Top Gun: Maverick Review

Top Gun is a film that generations of film fans hold dear to their hearts. 36 years later a sequel has been made and sees Tom Cruise return to the Danger Zone.

Pete “Maverick” Mitchell (Cruise) is a decorated Navy pilot, earning medals and commendations for his service. But he is also a misfit because he only reached the rank of captain, and he has a habit of annoying admirals. Admiral Tom “Iceman” Kazansky (Val Kilmer), arranges for Maverick to have one last assignment by sending his friend to become an instructor at the Fighter Weapons School so he can train a team of elite pilots for a dangerous mission.

Top Gun is seen as an ‘80s classic. Even people who haven’t seen the film would recognise some famous scenes and quotes like ‘I feel the need, the need for speed,’ and ‘you can be my wingman any time.’ Songs like “Danger Zone” and “Take My Breath Away” are associated with the film. However, it is a film where people have been blinded by nostalgia goggles because it was a film that had a plot so thin that it was nearly transparent. It was a film that was made as a US Navy recruitment video.

We are living in a pop culture climate where nostalgia is king. Many films have received a legacy sequel, like Ghostbusters, Blade Runner, and Independence Day. The director of Top Gun: Maverick, Joseph Kosinski, started his directional career with a legacy sequel: he made Tron: Legacy. Top Gun: Maverick had been in development for over a decade. It was originally announced in 2010 but put on hold after Tony Scott’s death.

The biggest improvement Top Gun: Maverick made from its predecessor was its narrative. The characters had a goal to achieve because they had to prepare for a risky mission where the chances of success were slim. It was like a modern-day version of The Dam Busters because the bulk of both films was about the training before the final act focused on the mission. It’s a template that works. It made Top Gun: Maverick work as an intense and thrilling action/military film when the planes were in the air.

As a sequel Top Gun: Maverick felt like Mary Poppins Returns. The original Mary Poppins had a similar issue to Top Gun because both films barely had a plot. Their sequels had stakes. In Top Gun: Maverick they were training for a goal and if they fail a rogue nation will be on its way to developing nuclear weapons. All the training and exercises in the sequel served a purpose.

Top Gun: Maverick also aimed to have an emotional story. This was done through Maverick’s relationship with Bradley “Roaster” Bradshaw. Roaster was the son of Goose, Maverick’s best friend in the first film. Roaster was resentful towards Maverick because Maverick stopped Roaster’s application to the academy, which held back Roaster’s career for four years. Added to that Roaster blamed Maverick for his father’s death.

The appearance of Iceman also aimed to incite an emotional response. Maverick goes to his old nemesis, now friends for advice, and Iceman had to give Maverick a pep talk. Their scene was well acted and directed which helped ensure the feels for the characters. It was a scene that showed Maverick’s concerns and vulnerability. This scene also played on real-life events. Val Kilmer suffered from throat cancer which affected his voice, so there was a lot of power when he did speak. If it’s Kilmer’s final appearance in a feature film it would be a nice send-off.

Maverick had a lot of issues to balance during the film. He needed to ensure the mission is achievable and he wanted to ensure none of the pilots die. Maverick also wanted to protect Rooster and tutor the young man despite Rooster’s hostility. Finally, Maverick had to navigate his relationship with Penny (Jennifer Connelly), an old flame with whom Maverick had an on-and-off relationship.

For a long time Tom Cruise has been making efforts to prove he’s still an action star. The Mission Impossible films often highlight a major stunt that Cruise performs, like climbing Burj Khalifa in Ghost Protocol and the HALO jump in Fallout. Cruise could still pass himself off as a man in his mid-40s to early-50s and in many films he’s paired up with a younger woman.

Top Gun: Maverick made an issue of Maverick’s, i.e. Cruise’s age. Early in the film Maverick gets a dressing down by a senior admiral played by Ed Harris. The admiral pointed out that Maverick was old and experienced enough to be an admiral but has never fulfilled his potential. It reminded me of Atun-Shei Films’ video essay about The Mummy where they point out Cruise was playing a Sergeant when he was old enough to be a general.

The admiral also pointed out that the Air Force was changing. The Air Force was moving towards drone warfare and Maverick was seen as a dinosaur. As a Bond fan this brought back memories of Skyfall where Bond was seen as obsolete and like Bond, Maverick had to prove his worth.

Maverick’s age also played a role in his relationships. Jennifer Connelly as Penny the love interest was more age-appropriate for Cruise. Penny was a divorcee with a teenage daughter and the owner of a Navy bar. She illustrated the life Maverick could have had – he could have settled down and had a family. Penny acted as a reassuring figure for Maverick as he had doubts about his role and the mission.

Top Gun: Maverick was an improvement upon its original. It was a legacy sequel that had more of a narrative drive and had a surprising amount of emotional depth.