Finally! 36 years later, “Top Gun” returns with its long-awaited sequel as Tom Cruise get back into his flight suit for “Top Gun: Maverick.” Our JP has his thoughts.
Top Gun: Maverick
Paramount Pictures
- Directed by Joseph Kosinski
- Screenplay by Ehren Kruger, Eric Warren Singer, and Christopher McQuarrie
- Story by Peter Craig and Justin Marks
- Based on Characters by Jim Cash and Jack Epps Jr.
- Produced by Jerry Bruckheimer, Tom Cruise, Christopher McQuarrie, and David Ellison
- Starring Tom Cruise, Miles Teller, Jennifer Connelly, Jon Hamm, Glen Powell, Lewis Pullman, Ed Harris, and Val Kilmer.
- Cinematography: Claudio Miranda
- Edited by Eddie Hamilton
- Music by Harold Faltermeyer, Lady Gaga and Hans Zimmer
Studio Synopsis:
After more than thirty years of service as one of the Navy’s top aviators, Pete “Maverick” Mitchell (Tom Cruise) is where he belongs, pushing the envelope as a courageous test pilot and dodging the advancement in rank that would ground him. When he finds himself training a detachment of TOPGUN graduates for a specialized mission the likes of which no living pilot has ever seen, Maverick encounters Lt. Bradley Bradshaw (Miles Teller), call sign: “Rooster,” the son of Maverick’s late friend and Radar Intercept Officer Lt. Nick Bradshaw, aka “Goose.”
Facing an uncertain future and confronting the ghosts of his past, Maverick is drawn into a confrontation with his own deepest fears, culminating in a mission that demands the ultimate sacrifice from those who will be chosen to fly it.
JP’s Take:
“Top Gun: Maverick” is the type of follow-up that proves you can teach an old dog (fighter pilot) new tricks.
What do I mean? The 80’s brought us the flashy flyboy action flick, “Top Gun,” about a group of elite fighter pilots, who prove their worth through adrenaline pumping, jet plane maneuvers and chest smacking horseplay. It still is considered the quintessential uber action film to this day and hailed for its real time action sequences using real life fighter pilots and planes.
Although “Top Gun: Maverick” bears much of the same DNA, there is, however, a mellowing out of Tom Cruise’s character, Captain Pete “Maverick” Mitchell, as he takes on the “papa bird” role to a new group of elite pilots. While he’s “taking them under his wing,” he’s learning more about himself. Adding tautness to the film, there is a life or death mission — which the great flamboyant Maverick has never encountered.
This is a story that flashes back to Maverick’s past, which pertains to the tragic death of his friend and RIO (Radar Intercept Officer), Lt. Nick “Goose” Bradshaw (played by Anthony Edwards in “Top Gun” 1986). Lt. Bradshaw’s death comes back to haunt Maverick in the worst way, which draws out animosity between himself and Goose’s now grown son, Lieutenant Bradley “Rooster” Bradshaw (Miles Teller). Although the story feels a bit sparse in the beginning, you will be enticed to re-watch the originator just to trace back the thread, which is driving a wedge between the two of them.
What’s refreshing is that Tom Cruise doesn’t hog the spotlight. He steps back a bit and allows some of the newbies to make their presence known also. Yet, there is a moment where we see Maverick paying the price for his unconventional ways of following orders … or rather not following them. Because his reputation precedes him, Maverick is the Navy’s top test pilot. However, when he decides to push the envelope with an experimental aircraft, this catches the attention of Rear Admiral Chester “Hammer” Cain (Ed Harris), who is not having any of this flyboy crap and decides to sideline Maverick for the duration of his stint in the hypersonic “Darkstar” scramjet program. At almost 60 years in age, Cruise still proves he has that leading man swank. The scene mentioned above provides the right vehicle for him to pull that swagger out of his hat.
Most of the drama is balanced out between old cast mates: Jennifer Connelly, who reprises her role of Penelopy “Penny” Benjamin, Pete’s old flame, and Val Kilmer returning to his role as the once rival, Tom “Iceman” Kazansky, now turned four star Admiral. There is time spent in multiple scenes where they reminisce about the good ole days and how time has changed them. An especially touching scene is when Kilmer and Cruise reunite on screen for the first time since the first film. Even though Iceman can no longer fully speak, he is able to convey his heartfelt sentiments, even while typing them on a computer screen. You’ll be immersed in their heart to heart.
Joining the crew is Jon Hamm playing Vice Admiral Beau “Cyclon” Simpson and Charles Parnell in the role of Rear Admiral Solomon “Warlock” Bates. The two played such fulfilling roles that helps bring this film to life. Teller also pulls his weight as Rooster. Anthony Edwards (Goose) and Meg Ryan (Carole Bradshaw, Goose’s wife) and are seen in archival footage and photos.
What’s inviting is the fresh faced cast — whose high jinks resemble that of the original “Top Gun” crew — and their boastful, best of the best attitudes, while not realizing they can learn a thing or two from a fossil like Maverick.
As for the next generation of elite pilots, the newcomers also brought the swag with a millennial outlook, as well as the vim and vigor. Playing the new pilots are Glen Powell as Lt. Jake “Hangman” Seresin, Lewis Pullman as Lt. Robert “BOB” Floyd, Monica Barbaro as Lt. Natasha “Phoenix” Trace, Jay Ellis as Lt. Reuben “Payback” Fitch, Danny Ramirez as Lt. Mickey “Flyboy” Garcia, Greg Tarzan Davis as Lt. Javy “Coyote” Machado, and Bashir Salahuddin as Chief Warrant Officer Bernie “Hondo” Coleman.
They spared no expense in the action department, as they harkened back to the practical ways of filming actual fighter pilots pulling vomit inducing maneuvers in some unshakeable scenes. The dog fights prove palpable as they chase down targets while pulling some heavy Gs. Cruise himself even hopped in the pilot’s seat of his own plane (the P-15 Mustang), which makes an appearance in the film.
The scenes are loud and upfront as aircrafts streak by in a blaze all around you (the best part is that it comes to life in IMAX). If anything, those are the most exhilarating parts of this sequel.
Did I mention it actually had comical moments as well? To be quite honest, you can’t lose with a follow-up like this.
“Top Gun: Maverick” strikes the right balance of action to mellow drama to comedy. The long-awaited sequel does provide a fresh take on an old title. I enjoyed it more than I thought I would.
