Top Gun: Maverick (2022)

Starring: Tom Cruise, Miles Teller, Jennifer Connelly, Glen Powell, Jon Hamm, Val Kilmer, and Ed Harris
Grade: A+

This may be one of the best sequels ever made.

Summary

After seeing the same caption that the original film opened with, telling us a brief history of the elite fighter pilot school known to the flyers as Top Gun, we go to the Mojave Desert in California. There, we see Pete Mitchell, callsign “Maverick” (Cruise). After working on his plane in some hanger, he cleans himself off and we see pictures hanging of his old radar intercept officer and best friend in Goose, along with his family. All these years later, he’s still mightily affected by Goose’s death from the first Top Gun. He gets on his signature motorbike and heads on over to do a test drive for this scramjet program, but he’s told by “Hondo” (Bashir Salahuddin) that Rear Admiral Chester “Hammer” Cain (Harris) is scrapping the program because the contract threshold was for the jet to go Mach 10, even though they were supposed to have another 2 months to achieve this goal. Today’s test point was only supposed to be Mach 9. However, Hammer wants their budget for his drone program, so he was going to drive over and shut them down personally today. Since Hammer isn’t there yet, Maverick decides to go for Mach 10 with his team anyway. Right before he is set to take flight, Hondo warns him to not exceed Mach 10.

Again, all they need to do is hit Mach 10 to keep the program alive. You hear that, Maverick?

Just as Hammer arrives pissed off, Maverick goes through with the test and manages to hit Mach 10. Unfortunately, he gets too excited and wants to see how far it can go. He pushes it to 10.4 and the plane explodes, with him landing safely in some small town elsewhere. After this little stunt, he’s flown back to base to be reprimanded by Hammer. Hammer acknowledges Maverick’s talents and the fact that he’s the only man to shoot down three enemy planes in the last forty years. However, he also notes that Maverick can’t get a promotion, he won’t retire, and “despite your best efforts, you refuse to die”. He explains that based off of years of experience alone, Maverick should be at least a two-star Admiral (if not a senator), but he’s still just a measly captain. Following a speech about how drones are the future and pilots like him will be obsolete, Hammer tells him that he’s being sent away from the base. He was very close to being grounded, but a call came in that saved his job at the last second. He’s been called back to TOPGUN.

In San Diego, California, Fightertown U.S.A., Maverick drives over to TOPGUN. After he walks in, he sees a still of him and “Iceman” (Kilmer) shaking hands at the end of the first film. Also there, is a portrait of Iceman, showing us that he’s now Commander of the U.S. Pacific Fleet. Maverick meets with Admiral Beau Simpson, callsign “Cyclone” (Hamm), who’s not a fan of Maverick’s problem with authority. There’s also “Warlock” (Charles Parnell), Commander of the Naval Aviation Warfighting Development Center and a guy who seems to somewhat respect Maverick. Warlock talks about how Cyclone finished first in his class in 1988, thinking he had this in common with Maverick, but he reminds Warlock how he finished second to Iceman. They change the subject to tell Maverick about what’s going on. Apparently, the target is an unsanctioned uranium enrichment plan built in violation of a multilateral NATO treaty. The uranium is a direct threat to some allies and the Pentagon has tasked them in creating a strike team to take it out before it becomes fully operational. The plant sits at an underground bunker. Warlock asks Maverick what he thinks, and he gives a detailed response on what they would need to succeed, with Warlock responding by telling Maverick he has the real-world experience for it to succeed. Plus, they only have three weeks, possibly less. Maverick is unsure but accepts the mission. However, he finds out he is not going on the mission. Instead, he was brought here to teach a group of pilots to send them on the mission. They’ve recalled twelve TOPGUN graduates from their squadrons, and they want Maverick to narrow that group down to six. After looking at the picture of “Rooster” (Teller), he acknowledges that there is a problem with Cyclone’s mission because Rooster is Goose’s son. On top of that, though Maverick was a TOPGUN instructor thirty years ago, he only lasted two months and has no interest in being a teacher because he wants to be in the air.

However, Cyclone decides to get blunt with him. He’s got very little respect for Maverick, and he wasn’t even Cyclone’s choice for this job. The only reason he is here is because Iceman requested Maverick for the spot specifically. He either takes this job and flies for TOPGUN, or he never flies for the Navy again.

Accepting the job and going to a bar afterwards, he sees some of the TOPGUN graduates hanging out. After texting Iceman back and forth, saying that Rooster isn’t ready for a mission like this, Iceman tells him that he’s there to get them ready. He’s interrupted by the owner of the bar, Penny Benjamin (Connelly). Penny is an old love interest of Maverick’s that was only mentioned by name in the first Top Gun. She bought the bar three years ago, not long after he was shipped off to the Mojave Desert for pissing off another Admiral. She’s still frustrated for him leaving all those years back and how they are constantly on/off, but you can tell she enjoys seeing him again. To the surprise of no one, the feeling is mutual. She stops him before he can ask her out again, and it ends with Maverick having to buy a round for everyone at the bar because of a house rule of his phone being on the bar. Next, we see some of the pilots interact with each other. The douchebag of the crew is “Hangman” (Powell). He gives shit to every other pilot that enters the room, including “Phoenix” (Monica Barbaro) and “Bob” (Lewis Pullman). Soon after, Rooster walks in the bar. After greeting everyone, him and Hangman talk shit to each other. After Hangman leaves for a moment and the others wonder how serious this mission is since they are starting to see all the top pilots show up, Maverick’s card declines when he’s trying to pay for the round. As Penny unplugs the jukebox to get everyone’s attention, Rooster goes over to the piano. Penny playfully kicks Maverick out of the bar by having Hangman and a few other pilots legitimately pick him up and toss him into the sand outside, as everyone chants.

Maverick laughs it off, but then hears Rooster on the piano, playing and singing “Great Balls of Fire” as the bar sings along with him. Getting flashbacks to when him and Goose sang the song and Rooster playing in the same energetic way his dad used to, he leaves in an emotional state, with Penny noticing his change in expression through the window.

The next morning, Warlock debriefs the TOPGUN graduates on minor details of the mission, explaining that this will be about who’s the best of the best in terms of piloting because they no longer hold the technological advantage, in terms of planes, compared to the enemy. Warlock then introduces Maverick as their instructor, with Hangman becoming just as embarrassed as Maverick was years back when Charlie was introduced as his instructor. Additionally, Rooster is noticeably unhappy when Maverick walks in. During Maverick’s introductory speech to his students, he makes it known that he wants to figure out how good they actually are, and he plans on testing them right off the bat. After trying to talk to Rooster before they go on their first training hop, with Rooster wanting nothing to do with him, they go out and practice some dogfighting with Maverick playing the opposition. Maverick beats everyone’s ass to show them that they still have a lot to learn, royally pissing off Rooster as he does it. However, it’s more because there’s still a personal issue that hasn’t been addressed between the two. As Rooster goes through his set of pushups that was the wager for losing the training hop, Phoenix asks him what’s going on between him and Maverick and why he’s so rattled. Rooster reveals that Maverick pulled his application to the Naval Academy, setting him back four years.

Back in Cyclone’s office, he reprimands Maverick for setting the hard deck too low, despite Maverick’s insistence that it will be much lower for the actual mission. After this, he tells Maverick that from now on, every morning he will have to brief him and Warlock on his instructional plans in writing, and nothing will change without his approval. Soon after, Hangman finds Maverick’s old TOPGUN class picture and sees Goose standing next to him, connecting the dots and seeing that Goose was Rooster’s father and that he was Maverick’s RIO. Maverick now has to worry about his personal problems with Rooster, his professional problems with Cyclone, getting these pilots prepared for a life-or-death mission that is less than three weeks away, and Hangman being a shit stirrer. On top of all that, he is also leaning towards rekindling his relationship with Penny.

This would be a lot for any man but if anyone can pull it off, it would be Maverick.

My Thoughts:

Never have I seen a sequel beat the original film in every category quite like this. I was actually surprised how good Top Gun: Maverick was.

First of all, movies revolving around planes and dogfighting tend to be on the average side of things for me, including the first Top Gun. However, this sequel may have had the best dogfighting scenes I’ve ever seen put to film. I’m serious too. In every action sequence, you are on the edge of your seat. When the plane is moving, we are moving. When Maverick or Rooster yell, “Come on!” or shriek with emotion when danger is close to occurring, we are reacting with them. The vehemence of the pilots was real and invigorating, pulling you into the story and the action and not letting go until the end credits. Along with that, the combat in the sky was fierce, thrilling, and full of that edge-of-your-seat type of action that gets you riled up as you watch, waiting to see what’s next. Even the camera movements were perfection. A smaller complaint of mine in the first film was that the action was hard to follow at times, but here we could see the movement of the pilots, the scenery, and the intensity in their faces as things go south. It’s like Top Gun: Maverick had an answer for everything that needed to be improved upon from the first film. I was fully invested.

Again, I’m someone who heavily criticized the first Top Gun. When they first announced the sequel, my initial response was, “Why?”.

I didn’t think it was needed. Because of this, I had pretty low expectations walking in.

Well, I couldn’t have been more shocked at the quality of this movie. If you’re a superfan of the original film, you’ve been clamoring for a sequel for a long time. Let me tell you right now, this will exceed any expectations you’ve had. I wasn’t even a fan of the original but when I walked into this one, I was blown away. The nostalgia and emotion hit me at every turn. As soon as Hammer tells Maverick that he’s been called back to TOPGUN and the classic “Top Gun Anthem” hits as Maverick looks in shock, I actually felt goosebumps. Not only is Maverick going back in time, but it’s like we are too. All of Maverick’s previous memories start shooting back to that fateful time in 1986 as soon as the words “Top Gun” are mentioned. In reality, it also mirrors exactly what the fans were thinking when this sequel was announced.

A lot of the fun of Top Gun: Maverick is seeing where our favorite pilot Maverick is at now, personally and professionally, with everyone’s differing opinions on the talented but troubled pilot being highlighted in different ways. Most of his direct superiors can’t stand him and the only reason he hasn’t been forced out of the Navy is because of Iceman. When he’s called upon for this mission, Cyclone tells him bluntly, “You were not my first choice. In fact, you weren’t even on the list”. This is already sometime after Hammer trashes his existence in a private reaming. Maverick is still the thorn in every professional’s side. For fans of the original Top Gun, imagine that this Maverick is a toned-down version of himself but still a “wildman” at heart in a Navy full of guys similar to how Iceman previously was. To say Maverick is hated is putting it lightly. Despite being in the Navy since the mid 80s, he hasn’t moved past the rank of captain, but he doesn’t care. He loves flying, and he loves doing what he does. Maverick doesn’t care about moving up. He wanted to be the best in the first Top Gun but wanted to do it his way. Here, he’s mellowed out in terms of goals. Sure, he’s still the thrill seeker who likes to take chances. This is something he’ll never lose no matter how old he is. However, ever since Goose’s death, his priorities changed because he never fully recovered. Maverick thinks about him every day and is still reminded about his death on a regular basis. As we see him instruct his TOPGUN class, one of the hardest-hitting classroom scenes was when he asked each pilot as to why they failed a certain exercise. As they explain what happened, Maverick responds by asking them how their families would react to hearing that at their funeral, or “Don’t tell me, tell it to his family”.

It’s a reminder to everyone that not only does he take these matters very seriously, but this mission can’t accept any screw-ups. There are no excuses. If someone dies, there’s no bringing him back, and you’ll have to forever live with the fact that you may have been the one responsible. It furthers this notion as to how much Goose’s death affected our protagonist. If this was the Maverick before Goose’s death teaching this class, a statement like this would’ve never been made. This is a very different Maverick, one who has experienced the highest of highs and lowest of lows. As he mentioned this family line, it’s hard not to immediately think back to the most emotional scene of the original Top Gun where Maverick is speechless as Goose’s wife talks to him following Goose’s death. He’ll never forget that moment. This is why in his current class, he’s trying to stress the importance of it, so they take it as serious as he does now and avoid making the same mistake he did. Goose’s death made a major impact on his entire outlook of flying and life in general. Yes, he’s still a risk taker, but he knows he can never be as reckless as he was in the first film because this approach to flying can have dire consequences. Now, he even criticizes certain techniques he used previously, remarking “There’s a strategy I haven’t seen before”, after seeing Hangman leave his wingman in a training exercise (something Maverick was heavily criticized for in the first film).

Very few times can he bring that old “crazy” out of him but when we do see it (when Rooster reiterates Maverick’s own advice of not thinking and just doing), we see a locked-in Maverick that can take on any challenger in any plane, with that confidence he had in his 20s. It makes these scenes so special, but it also shows how good of a pilot he’s become. This older, wiser Maverick is the best version of himself because of this self-containment, knowing when to unlock the risk taker and balance it out with the flying IQ that he possesses now. At this moment in time, he’s better than he’s ever been, and it’s a well-known fact. As hated as he is by the higher-ups, Warlock describes his exploits to the TOPGUN class as “legendary” and that Maverick himself is “considered to be one of the finest pilots TOPGUN has ever produced”. This isn’t just because of his sheer talent shown in the first film, but it’s also because of everything that happened afterwards leading into this movie. As morbid as it sounds, Goose’s death needed to happen for Maverick to become a better person, pilot, and all-around character. Goose will never be forgotten and Maverick lives everyday thinking about him. We see it with the pictures he holds onto, his actions with Rooster, and how he regularly calls on him for inspiration when he’s flying a plane, saying with a sincere heart, “Talk to me Goose”. A friend like that never truly leaves you and because of how well it’s presented here, Goose lives on with us fans as well.

There’s a lot of callbacks to the original film, rewarding old fans and bringing in new one’s in droves because of how well it’s done here. Take for instance, the “Great Balls of Fire” scene, with Rooster playing the piano for the bar. In the first Top Gun, I thought it was incredibly corny. It was random, and the only thing I thought of while watching was, “Look at Tom Cruise trying to act normal with his friend”. Here, not only was the energy that Miles Teller brought to the scene heavily infectious, but when we see Maverick have his flashback to that scene with Goose as he watches, you feel strangely sentimental. Again, you’re talking to someone that thought the original scene was stupid. This is how well it was done in the sequel. It made me appreciate elements of the first one more. Furthering this, many characters were brought back too, but it wasn’t just for nostalgia. The characters that were brought back were there to make sense of the story and how they all affect each other in some way, and it was done flawlessly. Some fans were mad that Meg Ryan and Kelly McGillis weren’t brought back, but neither of them were necessary to this sequel’s story. Having Goose’s wife pass away offscreen added a lot to Maverick as well. I liked the added development that he had to do everything in his power to stop Rooster from flying at her request, forcing himself to become the bad guy in Rooster’s eyes instead of her. It shows you how mature Maverick has become and how he feels forever indebted to his best friend’s family and will be now that Rooster is a big part of his life.

I enjoyed Jennifer Connelly playing the role of Penny Benjamin. They could’ve written a new character entirely in this sequel and we would’ve bought into it, but the fact that they rewarded fans who paid attention to a couple of small throwaway lines from the original that referred to her was really cool. Plus, Connelly still has that “It” factor. She plays the perfect age-appropriate love interest for Cruise. They had very underrated chemistry. Between them, there’s a lot of fun-loving moments that slow down the film when it needs it, and the humor coming out of it all is natural and very much welcomed. It wasn’t as steamy or exciting as Cruise and McGillis were in the first Top Gun, but it was perfect for what this film was trying to do. It was a more mature relationship with a lot more substance to it than Maverick/Charlie, showing how much Maverick has grown as a person and how Penny wants it to work but is very aware of his old tendencies. He does really like her, and Penny knows this. She seems like the “one that got away”. Now with three years passing by, it’s almost as if time is close to running out between them. Penny realizes this too. This is why she doesn’t want to rush into things once more because she’s worried Maverick will screw it up again, and they’ll have to start from the beginning. The problem is that they’re not getting any younger, and they are both starting to come to terms with it. As Maverick drops Penny off one night and he watches her get in the house, we seamlessly transition to Maverick teaching his course saying, “Time is your greatest enemy”. Not only is this true for the mission but in their real lives as well.

It’s exemplified by his relationship with Penny, the amount of time they have to complete the mission once they go out there, and how much time they have for training. It’s all about timing, and with an aging pilot like Maverick, time truly is the greatest enemy for him, and everyone involved in his life at that moment.

Then, there’s the return of Iceman. Story-wise, it totally makes sense that he has risen the ranks to become Commander. Based off his personality, his issue with Maverick’s piloting tendencies in the first film, and his known ability to make very few mistakes, the logical progression of the former antagonist is for him becoming the most decorated and respected pilot in the Navy. What I liked most here was the friendship between the two that has blossomed between the time of the first film and this sequel. One thing I noted in my review of the first film was that these two didn’t get along whatsoever, so it was incredibly odd to me how they became such good friends at the end. On the other hand, it was handled to perfection in Top Gun: Maverick. I even loved their texts back and forth to each other. Each line was short, sweet, to the point, hard-hitting, and very well-written. My favorite had to have been Maverick texting him about Rooster being a part of the mission saying, “You could’ve warned me”, with Iceman’s immediate response of, “Would you have come?”.

Damn, he got his ass with that one! The only thing that did bother me about these scenes was how quickly they responded to each other. No one texts that fast! At least, this is what I’ve experienced with the people that I talk to, though I digress…

I like how tight the two are. Hammer and Cyclone are baffled by it and can’t stand the fact that Maverick is able to get away with shit because Iceman can make a single phone call and save the day for him. This is why when we see Maverick smile ear-to-ear when he sees that iconic picture of him and Iceman shaking hands, it is enough to explain to us exactly the level of respect they have for each other and how close they are without saying a word. The scene where we finally get to see Iceman means everything. Considering Val Kilmer’s current problems with his real-life throat cancer, I was worried how it would be translated onscreen with not only Kilmer’s performance but also his presence onscreen. Technically, Iceman is only in the one scene physically, but his presence is felt throughout. Sure, we see it with the text conversations and the phone calls made to save Maverick’s ass, but his name is constantly referred to as a man who commands the respect of everyone. It felt in a way that they were speaking of Val Kilmer as an actor as well. Even in a limited capacity, his role in this film was vital to its emotional depth, its plot progression, Maverick’s character arc, and the story’s success in the eyes of fans.

Somehow, even with the limited role he had, he still had more character development than he did in the first film. That’s how well this script was written and how poor the old one was. Their lone scene together played a pivotal role in the success of the narrative and also showed us how important the acting was to this movie compared to the film’s predecessor. Usually in a scene like this, these two major characters would be speaking quite a bit, but this conversation was set up much differently. It was very small but yet, just as tear-jerking as a scene that may have had a full-fledged conversation in it. Because of Kilmer’s condition, as well as the character of Iceman’s, he types up most of what he’s saying and each line hits harder than the last. With this, Cruise has to act around it and does so impressively, furtherly reminding us that this may be one of his best performances to date. When Iceman hits us with the line of “It’s time to let go”, and Maverick is hard at accepting this statement, you can’t help but feel this scene in your soul as you become more attached to these characters and what they are going through. It made me not even want a sequel to this, you know? It almost felt like they’re telling us to let go of the old film and to move on in the franchise. Honestly, if it all ends here (It won’t because this film was too successful), then I’d still be genuinely happy because of how well this was handled. Also, if this is Val Kilmer’s swan song in being in major theatrical releases, this may be the perfect feather in the cap to a wonderful career. What an honorable way to go. It was truly astonishing how well they portrayed Iceman in his final appearance despite Kilmer’s limitations.

Again, this is a guy who I couldn’t stand in the first film.

Evidently, time does heal all wounds.

If you didn’t already know, Miles Teller is a star. He was a superb choice to pair with Tom Cruise in a spotlighted role and an even better supporting character than Anthony Edwards’s Goose was in the original. Their back-and-forth rapport in their conversations and arguments, Rooster’s underdog mentality in trying to prove to Maverick he’s ready, his battle of wits with Hangman, and his overall frustration were great ways to add layers and depth to his character. He’s got confidence, but it’s a bit different from what we’re used to in this franchise. He thinks he can do things his way, but his way is a bit slower and more controlled. This was the complete opposite of Maverick, and he lets him know about it. It’s not because going fast and out of control is the way either. Maverick would never tell him that now, but Rooster’s conservative way of flying isn’t conducive for a time imperative war setting. On top of that, he’s just not good enough as a pilot yet to make up for it. Despite Rooster being well-liked and respected by his peers, it’s clear he doesn’t have the talent of Hangman. Even then, Rooster is still confident to a fault with Maverick. At one point, he comes up with an answer at every turn to defend his approach, even welcoming a dogfight that may be life-or-death, a situation that no matter how good you are, you never want to find yourself in. After Maverick reminds him how the enemy’s planes blow theirs out of the water, we hear this intense exchange:

Rooster: “It’s not the plane, it’s the pilot.”

Maverick: “Exactly!”

Ouch.

Even with Rooster being a TOPGUN graduate and Rooster still believing in himself to the utmost degree, Maverick shakes his confidence just like that. Despite how cool we see Rooster in some scenes, certain people like Maverick and Hangman can get under his skin with ease. He’s just an emotional guy. It’s his biggest fault, and he has to overcome it to succeed in a mission as important as this one. He’s got every tool in the world to be a successful pilot, but he has some flaws that he can’t seem to shake, and Maverick can seem to get him over the hunch, even though he’s trying his hardest to not be frustrated with him. Miles Teller churns in another well-rounded performance, and despite going through as many hardships as he does throughout this movie, he still possesses that bit of “cool guy” charisma needed to introduce Rooster to the new audience of the Top Gun franchise. Though he has his father in him, there’s also a hint of Maverick as well. As soon as he walks into that bar with a Hawaiian shirt on while every other pilot is in full uniform, I just thought “Oh, he’s on one!”.

Also, the “dogfight football” scene was better than the volleyball scene from the first Top Gun. Is that a controversial statement? It may be to Top Gun fans, but to people that realize how overrated the first film is, this scene beats the hell out of it. On top of OneRepublic’s “I Ain’t Worried” exquisitely capturing the summer vibe of the scene and the carefree tone they were trying to bring to us, it felt like a reminder as to why these blockbuster movies are so much fun. How can you not smile during a scene like this? I miss this type of energy in movies. Sequences like these make us feel like kids again, without a care in the world. It was so much fun watching these characters let loose, as well as show how important teamwork is in a competitive environment (on a lesser scale compared to actually flying). It’s actually a great idea, and there’s a lovely action sequence later on that show us exactly why it was needed. Even Cyclone couldn’t argue with Maverick’s reasoning for this little lesson, despite how badly he wanted to. Maverick is a better teacher than he gives himself credit for. Early on, he tells Cyclone that as good as these pilots are, he’s trying to show them that they “still have a lot to learn”. With this goal in mind, I think he succeeded.

The antagonism Maverick faces from Cyclone, as well as everyone else in the movie along with Hangman, was a lot better than just Iceman being a dick in the first film. Now, I don’t think Glen Powell’s Hangman will have the lasting impact of Val Kilmer’s Iceman from the first Top Gun, he is just as awful. Honestly, he’s better written too. I just don’t think he’ll stand the test of time purely because of Iceman’s distinctive look. Regardless, Hangman is a different type of douche compared to Iceman. Hangman thrives on being an obnoxious asshole. With the amount of teamwork involved in flying, I’m actually surprised he managed to get as far as he has with his attitude towards everyone else. Glen Powell also has the most slappable face I’ve seen in a while.

Apparently, it’s a requirement to be a villain in the Top Gun franchise.

Him smiling after saying some comment that pisses off everyone in the room irked me on a whole different level. Powell can have a full-fledged career in playing smug villains if he wants it. He could shit out a performance, but if he’s got that same better-than-you attitude and look, he’s set for life in Hollywood. The only thing missing from this film was Hangman not being reprimanded at all. Not only does he let it be known that he will leave a fallen team member behind if they’re too slow (it’s a reputation he walks in with; he’ll “always leave you out to dry”), but his unnecessary comments to get a rise out of Rooster and the rest of the team would cause disciplinary action in any classroom, never mind the military. How great would it have been if he argues why he wasn’t one of the pilots selected by Maverick for the mission and after demanding to know why, Maverick says something like”…because you’re an asshole. Despite your immense talent, no one here wants to fly with you, fight alongside you, or for you”? It would’ve fit right with Maverick’s lessons and would’ve set up the ending even better. If anything, he should’ve called out Hangman’s arrogance at least one time, yelling at him in front of the class or something. He could relate it to arrogance being his own downfall, saying that it can “cause someone’s life”, referring to Goose’s death in the fateful training exercise. At the same time, it would also humble Hangman for the time being and give him a slight chance of redemption in the eyes of the audience, depending on his reaction.

They did the ending right too, correcting the initial problem I had with the original movie where Maverick and Iceman become friends out of nowhere after being in each other’s faces for most of the movie. Here, Rooster and Hangman give the appropriate amount of respect for each other with a good handshake. They aren’t best friends, but they’re on a much better level than where they were at. The handshake and smile were exactly what was needed considering everything that had happened between the two up until this point in the film. This is exactly how it should’ve gone down between Iceman and Maverick in the first film.

Once again, the sequel does it better.

Jon Hamm was a nice surprise too. He played off Cruise very well with their constant back-and-forth. Not only could it be particularly amusing (the hard deck scene was low-key very funny), but it was cool going behind-the-scenes of the class to see how Maverick is balancing between realistically preparing his students and having to adhere to demands from his direct superiors. It gives us some powerful scenes as well, specifically when the two have an argument about some of the lessons and Cyclone reminding him that all he needs to do is teach them how to “fight as a team and to strike the target” and Maverick immediately adds “and how to come home”. Even Cyclone had to take a step back. Though he continued with his general stance, his pause and changing of his tone to a more sympathetic one added a lot to the scene, their contrasting views of the mission, and each other’s personalities.

Despite never even telling us which country’s pilots are the enemies, the mission is out-of-this-world exhilarating. It’s the type of third act that deserves to be seen in a theater. They set it up immaculately by having Maverick explain how “no less than two consecutive miracles” have to happen for this mission to be successful and just so we don’t get bored with the heroes inevitably overcoming things and beating the odds, we see Maverick prove that the mission is possible ahead of time. This gives us a sense that either possibility could happen. Because of this, we get a breathtaking third act that trumps most superhero movies. This isn’t a dig at those films either. I’m just saying this to tell you how good Top Gun: Maverick is. When we see Cyclone, Warlock, Hondo, and others in the control room watching the mission unfold as they react to everything, it mirrored exactly what the live audience’s reactions probably were when viewing this thing from a theater. At this point, we are hooked on everything going on, hoping that Maverick can prove once again that the unachievable is achievable.

I wouldn’t even be surprised if some shed a tear by the end of this movie out of pure happiness.

The suspense, the emotion, and everything in-between was masterful. The script was phenomenal and the character development for the old and new characters were top notch. Maverick himself has turned from average action hero character to all-time movie character favorite. Even the humor of Top Gun: Maverick trumps what the first Top Gun did. This is a blockbuster that has everything, with Tom Cruise reminding us that he’s still getting better with age, giving us movies that are still worth going all the way out to the movie theater to see. I didn’t want this sequel, but I’m so glad I got it. There are only a select few movies that deserve to be described as a “cinematic spectacle”, but Top Gun: Maverick is exactly that.

Fun Fact: Miles Teller beat out Glen Powell and Nicholas Hoult for the role of Rooster.