Top Gun: Maverick Review. 36 years after the original Top Gun, does the much-anticipated sequel live up to the hype?
Contains Spoilers!
Top Gun (1986).
The original Top Gun (1986) is perfect. But just to be sure, I watched it again for the umpteen time to prime myself for this Top Gun: Maverick review, and one of the most anticipated movie sequels since the Star Wars prequels. Even today, the laser-sharp pacing and action sequences impress, but on the ground, the character-building between the cast was just as rivetting, with one of the ’80s most iconic romances, Goose’s tragic death, and enough testosterone-fuelled rivalry to put you in a flat spin out to sea.
More than anything, Top Gun is an exciting, tight, focused, quality film that deserves its status as an all-time classic.
Lots to live up to then.
Top Gun: Maverick Review. The Opening Sequence.
Let’s start at the beginning, shall we? An updated replica of the original opening sequence, only proudly showcasing present-day U.S. Military hardware. First disappointment. The original is better. It syncs to the building music score, still Top Gun theme (Harold Faltermeyer and Steve Stevens) followed by Danger Zone (Kenny Loggins) more dramatically, meaning more excitement and tension. This was surely the only way the movie could have started, to please the fans, but I don’t know, more love seems to have gone into the original. The real disappointment is that it feels tacked on, it doesn’t flow into Maverick and Cougar launching from the carrier, there’s no continuation, It’s just a one-off, disjointed, and rather pointless carrier sequence that leads nowhere. Not a good start.
The Darkstar jet.
Then it gets really weird. After a brief reunion with Maverick (who now looks more Mission: Impossible than Top Gun), it turns out he’s now a test pilot for a futuristic stealth plane: The Darkstar which is about to set a new world speed record of Mach 10. Yup, Mr. Mission: Impossible, I mean Maverick, is about to become the fastest man in the world.
Eh?
This is every bit as terrible as it sounds, but we do get introduced to a likable new character in Hondo (Bashir Salahuddin), who spends the whole film being a Maverick fanboy, and the not-so likable Rear Admiral, with Ed Harris doing a much worse job than the brilliant James Tolkan in the original.
Of course, as Maverick is, well, a Maverick, the Darkstar caper suddenly becomes shut down (i.e. illegal), but Mav goes ahead with it anyway, does the flyby, breaks the record, gets fired, but is then sent to Top Gun (again).
So no, in a nutshell, this isn’t a patch on the Cougar losing it / Maverick and Goose get sent to Top Gun opening act of the original, and the warning bells are ringing.
Top Gun Maverick: The Love Interest.
Before the fun starts, poor old Jennifer Connolly is shoehorned in as Penny Benjamin (the Admiral’s daughter) in a subtle bit of fan service from a couple of lines from the original. This is almost Star Trek (2009) style coincidences and lazy storytelling, with Penny just so happening to run a bar Maverick appears in, rather than the much more believable chance meeting in a bar between strangers of the original.
There’s really not a lot of chemistry, and none of the fireworks Kelly McGillis brought to the table. In fact, where is Charlie? I would have loved to at least know where the Mav/Charlie arc ended.
What was kind of nice was, now it’s not young love anymore. Mav’s no spring chicken, so I’m glad they played it this way. It’s more identifiable, respectful, and earnest. There are kids involved and it’s awkward. It kind of works, sometimes, but it’s just not as convincing as the original.
Penny’s bottom close-ups are particularly uncomfortable.
Another Bar scene.
So here’s where we get introduced to the new Top Gun pilots, in Penny’s bar, and it starts getting good. Instead of all white alpha males, this time we predictably have all the bases covered. Phoenix (Monica Barbaro) is immediately not taking any shit from the new Iceman, Hangman (Glen Powell) with a larger-than-life ego so huge you can’t help but raise a smile.
I am too good to be true.
The only other character of note is Bradley ‘Rooster’ Bradshaw (Miles Teller). Yes, that’s Goose’s son, and they made him sport a ridiculous moustache, just to be sure you didn’t miss it. WHY?!!! He predictably clashes horns with Hangman immediately, before helping to bounce Maverick out of the bar (long story involving yet more coincidences and bells).
This transitions into a reprisal of the Great Balls of Fire scene with Rooster on the piano, and Maverick looking on from outside, along with the first flashback montage, which is handled really well.
In the original, Rooster is a toddler with his dad at the piano with his mother, as Maverick and Charlie join in the fun. This hits Maverick hard and is not unnoticed by Penny. A really touching scene. First lump in the throat.
The Rooster backstory.
…. is the glue that holds the film together. It turns out Maverick held up Rooster’s pilot education by four years due to him pulling his papers or something, which is a reasonably convincing reason to hate him, but the real convincer comes in one of his regular heart-to-hearts with agony aunt Penny, where Maverick reveals his true motivation was at the request of Rooster’s dying Mother, who didn’t want her son in danger.
I didn’t want him hating both of us.
Not only does this provide genuine motivation for the characters, but it also proves beyond a doubt what a good guy Mav is, seamlessly integrating with the original film. Great writing.
Return to Top Gun.
Here’s where things take a nose dive again. First, we’re introduced to the new Viper, Cyclone (Jon Hamm), who, unlike Viper, unconditionally (and gratingly) hates Maverick from the start, and the new Jester, Warlock (Charles Parnell), who likes him a little more. It was a really wooden display by both these actors, mainly caused by a lack of character building/scenes, again, unlike the original.
And so, after a reprisal of the Charlie gets introduced to the embarrassment of the audience scene, but this time with Maverick being the surprise tutor, we get to the low-down on the whole point of the movie.
No, it’s not a Top Gun trophy competition. It’s… Wait for it…
A Star Wars-style trench bombing run mission!
Noooooooooo!
Surely we don’t have another Force Awakens on our hands? Please, Tom.
Anyway, before that, we have some decent aerial training scenes. I preferred the original here too, mainly because I love the F-14 Tomcat, the Top Gun trophy was up for grabs and there was more drama.
At this point, got to be honest, I was disappointed. Those F-18s just aren’t doing it for me.
Top Gun: Maverick. Iceman reunion.
So who should turn up and pull both Mavericks and the film’s fortunes around? The man himself. Iceman (Val Kilmer), who is now a high-ranking general or something, and the scene is perfection.
The absolute genius to this is the build-up, Ice and Maverick are texting each other casually throughout the film (nothing unusual there) until he orders Maverick to visit him. On his arrival, it appears Ice is ill with throat cancer and that he can mostly only communicate via text, which is a bit of an emotional bombshell. This is such a fantastic, touching scene of two old rivals and friends sharing a bond of over 30 years.
In the end, sensing his friend may not be up to the task and maybe have another Bradshaw death on his hands, the ever-honorable and stoic Iceman finally brings himself to speak directly, in pained, hushed tones.
The Navy needs Maverick.
And then the icing on the cake (no pun intended), after an embrace.
Who’s the best pilot?
Top Gun: Maverick is back in the game, back smiling on his Kawasaki.
The new volleyball scene.
With his mojo back, it’s off to the beach for some teambuilding, with American Football this time. It’s exhausting to watch, and even Mav himself has to sit this one out. The film does a nice job of going back to the theme of age. Maverick was a superhero in Top Gun, now he’s lost a yard or two.
What I would have loved to see, if I’m honest, is a lot more female flesh, to even the balance. But I guess that wouldn’t be very Top Gun.
Death of Iceman.
I wasn’t expecting this. After another protracted period of flight maneuvers, the film begins to wane again, frustratingly. Rooster is doing a good job at being angsty, holding back a little. Hangman is doing a great Iceman, and everyone else is basically failing at being able to pull off a practice run. They’re all going to die and Cyclone knows it but doesn’t care, because, well, he’s horrible. Then, for the second time, Iceman brings it around by dying, Maverick gets fired (again) and finds himself backed into a corner talking to Penny for advice, again.
And this is where the film starts being the sequel we were all waiting for.
Maverick shows them how it’s done.
With his mojo back for the second time in 30 minutes and without a job. Somehow he steals an F-18 and nails the practice course (complete with 10 G climbs) in 1m 30s, to everyone’s amazement. Cyclone still hates him but gives him the job as the squadron leader anyway, much to Mav’s satisfaction.
Now we’re talking. That was an awesome action sequence. And it just gets better and better. You could almost be in the cockpit. Nothing has been glossed over, it’s gritty and you can feel the discomfort of flying, the pain of the G’s, the difficulty to breathe. Wow.
Tom Cruise is renowned for his super-human stunts, and this is more convincing than anything he’s ever done.
The next job is to select the squad and another really great twist. All eyes were on Hangman doing an Iceman and getting the job done, but he doesn’t even make the team! This is handled really well, with Hangman taking it on the chin and reconciling with Rooster, wishing him luck. The goosebumps are starting to kick in now.
Hangman, in a really subtle nod to the original, ends up in ready 5 position. Now that really is clever, and I’m glad he hasn’t been written out the script quite yet.
And then we’re in the air again. What sets Top Gun: Maverick apart from its predecessor is that the enemy really does pose a threat. Give me 5th Generation Fighters against the cannon fodder of the original any day.
The bombing run itself is fantastic, better than anything in Top Gun, or anywhere else really, culminating in Maverick actually taking a bullet for Rooster (yes really), and ending up in flames.
It’s not another Force Awakens. Yay!
Stone. Cold. Silence.
And now for the best bit.
Top Gun: Maverick. That F-14 sequence.
This was incredible, something special, and, for me, one of the best action sequences I’ve ever seen.
As a taster, we get Maverick, ejected into enemy lines, face to face with a terrifyingly magnificent HindD Gunship, only to be saved by Rooster, who’s now listening to Mav’s don’t think, if you think, you’re dead advice. But he also gets shot down, so what’s the plan.
Steal an F-14 Tomcat from the enemy base. That’s what!
Yes, I know it’s ridiculous and far-fetched. But to see Maverick take to the skies in the beautiful battle-scarred F-14 once again was worth the admission, especially with the son of Goose as his rear. Like with Iceman earlier, you could feel the joy of re-acquaintance, but this time of man and machine.
But a relic of the cold war vs the latest 5th Generation Fighters?
And what about these mysteriously named adversaries? Well, they almost steal the show and are absolutely draw-dropping to behold. They’re apparently a special variant on the Russian su-57, and like the Rooster backstory, are utterly convincing, putting the Migs of the original to shame.
Game on.
First up, a bit of humour, as the enemy pilots gesture, then gesticulate to Maverick and Rooster until they realise they’re thieves, forcing Mav to go ballistic in the best aerial combat scenes ever. The old F-14 is obviously outmatched by the new tech, but it’s the moves the enemy pilots are pulling off that really make the hairs on your neck stand up. It’s a war between the analogue and digital age.
Stand out moment: Maverick has a solid missile lock-on and fires. Expectation: Another kill for his tally. Reality: A tremendous twisting, stalling, contorting aerial acrobatic maneuver that raises gasps from the whole audience, as well as Maverick, and re-postitons the bad guy in prime firing position behind him.
What was that shit?!
But Mav and Goose, I mean Rooster, are relishing it and in their absolute element, just like the whole theatre at this point.
Now we really are back to the best parts of the original, only better, and I’m so glad that Maverick, in this very moment, got Goose back. The circle is complete. We have closure, it’s a joyous moment in movie history.
In the end, the analogue bullet counter tells Maverick he’s run out of ammo and is at the enemy’s mercy with only one option left, blow the canopy!
It’s a heart-stopping film moment, history repeating itself. Only this time the canopy won’t open. Checkmate for Maverick and Rooster? The audience holds their collective breaths again.
Bit of a Han Solo/Millenium Falcon moment next. Hangman! Out of nowhere to save the day, with yet another quip. Brilliant.
Was Iceman, and now Hangman always the best pilot?
And breathe.
In the end. Maverick and Rooster reconcile. We replay the original’s celebration scenes, and it’s perfect.
Thanks for coming after me
It’s something my Dad would have done.
Top Gun: Maverick Review. Conclusion
Well. The final act of Top Gun: Maverick is amazing, without a doubt. The start is a bit iffy, the romance is rather frigid and it doesn’t feel as tight a film as the original. But there is a certain depth to it that the original lacked. The interplay between Maverick, Rooster, and Hangman isn’t predictable, and between Maverick and Iceman touches the heart.
Miles Teller and Glen Powell in particular are brilliant, with their uniquely charismatic exchanges giving us something fresh and believable compared to the usual Ice/Mav dynamic. Val Kilmer threatens to steal the show, but it’s Tom Cruise returning as Maverick that we’ve all been waiting for. It’s the Luke Skywalker return I never got, and he doesn’t disappoint. I’ve been waiting 36 years for this, and it really does feel like he’s tried to cram in as much attitude, heart, nostalgia, and passion as he could muster.
Top Gun (1986) was a coming-of-age, almost college teen movie. It was delusionally confident, with a predictable story but with characters we all loved.
This time out, Maverick is vulnerable, he’s got a therapist instead of a lover. His career has, to be fair, gone a bit tits up, but the best thing about it is he’s still got the talent, still got the fight in him, even up against the younger crowd. As the Top Gun generation (and a high proportion of its audience) is also cracking way past 40, Top Gun: Maverick is appealing to us again, just like it appealed to our teenage hormones all those years ago.
In the end shot, Maverick flies off into the sunset with Penny in a vintage plane with a grin as wide as the cinema screen. It’s a beautiful way to end his story.
Apparently, Tom Cruise piloted this scene himself, which makes it even better.
As a final icing on the cake. Top Gun: Maverick is rated 12A, there’s far less profanity and adult content than the original, which my 8-year-old son is years away from, but loses none of the excitement.
I’d happily take him to see Top Gun: Maverick. In fact, I’ll go take him tomorrow!