Top Gun: Maverick (2022) Review

Directed by: Joseph Kosinski

Starring: Tom Cruise; Miles Teller; Jennifer Connelly; Jon Hamm; Glen Powell; Lewis Pullman; Ed Harris; Val Kilmer

Synopsis: After more than 30 years of service as one of the Navy’s top aviators, Pete “Maverick” Mitchell is where he belongs, pushing the envelope as a courageous test pilot and dodging the advancement in rank that would ground him. Training a detachment of graduates for a special assignment, Maverick must confront the ghosts of his past and his deepest fears, culminating in a mission that demands the ultimate sacrifice from those who choose to fly it.

Tom Cruise returns as confident-cocky ace fighter pilot, Maverick in this jaw dropping, gravity defying, high octane sequel.

Review:

 Top Gun (1986) is a classic film, directed by the late Tony Scott, a director that needs no introduction and starring the charismatic Tom Cruise and combined with exhilarating aerial scenes this movie is incredible and for year’s fans have been wanting a sequel and now Cruise has made their wishes comes true.

It’s rare a sequel lives up to the original but this features some of the most breathtaking aerial sequences ever shot for a movie, the insistence from Tom Cruise to have cameras in real-life planes with the actors pays off .This is the sequel we have been waiting for.

The storyline fits perfectly into the world of ‘Top Gun’ and it doesn’t try not to relate to the original movie, the characters and story from that movie play heavily in this sequel. The opening is identical to that of the original, Danger Zone included! One of many little easter eggs in the film.

Picking up with Maverick after all these years was fun. Maverick is still breaking rules and testing the limits of all his superiors which lead to some humorous moments. He is ranked a captain but as stated through the movie, he should be a higher rank but it would mean he is grounded and not up in the skies.

Maverick is ordered back to the Top Gun training school to train a selection of new recruits; one of the recruits is ‘Rooster’ played by Miles Teller. Rooster is the son of Goose, Mavericks partner and best friend from the original who was killed. There is tension between Maverick and Rooster and a lot of pent up feelings which all get aired out as the movie goes along, it’s a driving force of the story. Miles Teller looks like and acts like Goose and even sounds identical in one particular scene.

Glen Powell stars as the arrogant ‘Hangman’ a pilot who is not a team player and only out for himself, he considers himself the best of the best, he resembles ‘Iceman’ from the original movie, a character you love to hate but love all the same.

Top Gun: Maverick still manages to deliver the ‘man tears’ the original did but we won’t say when or where in the movie. There’s a scene between Maverick and Iceman (Val Kilmer, making a welcome return) which is a highlight and will have fans beaming!

The real steal is the action sequences which showcase some of the best aerial photography and death-defying air sequences that will have viewers holding on to their seat. The finale is an adrenaline filled, high octane extravaganza that will have you leaving the cinema filled with adrenaline.

There is a love story that doesn’t force itself on the audience or try to take centre stage and Jennifer Connelly is perfectly cast as an old flame of Mavericks that knows just how to handle him. The scenes between Connolly and Cruise are great. She is the perfect casting choice.

Overall, Top Gun: Maverick is by the far the best action movie of the last decade. Tom Cruise certifies himself as the best action star of our generation, the lengths he goes to in order to make a stunt sequence authentic are beyond impressive and the fact he performs all of his own stunts is insane!

Cruise proves he has the actor and action star ratio very well balanced, he has the ability to bring the right amount of heart and emotion to scenes when they require it but can instantly flip the switch into badass action star mode, the guy doesn’t get enough credit. 

That being said, there is not one bad performance  in the whole movie and everyone brings their A-game and hits it out of the park. 

This movie is a must watch!!