Top Gun: Maverick

Top Gun: Maverick

After more than thirty years of service as one of the Navy’s top aviators, and dodging the advancement in rank that would ground him, Pete “Maverick” Mitchell finds himself training a detachment of TOP GUN graduates for a specialized mission the likes of which no living pilot has ever seen.

  • Released: 2022-05-24
  • Runtime: 131 minutes
  • Genre: Action, Drama
  • Stars: Tom Cruise, Val Kilmer, Miles Teller, Ed Harris, Jennifer Connelly, Glen Powell, Jon Hamm, Roberta Sparta, Manny Jacinto, Charles Parnell, Jay Ellis, Bashir Salahuddin, Danny Ramirez, Monica Barbaro, Lyliana Wray, Jean Louisa Kelly, Raymond Lee, Jake Picking, Greg Tarzan Davis, Kara Wang, Randy Davison, Lewis Pullman, Rachel Winfree, Jane Vande Voorde, Adam Pepper, Landon Gordon, Peter Mark Kendall, Jack Schumacher, Chelsea Harris, Darnell Kirkwood, Austin Bowerman, Stephanie Andrea Barron, Peter Mark Kendall, Ian Gary, Bob Stephenson, James Handy, Chido Nwokocha, Chaz Ingram, Rachael Markarian, Shannon Kane, Norman Ralph Eliasen, Anthony Edwards, Meg Ryan, Tom Cruise, Alec Williams, Margaret Strabala, Ryan Heilmann, Shantel Limbo, Whylip Lee, Tristan Henry, Jason Robert Boles, Brian Ferguson, Kelly McGillis, Phil Jordan
  • Director: Joseph Kosinski
 Comments
  • nightshot_95 - 26 June 2024
    Nice
    "Top Gun: Maverick" is the return of pure, nostalgic blockbusters, instantly becoming one of this year's personal favorites. The best aerial action sequences ever amaze even the highest expectations, not only due to the absolutely insane real stunts but largely because of the flawless contribution of all filmmaking elements.

    1. Tom Cruise Soars:

    Tom Cruise reprises his iconic role as Maverick, a Captain in the United States Navy.

    His charisma and commitment elevate the film, reminding us why he's a megastar.

    2. A New Mission:

    Maverick faces an impossible task: training Top Gun graduates for a critical mission.

    The stakes are high, and the tension keeps you engaged throughout.

    3. Nostalgia Done Right:

    The film pays homage to the original while adding fresh elements.

    Maverick's backstory is revisited, connecting past and present seamlessly.

    4. Aerial Spectacle:

    The aerial dogfights are jaw-dropping, thanks to practical effects and stunning cinematography.

    You'll feel the G-forces as planes scream across the screen.

    5. Emotional Resonance:

    Maverick grapples with ghosts from the past, including memories of his late friend Goose.

    Jennifer Connelly's character adds depth and heart to the story.

    6. Stellar Supporting Cast:

    Val Kilmer's cameo as Iceman is a treat for fans.

    Jon Hamm and Miles Teller shine in their roles.

    7. Joseph Kosinski's Direction:

    Kosinski (known for "Tron: Legacy" and "Oblivion") delivers adrenaline-pumping action.

    The film balances nostalgia with modern sensibilities.
  • briancseel - 10 June 2024
    An Enjoyable Notalgic Play, But Could Have Been More
    Reviewing this film with a little distance from the initial hype that accompanied the release. This film was very clearly buoyed by the decline of Hollywood in the MCU era and the fact that movie theaters not only shutdown due to COVID but lack of quality for 2 years prior to the release.

    The movie is first and foremost enjoyable to watch and surprisingly so for a sequel 35 years late. Enjoyability, in the vast wasteland of MCU Hollywood, counts for a lot.

    At it's core, it is a nostalgia play. As it makes clear from the opening notes, reusing the soundtrack if not the opening images from the original this is not a reboot or an attempt to make Top Gun for a new generation. A transition from Rocky to Creed this is not.

    Despite the toll time has taken on the original cast (minus the ageless Tom Cruise of course) we hit all of the notes. The bar full of cocky young pilots, the awkward first encounter with their Top Gun leader, the flying, the hard deck, Goose's death, every scene seems to harken back or be a mere echo of the original 1986 film.

    Yet it works. You realize it works because of the depth of the source (Top Gun '86) material. That movie was more than just an ad for the Navy or a star vehicle to launch Tom Cruise or a music video popcorn summer blockbuster. It had real depth, real emotion and character development.

    Unfortunately if there is one critique of Maverick it is that none of that happens in the context of the new story. When it happens in the film it is drawing again from the well of the original film, which fortunately is deep.

    But we learn precious little about any of the new class of Top Gun characters and even a competent veteran actor like Jon Hamm seems to be just playing an echo of "Viper" (Tom Skeritt) from the original film. Time has taken its toll on Val Kilmer's health and while the inevitable Iceman-Maverick reunion scene is powerful, it is not what it could have been.

    Some of that seems to be due to the fact that we are robbed by time limits of the ability to draw out the emotion from or dwell on any particular scene because we need to get to the hammy last 20 minutes of the film which contorts itself to give us one last sugary nostalgia high.

    And that speaks volumes as to the choices, tenor and ultimate trajectory of the film. A nostalgic callback to a blockbuster film for Gen X, a long overdue sequel that ties up the original story, but certainly not a film that is likely to leave younger generations clamoring for more.