film finds humor and thrilling action in the uneasy cooperation between American and Soviet operatives on a dangerous mission.

‘Plane’ (2023)

In this survival action thriller directed by Jean-François Richet, commercial pilot Brodie Torrance must make an emergency landing on a remote Philippine island after severe storm damage. When heavily armed local militias take the surviving passengers hostage, Torrance is forced to rely on Louis Gaspare, an accused murderer being extradited on the flight. The pilot and the dangerous fugitive form an alliance to fight through hostile jungle terrain and save the survivors. The film shares ‘Mayday’s core premise of a stranded pilot teaming up with an unlikely ally to survive against overwhelming armed adversaries.

‘The Hitman’s Bodyguard’ (2017)

Directed by Patrick Hughes, this action-packed buddy comedy stars Ryan Reynolds as an elite protection agent assigned to safeguard a notorious assassin. The mismatched duo must travel from England to the International Court of Justice in The Hague while dodging mercenaries sent by an Eastern European dictator. The high-speed journey is fueled by intense firefights, dangerous vehicle chases, and constant verbal sparring between the two leads. Fans of Ryan Reynolds’ signature comedic timing and fast-paced survival escapades in ‘Mayday’ will recognize similar character dynamics here.

‘Rescue Dawn’ (2006)

Directed by Werner Herzog, this biographical war drama chronicles the true story of German-American pilot Dieter Dengler during the Vietnam War. After his aircraft is shot down over Laos on a classified bombing run, Dengler is captured by local guerrillas and imprisoned in a remote jungle camp. Facing starvation and torture, Dengler orchestrates a daring escape alongside a small group of fellow prisoners through the wilderness. The film delivers an intense depiction of wilderness survival and the resilience required when a pilot is stranded deep behind enemy borders.

‘Spies Like Us’ (1985)

Directed by John Landis, this Cold War comedy stars Chevy Chase and Dan Aykroyd as two bumbling government employees recruited as decoy intelligence operatives. Sent on a covert decoy mission into the Soviet Union, the unlikely pair inadvertently finds themselves stranded in harsh wilderness while evading Soviet military forces. Along the way, they must cooperate with Soviet rocket commanders to prevent an accidental nuclear strike. The film captures the Cold War setting, Soviet territory escapades, and comedic survival elements found throughout ‘Mayday’.

‘Air America’ (1990)

Directed by Roger Spottiswoode, this action comedy focuses on the covert airline operated by the CIA during the Vietnam War in Laos. Mel Gibson and Robert Downey Jr. star as two eccentric pilots who transport supplies and navigate dangerous aerial territory amidst covert political operations. When caught in corrupt schemes and hostile fire, the pilots must pull off daring crash landings and wilderness evasions to survive. Like ‘Mayday’, the story blends high-flying aviation sequences with humorous buddy banter in a volatile military environment.

‘Six Days Seven Nights’ (1998)

Directed by Ivan Reitman, this adventure comedy follows a gruff cargo pilot and a New York magazine editor whose plane crashes on a deserted South Pacific island. Harrison Ford and Anne Heche portray the mismatched pair who must overcome their personality clashes to survive the wilderness. Their situation escalates when a crew of modern-day pirates arrives on the island, forcing the duo to devise a desperate escape plan. The plot shares the survival mechanics and entertaining friction of two contrasting personalities trapped in isolated hostile territory.

‘Firefox’ (1982)

Produced and directed by Clint Eastwood, this Cold War techno-thriller centers on a veteran American fighter pilot sent on a clandestine mission into the Soviet Union. Eastwood plays Mitchell Gant, who must infiltrate Soviet airspace to steal a prototype stealth fighter capable of thought-controlled weapons systems. The mission relies on covert contacts inside Russia before transitioning into intense aerial dogfights against Soviet MiGs. The film explores the same tense Soviet military backdrop and specialized aviation operations that frame the story of ‘Mayday’.

‘Game Night’ (2018)

Directed by Jonathan Goldstein and John Francis Daley, the same filmmaking duo behind ‘Mayday’, this action comedy centers on a group of friends entangled in a real-life kidnapping plot. Jason Bateman and Rachel McAdams star as a competitive married couple who must outsmart armed mobsters and corrupt agents during a chaotic evening. The narrative moves rapidly between inventive action set pieces and high-stakes comedic confusion. Goldstein and Daley bring their trademark blend of witty ensemble dialogue and kinetic pacing to this high-concept adventure.

‘The Adam Project’ (2022)

Directed by Shawn Levy, this sci-fi action adventure stars Ryan Reynolds as a time-traveling fighter pilot who crash-lands in the year 2022. Stranded in the past, he must team up with his younger self and his late father to complete a vital mission while evading pursuing soldiers. The story combines high-tech aerial combat, emotional family dynamics, and Reynolds’ quick-witted survival tactics. Viewers who enjoy Reynolds’ charisma as an imperiled pilot navigating dangerous territory in ‘Mayday’ will find similar appeal here.

‘Flight of the Phoenix’ (2004)

Directed by John Moore, this survival drama follows the crew and passengers of a cargo aircraft that crash-lands in the remote Mongolian desert during a sandstorm. Led by Dennis Quaid’s pragmatic pilot, the survivors face extreme heat, dwindling water supplies, and attacks from local desert bandits. With rescue impossible, an eccentric aeronautical engineer convinces the group to build a new flyable plane from the wreckage. The movie shares the desperate ingenuity and survival teamwork depicted when aviators are downed in unforgiving hostile environments.

‘Bridge of Spies’ (2015)

Directed by Steven Spielberg, this historical Cold War thriller dramatizes the negotiations surrounding the 1960 U-2 spy plane incident. Tom Hanks stars as American lawyer James B. Donovan, who is tasked with brokering the exchange of captured Soviet spy Rudolf Abel for downed American pilot Francis Gary Powers. The story captures the immense geopolitical tensions between the United States and the Soviet Union during the reconnaissance flight era. It provides a grounded historical perspective on the high-altitude spy flights and Cold War military rivalries that inspire ‘Mayday’.

‘Midnight Run’ (1988)

Directed by Martin Brest, this seminal buddy action comedy tracks a former cop turned bounty hunter transporting an embezzling mob accountant across the country. Robert De Niro and Charles Grodin play the mismatched pair who must evade the FBI, rival bounty hunters, and the Chicago mafia. Their journey turns into an unpredictable road trip defined by relentless pursuit, narrow escapes, and evolving mutual respect. The classic dynamic of two opposed men forced to rely on each other to survive mirrors the core relationship in ‘Mayday’.

Which of these action-packed survival and buddy adventure movies is your favorite, and what other similar titles would you recommend in the comments?