Top Gun: Maverick

Starring: Tom Cruise, Jennifer Connelly, Miles Teller, Val Kilmer, Jon Hamm, Bashir Salahuddin, Charles Parnell, Monica Barbaro, Glen Powell, Lewis Pullman, Jay Ellis, Danny Ramirez, Jack Schumacher, Ed Harris
Directed by: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: PG-13
Genre: Action, Drama
2022

Times Seen:
Tim: 2

Summary: Pete Mitchell (Tom Cruise) reluctantly returns to Top Gun to train a new group on a nearly impossible mission, including Goose's son (Miles Teller).

Review:

Tim: Expectations and excitement was riding high in 2022, as audiences finally got a sequel to one of the all-time classics, Top Gun. Most thought the film was in good hands with Joseph Kosinski and Tom Cruise, but I don't think many expected this film to soar to the heights that it did. Top Gun: Maverick is a masterclass in how to do a long-awaited sequel. It perfectly balances respect for the original with extending the characters' stories, and offering new adventures as well. I recognized this when I saw it in theaters, but it was really the second viewing where I was able to see how brilliantly constructed this film was. This is absolutely one of the best movies of 2022 and one of the most entertaining films I've seen in years.

Watching this film, it almost seems effortless, how Kosinski tells another Maverick story while connecting to the original. There's no way it was easy- too many other films have failed here. Some throw out everything that made the original film work, far too many others are afraid to come out of the original's shadow and therefore, play it too conservatively, giving us the same thing again. Top Gun: Maverick toes the line absolutely perfectly. It pays tribute to the original film- the opening text, having the same songs, doing an updated volleyball scene (the beach football was a nice touch to pay it homage), hitting some of the same notes, while also telling a story that connected to the original but wasn't just a rehash.We get to connect with some of the old characters again, but the new ones are given enough space to breath and emerge as legitimate characters in their own right. I hope Hollywood writers and executives study this movie intently to see how it's done.

The film as a whole is a total blast- from the incredible opening scene of Maverick breaking mach 10 (which is a brilliantly constructed scene that gets your heart pumping while telling you everything you need to know about the character), to the intensity of Top Gun school, to the surprising climactic battle- Kosinski directs a film of relentless momentum. It's always moving forward, always entertaining. His genius directorial touch was how he balanced the action with quieter character development moments. These never (not for a second) detract from the momentum he'd been building. We get to know the character of Penny exceptionally well. We see the guilt, loss, and mistakes that keep Maverick and Rooster apart. We get a surprisingly powerful reconnection with Val Kilmer's Iceman. These are all powerful character-driven scenes that the movie spends appropriate time on, but they never cause the story to slow down. They add meaning as Kosinski maintains the film's momentum. That all translates into a wildly entertaining movie featuring characters you feel like you know and can identify with. That is great fun to watch.

The visuals throughout the film are astounding. Like the original, this one offers some of the most intense dogfighting scenes I've ever seen. The slightly lower stakes of Top Gun are ratcheted up. Some of the best moments of the film involve Maverick teaching the group of brilliant but ego-driven students. Kosinski shoots these at a frenetic pace, where you really feel like you're in the cockpit with them. I'll sing this film's praises forever for minimizing the use of green screens. We can tell when it's not real and the authenticity of those flight scenes absolutely makes the movie better. The speed, the intensity of these scenes are absolutely highlights. The climactic battle is wonderful because it subverts some of our expectations. We might suspect it doesn't go exactly as planned, but how it unfolds was incredible and serves the larger story. I'd watch it on repeat- it's that entertaining.

I feel like I hedge most of my reviews of Tom Cruise movies by saying I'm not entirely sold on him as a person. The scientology stuff is weird and troubling. But, as a movie star, he's emerged as one of the all-time greats. I truly believe that. He doesn't do as many straight dramas as some of the most renowned actors, but he's incredible in bringing these action movies to life. His performance as Pete Mitchell was absolutely perfect. He's charismatic and confident like we remember. But, there's humor in his role as well- he's able to laugh at himself (getting thrown out of the bar was a great scene for this). He brings such earnestness to his roles, but subtly brings in humor, too. His delivery of the line, "It's one of life's mysteries, sir" is perfectly delivered. Reserved, but hilarious. He's a true movie star, like they don't make very often anymore. There's no doubt that this is his movie and his vision for it is what allowed it to be such a success.

Jennifer Connelly is an unsung hero of this film. At first, it felt odd to replace Kelly McGillis, but I think it was the absolute right choice. I know she criticized her exclusion because of her "age and appearance", but I think having Connelly here made the movie better. It connected back to a line from the original and Connelly gives a superb performance that matches Cruise in many ways. She makes Penny feel more authentic and iconic than a typical "love interest" and you really grow to love their rekindled relationship. I thought Connelly was excellent in this role and I'm glad she was cast instead of McGillis.

Miles Teller was absolutely perfectly cast as Goose's son. He looks similar to Anthony Edwards, but he's a remarkable actor and he brings all that intensity to the role. He's vital to the success of this film and I can't sing his praises enough. He holds his own against Cruise and makes his character feel complicated and real. I know it's a small thing, but his "Great Balls of Fire" scene was breathtaking in its recreation of a moment from the first film. That's all Teller and he absolutely makes this movie better. I loved seeing Val Kilmer again, in perhaps the film's most emotional moment. You just feel so much for him with his throat cancer diagnosis. I loved that he was able to take part in this film. Jon Hamm plays his role so well- he knew exactly what he needed to do and he does it. Charles Parnell quietly makes the movie better with every second of his screen time. Monica Barbaro was sneakily good in her role. Glen Powell wasn't sneaky about pushing his character to the front and center of every scene. He became this character and his performance was so entertaining to watch. I loved how he projected confidence and arrogance. He's excellent in this film. I also loved seeing Ed Harris here. His role is far too small, but his one scene is great and he delivers every line so well. Harris has just a few minutes of screen time, but he elevates the movie significantly.

Top Gun: Maverick is one of the absolute best movies of 2022. As of this writing, it's been nominated for 6 Academy Awards, including Best Picture. We'll see how the year turns out, but it's currently my favorite movie of the year. It made over $718 million at the domestic box office, the 5th highest grossing film in history. By any metric, this is one of the best and most beloved movies of the year. It's been a while since I heard so many people asking if you've seen the movie and raving about it. I give everyone involved so much credit, but I want to highlight Joseph Kosinski. I've been watching him since Tron: Legacy and every film he does has at least a few moments where you just marvel at his talent as a director. There was no doubt he had great movies in him, and he delivers one here.

Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating- 8.5



If You Enjoyed This Movie, We Recommend: Top Gun, Mission: Impossible, Devotion, Oblivion, Only the Brave