Top Gun: Maverick – a movie review
by Flamingo
I would like to emphasize the fact that this article is not written just for Tom Cruise fans, although I may be a little biased. After all, he has been my favorite actor since the tender age of 7. And in fact it was Top Gun that drew my attention to him. But hey…even at 7 years old, a girl can swoon over aviator sunglasses, pilots in uniforms, motorcycles, beach volleyball scenes and of course Tom Cruise’s magnificent smile.
Not all of you may be acquainted with the ‘86 Top Gun. It was a blockbuster at that time, a really popular movie with great actors (like Val Kilmer, Anthony Edwars, Meg Ryan, Kelly McGillis) and an amazing soundtrack. I recommend watching the first one before going to Top Gun: Maverick. I say this, because you get a much better understanding of Tom Cruise’s Maverick character and all his background.
Top Gun: Maverick is an amazing movie that exceeded all of my expectations. This one has a great cast as well (like Miles Teller, Val Kilmer, Jennifer Connelly, Jon Hamm, Monica Barbaro, Glen Powell), and a nostalgic soundtrack mixing the 80’s with Lady Gaga’s newest hit, written especially for this movie.
The plot is quite simple and clean. The action scenes are most memorable, especially because they are shot in real airplanes, flying, with the actors themselves on board. So there are no stunt actors involved. Tom Cruise is of course flying his airplane himself, you can hear all of the real squeaks, grunts and heavy breathing inside the cockpit. It’s so real and so adrenaline full, that you can actually feel the similar pressure the characters are feeling. The movie is said to be the best aviation movie in history.
It’s not only an action movie, it has conflict and heartache, I felt it much more than in the first Top Gun. Although that one was more tragic, I somehow felt even more pain in this one. The characters are very well written, I cared for everyone involved. Maverick is a well rounded character, it felt somehow like a part of the real Tom Cruise in his loneliness. But what is best is that he gets redemption in the end. Also the love story felt mature and age appropriate, nothing silly or hard to believe.
It’s hard to write a movie review without giving anything up. So I will stop here saying this movie is amazing for all the generations. Indeed I think the nostalgic watchers will appreciate it the most, however I think this is the new Top Gun blockbuster for the new generation. I consider it the crown jewel of Tom Cruise’s career. Go watch it in the cinema, if you haven’t done so already! It was made for the big screen and it’s the best movie I have seen in years!
Here is the trailer to Top Gun: Maverick:
