THE NEED FOR SPEED RETURNS!
It’s no secret that with so many classic and memorable properties over the years from both TV and film, that studio have begun to “cash in” on those fan-favorite callbacks with remakes, reimaginings, or long-awaited sequels by banking on the nostalgia callbacks. Famous IPs and / or collections have indeed become memorable, with interest from Hollywood Studios / TV execs deciding to revisit a certain “brand” to further produce a particular nostalgia trigger amongst its fanbase; reinviting an older generation of viewers to partake in the “memory lane” narrative structure, while inviting newcomers (aka a new generation) to experience the property with a fresh set of new eyes. Such prime examples of this can be found in Fuller House, Cobra Kai, Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens, Ghostbusters: Afterlife, Spider-Man: No Way Home, and The Matrix Resurrections bank heavily upon the nostalgia feeling of references and callbacks. The opinion on such nostalgia movies / TV shows is a decisive spilt down the middle, with some expressing an interest of reminiscing with a familiar premise from yesteryear, while others believe that too much fan-service can ruin the continuation franchise and are only presented in this way for high viewership or box office culmination. Now, Paramount Pictures and director Joseph Kosinski present the latest endeavor in formatting a long-awaited sequel to the 1986 Top Gun film with the release of Top Gun: Maverick. Does this continuation to the beloved 80s classic warrant a modern updated sequel or is the film too much “blinded by nostalgia” for this aerial action blockbuster?
THE STORY
Captain Pete “Maverick” Mitchell (Tom Cruise) has spent the past few decades as a test pilot for the military, championing to keep fighter pilots in aerial warfare as drone program initiatives are becoming the way of the future for modern aerial warfare. After going against direct orders and for reckless endangerment, Maverick is sent back to San Diego to the Naval Fighter Weapons School, where Vice Admiral Beau “Cyclone” Simpson (John Hamm) has been instructed by Admiral Tom “Iceman” Kazansky (Val Kilmer) to turn the brilliant yet impulsive pilot into a teacher, overseeing a group of former Top Gun hotshots for a special mission to destroy a uranium enrichment site behind enemy lines. Initially, Maverick is hesitant, but agrees to the assignment, soon in charge of past young aerial aces, including Bob (Lewis Pullman), Phoenix (Monica Barbaro), Payback (Jay Ellis), Fanboy (Danny Ramirez), Hangman (Glen Powell), and Rooster (Miles Teller), the son of Maverick’s deceased best friend Goose. With only a short window of time to prep the pilots for the mission, Maverick puts the students through the ringer, dealing with their temperaments and egos, while trying to battle his own personal demons with Goose’s death / Rooster’s involvement with the mission as well as reconnecting with his ex-lover, Penny Benjamin (Jennifer Connelly).
THE GOOD / THE BAD
As my opening paragraph states, there has been a plethora of nostalgia fan-service with various platforms, especially on both the big and small screen. It’s kind of weird, yet also interesting fix point of interest; sparking debates on the virility on such presentations as well as the justifications to reopen / revisit an older property. To me, personally, it’s sort of a mixed bag. As mentioned above, the idea or revisiting a popular IP can have some merit and sometimes expanding and / or enhancing what was previously done as a true and genuine reminiscent callback. The flip side, however, is that many can’t find the exact rhythm or achieve the same type of “lightning in a bottle” formula to make it work; resulting in a project that seems either shallow, forced, or contrived to make sense of the project’s purpose. This, of course, draws back to the studio trying to capitalize upon a viewer’s nostalgia recollection and “cash in” on that premise. Again, it can definitely work, if done properly, with some personal fan-favorites of mine being Cobra Kai and Spider-Man: No Way Home. However, the same can be said about the opposite effect, with properties such as Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens and The Matrix Resurrections; relying too heavily on meta references, old callbacks, and such lazy writing. In the end, giving Hollywood’s fascination with remakes and revisiting older properties, this particular idea of fan-service through the usage of nostalgia for motion pictures isn’t going away anytime soon.
Naturally, this brings me back to talking about Top Gun: Maverick, a 2022 action-drama feature film and the sequel to the 1986 Top Gun movie. Growing up, I always do remember watching Top Gun as my parents owned the VHS tape of it and always liked watching it. It was definitely an 80s flick through and through, with some iconic imagery, cinematics, and yes…even the soundtrack was memorable. Plus, having stars such as Tom Cruise, Val Kilmer, and Meg Ryan (as well as a few others) in the film’s cast was great. Also, the film’s story was iconic…. simplistic, yet still quite effective within aerial action visual aesthetics. Overall, Top Gun deserves all the praise and acclaim it has received over the years and has remained a true 80s classic.
Given all that, it’s kind of strange that a sequel for this movie was greenlit immediately following its release. True, films in the 80s didn’t have the inherit box office success that today’s film do and, while the movie itself was truly memorable, Top Gun ending didn’t warrant a follow-up continuation; leaving the project as a standalone “one shot” endeavor. Still, the idea for a Top Gun sequel has been floating around / rumored for quite some time, dating back to 2010, with producer Jerry Bruckheimer, director Tony Scott, and actor Tom Cruise returning to the project. Unfortunately, due to Scott’s suicide, the project was sort of in limbo for several years. That being said, the project revival soon began to surface a few years later and was eventually greenlit, with an announcement of the name of the film being called Top Gun: Maverick. Of course, the film’s marketing campaign got everyone hyped for the upcoming movie, especially with the film’s movie trailer being showcased with a ton of blockbuster movies throughout the “coming attractions” previews and the anticipation for the sequel was building, especially with the announcement of the cast, including Tom Cruise returning as well as a rumor of Val Kilmer reprise his Iceman role.
Thus, I was quite excited to see Top Gun: Maverick, which was originally set to be released on July 12th, 2019. Paramount Pictures did delay the film for an entire year, with the new theatrical release date set for June 26th, 2020. Unfortunately, due to the on-going COVID-19 pandemic, Top Gun: Maverick was delayed multiple times; changing from May 2020 to December 2020 then to July 2021 then to November 2021 before finally landing on a final set release date for May 27th, 2022. So, I decided to check out the movie during its opening day, but, due to my work schedule, I had to delay getting my review completed. Now, I have some free time and finally ready to share my personal thoughts on the film. And what did I think of it? Well, I really liked it. Despite just a few minor problems, Top Gun: Maverick is terrific, fun, and highly entertaining legacy sequel that honors its processor and paves the way for a bright cinematic entry. While nostalgia is heavy throughout the film, it’s a welcoming one that speaks to original Top Gun movie for a high flying escapism.
Top Gun: Maverick is directed Joseph Kosinski, whose previous directorial works include TRON: Legacy, Oblivion, and Only the Brave. As mentioned above, Tony Scott, who previously directed the original Top Gun film, was set to return to direct, but, due to his passing, the directorial baton was passed on, with Kosinski winning the opportunity to helm this long-awaited sequel. To that end, Kosinski seems like a suitable choice and does indeed handle the original Top Gun source material with a great sense of sincerity and acknowledgement. There is no clear demonstration of this than in the film’s opening scene, with Kosinski honoring the first film by setting the tone right from the beginning, while presenting the new sequel with a sense of nostalgia that completely takes hold of you. This, of course, brings up the whole nostalgia feeling of Top Gun, seeing the fighter jets preparing to take off and hearing the iconic music from the original movie. It gives a person goosebumps and immediately set the tone for what going to happen throughout the rest of the feature. Naturally, the question of nostalgia comes into play (as mentioned in my opening paragraph) and, for the largely the most part, it actually works…surprisingly well. Granted, the idea of expanding upon the Top Gun narrative has been mentioned a few times over the years, but nothing has come to fruition beyond simple notions of wanting to get the project up from off the ground. Thus, the narrative of Pete Mitchell and those surrounding him (i.e. Goose, Iceman, and others) has solely remained in the confines of the original 1986 film and nothing more. This, of course, makes this new movie quite unique and engaging right from the off; warranting that nostalgia feeling rather than obscuring and / or overplaying it like so many other franchises out there (Star Wars, Marvel, and other long running properties). This, of course, means that the so-called “fan service” moments in the movie feel genuine and garnish the way to make a viewer feel excited, with Kosinski making sure the feature “stays the course” of what is needed to make both the movie have those aesthetics and nuances, but also having a proper understanding of handling the nostalgia references part of Maverick’s narrative, without feeling contrive or shoe-horned in.
This also plays into the film’s script, which was penned by Peter Craig, Justin Marks, Ehren Kruger, Eric Warren Singer, and Christopher McQuarrie. Given the amount of people on that list for shaping Maverick’s story and screenplay, it would seems like these is going to be the classic “too many cooks in the kitchen”, which would falter in the overall story of the motion picture. However, that is not the case with Maverick, with both the story and screenplay working together in unison. The story of Top Gun was very straight and simplistic, which was part of the allure of the beloved 80s action drama. Maverick does emulate that notion to the fullest extent, with the story having the same type of straightforward narrative that doesn’t get bogged down with too many convoluted details and unnecessary sub-plot threads. Thus, the script, while painted stuff a bit too broad (more on that below), keeps the main focus on is essential to the main conflict story of Maverick and nothing else, which is actually pretty good. In truth, at its core, Maverick is the continuation of tale of Pete Mitchell’s life (some thirty-odd years later from the ending of the first film) as he wrestles with his past and seems to confront in his sudden reconnection of Goose’s son, Rooster. Again, it all feels genuinely crystal clear as to what the narrative wants to tell and never gets sidetracked in unintentionally melodrama. Stuff might be kept vague for a reason (the mission’s enemy is never given a proper name or country’s nation and several characters are formulaic), but that’s part of the simplistic nature of the movie; keeping its focused on its action and on the relationship between Maverick and Rooster primarily.
Looking beyond the nostalgia points and narrative proses, Kosinski does a good job in handling the movie with attention to focus and overall adhering to the Top Gun spirit. What do I mean? Well, there is no getting around the fact that the movie feels like a wholehearted attempt to continue the Top Gun narrative from the first installment, with Maverick capturing the spirit and essence of 80s style of aesthetics and nuances as well as encapsuling what made the original feature endearing / memorable to watch. Thus, the long-awaited sequel definitely feels like a Top Gun movie as Kosinski makes sure that the vibe of Maverick is authenticity and purposefully done to feel like the first film. That’s not to say that everything about the movie is the same, for the action featured in Maverick is definitely better by leaps and bounds by utilizing newer cinematic filmmaking techniques. This is where Kosinski and his team truly shine by amping up the action for some great aerial combat sequences that are visually fun to watch and are almost like the “bread and butter” of the Top Gun film namesake. Immediately, the movie showcases the notion, with the action having a very intense and exciting feeling in ways and means that the original project could not achieved during the time of its undertaking. Also, much like what Kosinski did with Only the Brave, Maverick has a sense of realism to the proceedings by keeping the film grounded in a way that speaks to the original 1986 film, but beefs it up and comes across with sense of authenticity towards real life. The action aerial maneuvers and dog fights sequences fantastic and definitely crave “adrenaline” junkie feeling that keeps the viewer’s engaged and entertaining from onset to conclusion. I can go on and on about this, but I won’t spoil what’s presented in this category. Plus, I forgot to mention that the film’s pacing is stead throughout the entire runtime of 131 minutes (two hours and eleven minutes), with Kosinski helming the project and keeping his eye on the main focal point; never feeling bloated or anything otherwise. Suffice to say…. the action in Maverick is spot on and a great spectacle for the eyes to see. In the end, I believe that Kosinski does a fantastic job in harmonizing the feature with the right amount of nostalgia and updated nuances to make Maverick feel genuinely entertaining, respective of its source material, and a great legacy sequel endeavor.
The presentation of Maverick is also one of the big highlights that the feature has to offer, with the movie being presented with a sense of realism throughout. While today’s movie blockbuster line-up is littered with over-saturated CGI products, Kosinski and his team utilizes the realism of the narrative of aerial combat, which delves into the film’s presentation by having a more grounded background aesthetics and in its visuals. The militaristic background setting definitely looks grounded in reality and the definitely aids in the overall appeal in making the feature’s narrative fun and practical. Of course, the usage of actual fighter jets and other aeronautical devices aid in strengthening that particular resolve and helps make it all believable. Thus, the film’s “behind the scenes”, including Jeremy Hindle (production design), Andrew McCarthy and Jan Pascale (set decoration), Marlene Stewart (costume design) as well as all the military advisors and consultants on this project that demonstrate such a wholesome film’s setting, one that is maintained its realism as well as having the cinematic quality. Additionally, the movie’s cinematography work by Claudio Miranda is fantastic and epic; providing plenty of dramatic camera angles and cinematic nuances that help elevate some of the more intense action scenes as well as few character built moments. Also, the film editing by Eddie Hamilton is actually quite good and does a terrific job in handling / shaping many of the various scenes together in an energetic and kinetic way that keeps us (the viewers) engaging, especially in the action sequences.
Like the original Top Gun movie, Maverick features a new song titled “Hold My Hand”, which is sung by musical artist Lady Gaga. While I think that Berlin’s “Take My Breath Away” from the original film is a better song, “Hold My Hand” is definitely a strong main theme that perfect harmonizes with the feature as well as feeling that reminiscent 80s style of musical ballad. Plus, Gaga’s strong voice is great in signing the lyrics. Lastly, the film’s score, which was composed by Lorne Balfe, is masterfully done with plenty of great pieces that play throughout the movie. Naturally, Balfe’s talent is quite noted and his work on Maverick generates some musically charged composition (rousing and soaring pieces) as well as reworking familiar Top Gun melodies, including the Top Gun main anthem theme by Harold Faltermeyer as well as hearing Kenny Loggins’s “Danger Zone” in the movie.
There wasn’t a whole lot that I did not like about Maverick, but there were a few minor blemishes that I notice with the movie’s undertaking and overall execution. Of course, nothing completely derails the film, but it a few small points of criticism. Perhaps the most noticeable one that immediately comes to mind is the simple fact that movie itself (as a whole) is a bit recycled of the original Top Gun. There is no way around it and Kosinski and the writers make no attempt to hide the fact that the film remixes and rearranges familiar plot beats from the classic 80s movie, with several scenarios playing out exactly the same way as it did before thirty-six years ago. As mentioned, it’s an unapologetic “love letter” to the source material and, while it doesn’t take away from my overall enjoyment of the film, it goes without saying that story is predictable. Again, it’s not a huge disappointment for me, but it would ‘ve been a little bit more interesting if the story took a few different paths and deviated slightly inn a few areas. Additionally, the film’s script does get a whole lot of time to delve into the mind of many of its characters, which creates a lot of one-note characters that are easily presented when their initial presented / set-up. Again, I sort of new that was going to be the case, so it didn’t bother me as much, but (of course) the plethora of characters in the movie could’ve been easily expanded upon in a few areas where they could’ve shined. The same goes with the story, with Maverick’s narrative (again) playing it a bit too safe and the movie portraying the events in a very “broad” way; projecting sequences throughout the movie in either vague mentionings (the film’s mission, the bad guys, past love interests, etc.) as well as never fully expanding upon a few key particulars.
Perhaps the only true complaint I have about the movie is in the final leg of the third act, which offers up a few silly moments. I understand where Kosinski and his team were going with the narrative and the direction of the movie itself, but it comes across a bit wonky and a tad silly, especially within the dialogue moments. Maybe that’s just a personal opinion from me, but I would’ve gone a little bit of a different direction for this particular portion of the movie. Maybe a bit more dramatic and gravitas.
The cast in Maverick is fantastic across the board, with the collective pool of acting talents (both major and minor) having fun in their own respective roles. Much like the story itself, the characters throughout the film are mostly painted in broad strokes, so there is a point that most of the supporting cast being one-note and stock-like. That being said, that was kind of the “name of the game” with the first film and the cast in Maverick help elevate that point of criticism with their charismatic performance and / or on-screen presence. Leading the charge and headlining the movie is actor Tom Cruise, who returns to reprise his Top Gun character of Pete “Maverick” Mitchell. Known for his roles in Jerry Maguire, Edge of Tomorrow, and Mission Impossible, Cruise has certainly made a name for himself over the years on both on-screen with his numerous character roles as well as his real-life public image (whether you agree with his opinions or not). Still, he’s remained at the top of his game in his acting career, which is why he still looks younger than he should be and still actively involved on feature films. Much like his character of Ethan Hunt in the Mission Impossible movies, I love Cruise as Maverick in Top Gun. The character himself is quite fascinating and a great product of the 80s lead man bravado / persona, but Cruise made the character his own and gave such charismatic performance in the role, which is probably the role is memorable throughout the years. Naturally, Cruise’s return to the character (almost 36 years gap) is one of the prime reasons why Maverick succeeds, with the actor given the chance to play the character in both a familiar / new way. The film gives the chance for Cruise to toil around with an old character of his, but by adding a new layer of intrigue. He’s older and maybe a little bit more wiser, yet still has that rascal playfulness as well as the little disregard for authority. It’s showed that he has matured, but also still stays true to the character’s inner-core. Additionally, while Cruise of late has been more accustomed to play character roles that are of the blockbuster variety, his performance in Maverick delivers some wholesome takeaways by showcasing some emotional depths in his character, a man who is haunted by his past and concerned about the where he’s going. In the end, echoing to what I said in my review for Mission Impossible: Fallout, whatever your opinion is on him in real life (good, bad, or indifferent), Cruise is still perfect in the role Pete “Maverick” Mitchell and is still committed to make the character his own and has enough depth and bravado to make him is relatively and fun to watch. Definitely one of the best assets that Maverick has to offer.
As for a love interest in the film, actress Jennifer Connelly fills in the job for Maverick in the character of Penelope “Penny” Benjamin, the daughter of a former admiral, a single mom bar owner as well as Maverick’s old love interest. Known for her roles in Only the Brave, Blood Diamond, and A Beautiful Mind, Connelly has proven herself to be quite an effective actress in her career, appearing in numerous projects that help bolster this notion. Thus, it comes at no surprise that Connelly was chosen for the love interest to Maverick, with the possible notion of working with Kosinski on Only the Brave. To that end, Connelly definitely succeeds in having the part particularly interesting, with most of her scenes being paired up against Tom Cruise, which seems age appropriate in both their two acting talents as well as their respective characters. Perhaps the only problem I have with Penny Benjamin in the movie is that her character limited screen time, which is a little bit downplayed in a few key sequences. The movie easily could’ve explored a bit more of Penny’s backstory of her past life with Maverick a bit more as well as her struggles of being a single mom. There’s one particular scene where a character dialogue sequence was definitely needed (and almost called for), but Kosinski and his team decided just to go with a brief musical montage scene overlay. It just seems like a disappointment for a scene that could’ve needed a great dialogue scene between Penny and Maverick. Still, looking beyond that, I liked Connelly as Penny Benjamin. I just wished her character could’ve expanded upon just a little bit more.
Naturally, given the nature of the film’s story and major plot point developments, Maverick delves into the relationship between Maverick and deceased best friend’s son, which is the character of Lt. Bradley “Rooster” Bradshaw, who is played by actor Miles Teller. Known for his roles in Whiplash, War Dogs, and The Spectacular Now, Teller has slowly amassed quite a catalogue of various characters he’s played over the years and has gained quite a popular following. Plus, like Connelly, Teller is familiar with Kosinski from their work together on Only the Brave, which helped him win the role of Rooster in the film. Regardless of how he got the role, Teller is perfect as Rooster, presenting a very conflicted individual who is still troubled by his father’s death and about having Maverick as his flight instructor. It’s a classic conflict, but Teller adds enough depth and emotional to make the character’s journey arc wholesome and fundamentally utilized to the Top Gun narrative. Plus, I felt that both Cruise and Teller had some good on-screen chemistry together whenever on-screen, with the pair having a kinetic / magnetic relationship that is captured very well. All in all, Teller’s Rooster is a great addition to the Top Gun presentation, with the character feeling genuine to the story being told.
There are a few other aerial Top Gun fighter pilots that have a bit more screen time than most, which makes them stand out a bit from the rest of the grouping. Perhaps the most memorable one of this grouping would definitely have to be actor Glen Powell (Hidden Figures and Scream Queens) as Lt. Jake “Hangman” Seresin. He’s an arrogant hotshot pilot that is a clear representative of the new “Iceman” in this sequel (crystal clear in that regard), but Powell delivers the nuances and swagger of such character that makes him standout in Maverick. The other candidates pilots, including actress Monica Barbaro (The Good Cop and UnReal) as Lt. Natasha “Phoenix” Trace, actor Lewis Pullman (Bad Times at the El Royale and Outer Range) as Lt. Robert “Bob” Floyd, actor Jay Ellis (Insecure and Escape Room) as Lt. Reuben “Payback” Fitch, and actor Danny Ramirez (The Falcon and the Winter Soldier and On My Block) as Lt. Mickey “Fanboy” Garcia, have a bit more screen time and, while there characters are still a bit “stock-like” beyond their initial setup, their acting is perfectly fine. Other noteworthy main supporting players in the film such as actors Jon Hamm (The Town and Mad Men) as commander of the Naval Air Forces Vice Admiral Beau “Cyclone” Simpson and Charles Parnell (The Last Ship and The Venture Bros.) as Rear Admiral Solomon “Warlock” Bates fill out this category nice, with the respective acting talents projecting the right amount of no-nonsense military bravado within their characters effectively and in the right way.
As to be expected, the rest of the mission candidates aerial fighters, including actor Raymond Lee (Here and Now and Mozart in the Jungle) as Lt. Logan “Yale” Lee, actor Jake Picking (Hollywood and Patriots Day) as Lt. Brigham “Harvard” Lennox, actor Greg Tarzan Davis (Grey’s Anatomy and Good Trouble) as Lt. Javy “Coyote” Machado, actress Kara Wang (Good Trouble and The Calm Beyond) as Lt. Callie “Halo” Bassett, actor Manny Jacinto (The Good Place and Bad Times at the El Royale) as Lt. Billy “Fritz” Avalone, and actor Jack Schumacher (S.W.A.T. and Dumpcake Comedy) as Lt. Neil “Omaha” Vikander, acted as window dressing for the film, with these particular individuals filling in the background. Yes, there characteristics are one-noted / stock-like beyond their initial introduction, but that’s to be expected for these supporting players. Still, the acting talents involved in this grouping still give good performances when called upon.
The rest of the cast, including actress Lyliana Wray (Strange Angel and Are You Afraid of the Dark?) as Penny’s daughter Amelia Benjamin, actress Jean Louise Kelly (The Call of the Wild and Yes, Dear) as Iceman’s wife Sarah Kazansky, actor Bashir Salahuddin (South Side and GLOW) as Chief Warrant Officer Bernie “Hondo” Coleman, and actor Ed Harris (The Rock and Apollo 13) as Maverick’s superior and head of the Darkstar program Rear Admiral Chester “Hammer” Cain, are delegated to minor supporting players in Maverick. Most of these characters only have one or two scenes in the film, so I didn’t expect them to grow / evolve into anything else beyond. Still, these particular talents are relatively solid in their small capacities in the film.
Lastly, the movie adds a wholesome cameo appearance from actor Val Kilmer, who returns to Maverick in reprising his Top Gun role of Tom “Iceman” Kazansky. Of course, Kilmer, who is known for his roles in Batman Forever, Alexander, and The Saint, has recently battled some health problems, so his involvement in movies of late has been scares. Thus, it’s an absolute treat and a delight to see Kilmer reprise his Iceman character. I won’t go into detail about how much Iceman is in the movie (as that would spoil it), but rest assured that Kilmer is in the movie and the way it is handle by both him (as an actor) and by Konsinki’s directing truly honors the character of Iceman in a dignifying way. Love it!
FINAL THOUGHTS
Thirty-plus years of service. Combat medals. Citations. Only man to shoot down three enemy planes in the last 40 years. Yet, you can’t get a promotion, you won’t retire, and despite your best efforts, you refuse to die. You should be at least a two-star Admiral by now, yet here you are. Captain. Why is that? A question that is pondered to one Captain Pete “Maverick” Mitchell as the experienced Top Gun pilot is tasked to become an instructor for group of younger pilots; batting the mission intense parameters as well as wrestling personal struggles in the movie Top Gun: Maverick. Director Joseph Kosinski’s latest film is the long belated sequel to the original 1986 Top Gun motion picture; expanding upon the original source material in a genuine way that honors its past and updates the visual flair. Despite having the overt familiar narrative beats and a few shortened storytelling elements, the movie manages to rise above those challenges to create an entertaining action drama, especially thanks to Kosinski’s direction, the reinvention of the narrative substance, terrific aerial combats, a clever (and smart) way to utilize nostalgia, a realism of sweeping dramatic cinematics, a fantastic soundtrack, and a sold and entertaining cast across the board. Personally, I really liked this movie. It was great callback to the 80s movies of yesteryear that is filled with nostalgia references in every scene. Some might argue that the film is a carbon copy of the original with a modern facelift, but I felt that the film was great long-awaited sequel that kept the spirit of its source material that felt like a genuine extension without feeling contrive or just to “cash in” on its popularity. It’s fun, entertaining, intense, and just a great way to escape in an aerial cinematic narrative. Thus, it goes without saying that my recommendation for this particular movie is a very satisfying “highly recommended”, for it will please a wide variety of moviegoers out there, especially ones that grew up with the 80s classic. It’s definitely a crowd pleaser and one of those “feel good” movies that you’ll love to watch over and over again. As expected, the movie’s ending leaves it open-ended for a possible sequel in the near future, but I, for one, would like to see the Top Gun franchise just say as the two theatrical films (no need to run the series into ground with less and less favorable installments). In the end, Top Gun: Maverick is rousing and wholesomely fun action blockbuster feature that honors its legacy and exceeds its job by making a endearing and widely entertaining sequel that’s worth the hype and anticipation.
4.7 Out of 5 (Highly Recommended)
Released On: May 27th, 2022
Reviewed On: June 2nd, 2022
Top Gun: Maverick is 131 minutes long and is rated PG-13 for sequences of intense action and some strong language
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