Directed by Joseph Kosinski
Starring Tom Cruise, Jennifer Connelly, Miles Teller, John Hamm
Three and a half decades after audiences had their breath taken away by director Tony Scott, Maverick takes to the skies again in a sequel to Top Gun. Top Gun : Maverick sees Captain Pete “Maverick” Mitchell (Tom Cruise) continuing to be the same hot shot flyer we met in the first film, unable to advance in his career due to his reckless attitude, but with a string of commendations due to his sheer talent. After his latest debacle he is given one last chance to prove himself in a dangerous bombing run against a nuclear enrichment facility. However, Maverick’s part in the mission is not to fly it, but rather to train a new generation of Top Gun graduates to do it.
This is a solid sequel hitting many of the beats of the original and staying true to the strong visual and music styling that made the first film such a success. It also delivers on the aerial thrills associated with the first (arguably better given the increased resources provided by the US Navy), making this a strong action film that’ll satisfy fans. Maverick also gives those fans a chance to check in with some of those characters, seeing how they’ve fared in the interim.
The few retools they have made to address the passage of time are interesting, firstly shifting the compulsory “parental angst syndrome” (thanks Hot Shots! for that cutting take) to the legacy character of “Rooster” (Miles Teller), and then demonstrating how Maverick’s inability to change has actually been detrimental to the character. Spelled out early on that he can’t get a promotion, won’t retire, and seems unable to die (despite his best efforts), there is a hint of tragedy about Maverick’s Peter Pan syndrome, in that he’ll keep repeating the same reckless mistakes. It’s both what makes him a good pilot, and an awful officer. In comparison to Admiral “Iceman” (Val Kilmer providing some of the most touching sequences) he’s stagnated, even if he has kept his vigour.
At the end of the day Top Gun: Maverick is a popcorn action flick that delivers all the thrills, spills, and military propaganda that you would want from a Top Gun sequel. It may lack some of the originality of the first (as that film became a template for big budget action films), and the last fifteen minutes are patently ridiculous (albeit enjoyable), but it is still a fun ride into the danger zone.
