FINALLY!
After three very long years of impatiently waiting, we finally have our sequel to Top Gun! Does it really live up to the hype? Is it actually better than the first one? Check out my completely SPOILER FREE thoughts on Top Gun: Maverick.
I am in no way, shape, or form exaggerating when I say I have been badly waiting for this movie since I first found out about it about over four years ago.
Originally, Top Gun: Maverick was supposed to be released on July 12th, 2018. Due to the insane complexity of some of the action scenes, the film was now pushed back to July 4th, 2020. Big time sad. Then we all know of all the joy and wonderment that the year 2020 brought us – thanks a lot, ‘Rona. As we are all well aware, the world shut down and ruined our lives, thus also pushing back the movie release. Again.
While I was impatiently waiting, the kind folks over at Paramount Pictures were generous enough to drop some trailers and behind the scenes videos to hold us over, which honestly, was greatly appreciated.
Like a complete fanboy lunatic, I couldn’t get enough fun facts, tidbits, behind the scene content or any other droplets of information that anything to do with TG:M. What really peaked my interest was learning that the actors will actually be inside the military F-18 fighter jets travelling at speeds faster than sound, and actually putting their body through multiple G’s.
Top Gun: Maverick aerial coordinator Kevin LaRosa told Hollywood Reporter:
Most people will know the feeling of g-force from a roller coaster — when we feel our body being pressed into the seat. You’re feeling some g’s, but nowhere near to the extent the cast felt in an F-18. You might be feeling two g’s, but when you were in these F-18s, they were pulling up to 7.5 g’s. That’s something like 1,700 pounds of force on your shoulders and your head in your chest.
7.5 Gs!? Are you kidding me?! Of course Tom Cruise demanded this, not just for himself, but his other movie pilot co-stars, of course he did! Tom Cruise is an absolute madman with a death wish in the best way possible. He performs all his own stunts, ridiculous ideas, and they all turn out to be amazing.
Now let’s get into the meat and potatoes of the film:
36 years after the cult classic original, Top Gun: Maverick is winning over critics and movie-goers alike in the new installment of the franchise which see’s Captain Pete Mitchell (call sign: Maverick) return as his usual, cavalier attitude, cocky, fun-loving, risk taking self. Maverick is called up for one final mission: Go back to Top Gun, not as a pilot…but rather and instructor to teach a group of young fighter pilots how to pull off one of the riskiest and challenging missions in Naval Aviation history.
I won’t spend time going through the details of the plot. Instead, I’ll give you my after-thoughts and take aways, and what you should expect going into the film.
From the very first second of the movie, until the credits rolled at the end, I was sucked in. It starts off in an almost identical way to the original Top Gun. hard working military men and women working on the hard deck of a Naval Carrier, the sounds of fighter jet engines warming up, smoke and fog in the background as the sun rises up over the water…and then…
HELLOOOOO.
“Danger Zone” by Kenny Loggins kicks in as a fighter jet launches off the carrier and over the ocean at tremendous speed. If your adrenaline isn’t pumping at full force right now, I’ve got some bad news for you: you’re dead.
Top Gun: Maverick sees the return of Tom Cruise as Maverick (that’d be a weird movie title if it didn’t). However, that’s about as far as it goes when it comes to returning faces. Ice Man, played by Val Kilmer, is the only other returning character to the lineup. Kilmer played just a short (but very meaningful) role. Rooster, played by Miles Teller, was spectacular. What’s even more spectacular is how they made him look almost exactly like his father, Goose. Killer mustache, too. (See below)
All of the other new faces were also very sharp and fit right in as supporting roles. John Hamm was also added to the movie, and his sole purpose of him in this movie is to be Admiral A-hole and total all around buzz-kill. He seriously is very easy to hate, though.
As for the movie itself. Incredible. Knowing that these actors are putting their body through multiple G’s, and their facial and body reactions are 100% authentic, it adds a level of respect and realness that really takes this movie to a whole other level. The beautiful cinematography showcasing these amazing aircrafts doing what seems like impossible maneuvers is quite the experience. The unique angles from inside the cockpit make you feel like you could actually be in there.
Sequels are tricky. They usually never turn out better than the original. Most sequels seem to try too hard and incorporate things from the original. TG:M did that, but in subtle ways. There’s no sailor singing, “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin'”, there’s not “I feel the need…the need for SPEED!” lines. But there are plenty of nods to the original that you can easily over look. There’s a lot of talk about whether or not the sequel pulled off the rare feat of being better than the original.
Do I think Top Gun: Maverick is better than the original Top Gun?
I mean….yeah. It has to be, right?! The original has been in my life now for…well, my entire life, and I have such an affinity and love for it. TG:M is just as well put together and thought out. Only this time with real planes, better cameras, and cooler shots.
The movie also did a good job at almost making me cry a couple of times (If you know, you know). The story was actually way better than I had thought it would be. I figured the story would be decent, but I also figured that the main focus would be centered around the planes and cool tricks, with the story half-assed. I was dead wrong. Everything about this movie is solid.
Final thoughts: This movie is an instant classic. Believe the hype. It’s one of those movies where I’ll always remember when and where I saw it, along with how it made me felt. It’s family-friendly, has some funny bits, some sad bits, and a whole lot of insane fighter pilot bits. What’s not to love about that? Go see this film. And go see if again if you already did. You’ll regret not seeing it on the big screen if you don’t. Trust me.
Top Gun: Maverick score on RottenTomatoes.com at the time this article was published. Crazy.
