Top Gun: Maverick will go down as one of the best sequels of all time.
This film delivers in all the ways you hope it would and it makes all the right decisions as it brings us back into the Danger Zone. This is an action movie that is grounded in reality with plenty of practical effects and actual jet flying by the forever-young Tom Cruise. The human drama is well done and this movie has tremendous heart – it cares for the characters and it also cares about what the audience wants while also bringing us plenty of surprises.
In a world where entertainment is seen as a vehicle for imposing your political viewpoint on the audience, this movie goes for the classic themes of friendship, heroism, love, and… patriotism. It’s a breath of fresh air.
I’ve seen this film 4 times now and the audience reaction has been nothing short of enthusiastic. Clapping, cheering… this movie leaves you feeling great. It’s what a summer action movie should be, and I can tell you it appeals to everybody. My wife loves this movie. My daughter, who generally has no interest in watching movies has seen it 3 times herself.
Sure, there is Tom Cruise and the action and the continuation of a story that many grew up loving. But more than that, and a big part of why this movie has been such a box office juggernaut, is because of the fantastic Jennifer Connelly. She glides through this movie with elegance and grace.
The romance between her and Maverick is handled with maturity, heart and it strikes the perfect tone. She is not objectified, and her character stands on her own as a successful entrepreneur, a sailor and a single mom. Usually the story arc for the primary love interest involves some sort of conflict – they fall in love, they have a reason to fight, and then they get back together. It’s refreshing how her character arc is handled in Top Gun 2. Maverick needs her support, her encouragement and her presence.
The original Top Gun got frequent spins in my VHS player when I was a kid. When it comes to sequels too often Hollywood doesn’t quite understand what we liked about the first one and how to capture that magic again (while also propelling the story forward in an interesting and authentic way).
That is not the case with this movie. Top Gun Maverick literally could not have been any better. I was smiling ear to ear this entire film, from the opening scenes, to the thrilling mission training and final air battles. This is how you do a sequel, and the box office numbers are telling the same story. Top Gun Maverick has become the 7th highest grossing domestic release as of this writing, surpassing Jurassic World and Titanic. If only Hollywood had enough sense to make more films like this.
Whatever you think of Tom Cruise (my brother complains that he plays the same character in every film) the one thing you can definitely say about him is that he knows how to make excellent movies and his ability to perform stunts is epic. His streak of great movies continues with this one and I can’t wait for the next Mission Impossible film.
Now excuse me, I’d like to go see Top Gun 2 again…