Some 35 years after the original, the thrilling and unexpectedly likeable Top Gun:Maverick hits the screen – and blows Top Gun out of the water.
Ever the larrikin with no respect for authority, Pete ‘Maverick’ Mitchell (Tom Cruise – Magnolia, Mission Impossible) has held on to his pilot training position with more than a little help from former rival, Iceman (Val Kilmer – The Snowman, The Doors) – now Admiral for the Pacific Fleet. But protection is running thin: there’s one last chance – to train a group of elite pilots in an almost mission impossible that could demand the ultimate sacrifice.
Director Joseph Kosinski (Tron: Legacy, Spiderhead) replaces testosterone with adrenalin, introduces a whip-smart diversity of cast and mirrors the original in a Maverick/Iceman rivalry in Hangman (Glen Powell – The Bad Guys, Hidden Figures) and Rooster (Miles Teller – Whiplash, The Spectacular Now). And just to make it that more personal, Rooster is the son of Goose, the former best friend of Maverick. It works. For all its fist-pumping thrills, Top Gun: Maverick‘s success is based on the simple fact you care – about the story, the people and their very personal concerns. And then there’s that mission.
Nominated for 6 Oscars in 2023 including best film, adapted screenplay, visual effects.
Rating: 80%
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