Top Gun: Maverick

 

There is a part of me that can't quite believe it took 36 years to get a sequel to Top Gun. The original film was a monster hit in the summer of 1986. Still, after having seen the belated follow-up, perhaps taking it's time to get a sequel was the best thing for it. Rather than make a simple cash-in sequel back in the 80's, this sequel feels a bit more earned as we revisit an older, more experienced, but maybe not much wiser Maverick. 

After a test flight for an experimental new aircraft goes sideways, Pete "Maverick" Mitchell (played by Tom Cruise) is re-assigned at special request of Admiral Thomas "Iceman" Kazansky (played by Val Kilmer) to return to Miramar to train a specialized group of Top Gun graduates for a very specific and dangerous mission. Among the graduates he is going to be teaching is Bradley "Rooster" Bradshaw (played by Miles Teller), the son of Maverick's late best friend, Nick "Goose" Bradshaw. Maverick's task is to train the pilots how to fly a low level mission to attack a facility that is being built to develop weapons grade uranium. The facility is located in a highly protected mountain region and the only way to get close undetected is to fly through the canyons, below the surface to air missles dotting the landscape to protect the facility. It's a near impossible mission that even Maverick is not sure someone could come home from. Among the recruits is the cynical Jake "Hangman" Seresin (played by Glenn Powell), who naturally finds himself butting heads with Rooster, who he sees as his direct competition. Other impressive pilots include Natasha "Phoenix" Trace (played by Monica Barbaro) and Robert "Bob" Floyd (played by Lewis Pullman). Maverick also reunites with a past love, Penny Benjamin (played by Jennifer Connelly) a single mom and local bar owner, and a new romance blossoms between the two. But as the end of training looms large and the deadline for the mission approaches, Maverick grows increasingly concerned his recruits may not be ready, especially with his commanding officer Vice Admiral Beau "Cyclone" Simpson (played by Jon Hamm) breathing down his neck and well as facing the fact that he may very well have to send Rooster on the mission.

Joseph Kosinski takes over director duties for this film from the late Tony Scott, who directed the original film. The screenplay for the film was written by Ehren Kruger, Eric Warren Singer, and Christopher McQuarrie. The filmmakers certainly took the task of crafting a follow up to the iconic 80's original head on, crafting a film that is at once familiar and notable step forward in the story of Maverick. It's a careful balancing act but the filmmakers pull it off beautifully giving the audience the nostalgic throwbacks the audience wants while crafting a new story with it's own dramatic weight to it with perhaps even higher stakes than the first film, leading to a genuine white knuckle climax that had me on the edge of my seat. The filmmakers were committed to authenticity as well, using as much real flight footage as possible, pulling off some genuinely impressive and thrilling sequences of aerial combat that surpasses the original film. This is balanced with well written character moments that give the proceedings real emotional stakes, especially between Maverick and Rooster who have some very real conflicts they need to resolve as well as between Rooster and Hangman, who have a rivalry that mirrors Maverick and Iceman in the first film. The film is beautifully shot by Claudio Miranda that complements the cinematography of the original film while also being it's own film as well. Topping things off is a fantastic score by Harold Faltermeyer, who returns from the original film, with additional music by Lady Gaga and Hans Zimmer.    

Tom Cruise makes a welcome return to the role of Pete "Maverick" Mitchell. As we catch up with Maverick all these years later, he's single again and living a solitary life serving as a Navy test pilot and spending his spare time fixing up a P-51 Mustang plane. He is clearly still carrying unresolved issues from the tragic death of his best friend Goose, which Cruise portrays wonderfully. Miles Teller is great as Bradley "Rooster" Bradshaw, portraying his character's pent up issues of his own quite well as both he and Maverick face their respective pasts. It also helps that he really does resemble a young Anthony Edwards from the first film, which causes some weird Deja Vu moments for Maverick throughout the film. Jennifer Connelly does well as Penny Benjamin, who has great chemistry with Cruise. They play off each other quite well, giving their romance in the film a real spark. Glen Howell is clearly having fun playing the cocky and cynical Hangman, crafting a palpable rivalry with Rooster. Monica Barbaro adds a much needed level-headedness to the mix as Natasha "Phoenix" Trace, giving her character a real focus and determination to win without also making her a total stick in the mud, crafting a well rounded character that I really liked. I also really enjoyed Lewis Pullman as Robert "Bob" Floyd, crafting a character who would be easy to dismiss but has hidden talents, proving appearances can be deceiving. Jon Hamm gives real presence as Vice Admiral Beau "Cyclone" Simpson, giving a fresh spin to the sort of antagonistic authority figures you expect in a movie like this. He doesn't agree with Maverick's teaching styles throughout the film, yet plays the character with genuine concern for his cadets and wanting the mission to succeed. 

Top Gun: Maverick is a worthwhile follow-up that reflects on the past while also knowing not to get bogged down in it. It has a real emotional weight to it, brought to life wonderfully by it's characters portrayed by a great cast in a film crafted by a talented crew. It's buoyed by some truly stunning and thrilling action sequences that reminded me how much I've missed a good Jerry Bruckheimer action movie in the summertime. This is blockbuster filmmaking at it's best and at this time of the year, I couldn't ask for much more. I loved every minute of it and, after a number of release date delays, it was more than worth the wait.