Film Review — Top Gun: Maverick
★★★★☆
Thirty years after his heroic exploits with Iceman, Captain Pete “Maverick” Mitchell returns to prepare an elite group of pilots for the toughest mission of their lives.
Top Gun: Maverick isn’t just better than its eighties classic predecessor; it blows it clear out of the sky. Markedly better in every measure, the long-awaited sequel drops the cringe, tones down the cheesy chest puffing, and resists the urge to bludgeon us over the head with its admittedly catchy song choices every two minutes.
What we get instead is something that feels like a throwback but is somehow still very fresh. Executed with clinical precision, the film effortlessly combines popcorn thrills with a story that honours its roots without coming across as a straight retread. There’s something for the action junkies, something for the lovers, and something very compelling for anyone who finds themselves considered a relic of a bygone era. There’s something here for everyone.
Ever the champion for event cinema Tom Cruise delivers on and off camera, relishing the return as an older and wiser Maverick with a performance that instantly ranks as one of the finest of his career. His production team, including director/cinematographer duo Joseph Kosinski and Claudio Miranda (Tron: Legacy), are also on top form, crafting an immaculate-looking picture with gorgeous visuals both on the ground and in the air.
Speaking of in the air, the flying sequences are sensational and easily rank as the most exciting scenes I’ve seen in any movie this year. Aided by his cast, who had the daunting task of capturing and editing the footage themselves, Kosinski puts you in the cockpit, forcing you to feel the intense gravity of the situation in a way the first never came close to achieving.
This is how you do a sequel. Top Gun: Maverick soars.
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