Who knew that a film about flying fighter jets can bring people together and make everyone feel good? This is certainly not a simple nostalgia film anymore.
Top Gun: Maverick (2022) is about how Pete “Maverick” Mitchell was ordered back to teach the new generation of the Top Gun graduates on a very dangerous mission. Along with them is Lt. Bradley “Rooster” Bradshaw, the son of the late Lt. Nick “Goose” Bradshaw, who happens to be Pete’s bestfriend and co-pilot. Going back to Top Gun will bring back unwanted memories for Pete, along with the responsibilities that came with it that he avoided for so long.
I was shocked when I heard that they will make another Top Gun film. With our bad history of blockbuster remakes and sequels, and how CGI is massively used in films these days, my expectations on the outcome of this film were low. But with the hard work of Oblivion-director Joseph Kosinski, and Tom Cruise’s love and passion for cinema, I was glad to say that I’m wrong. Kosinski remained true to his words on being loyal to Tony Scott’s story, while also giving us the real thrill of cinematic experience.
Maverick’s all that’s left of his generation in the navy, and nobody believes in him as much as they did before. They thought of him as a relic with a bad record and the higher ups had tried their hardest to ground or dismiss him. And yet, he has shown that he’s not something to be dismissed. What makes him tick is not his off-the-book personality and his flying abilities. It’s the promises he made from his loved ones, and he’s been honoring that for as long as he can. Because for him, the trust and love they gave to him is the real legacy, something that no medal or prominent position can match.
The hardwork and thorough planning made by Kosinski and his team truly mirrors the outcome of this film. Like the Top Gun class, Kosinki’s production team consists of the best of the best, and I think his old collaboration with some of them helped him to execute his ideas towards the film. It’s obvious that you can supervise a production when everything you need on a scene is on the ground, but the flying scenes are the thrill and also the risky parts of the film. I don’t even know how Cinematographer Claudio Miranda managed to trust those one-take shots on the flying parts, because it takes real guts and talent to do that. Also, the inclusion of Lady Gaga, Hans Zimmer, Lorne Balfe and the first Top Gun’s composer Harold Faltermeyer made this film feel more enormous, because how will you make a legendary score if it’s not made by legendary composers themselves? It would be such a marvelous thing to have a separate film that shows the behind the scenes of this film.
Tom Cruise always delivers, as he managed to keep on beating his last performance and kind of a death-wish passion on filmmaking. I’m so glad that he was able to share the experience with his co-actors, which is why they managed to stay on top with him as well. It’s nice to see fresh faces like Monica Barbaro, Lewis Pullman, Greg Tarzan Davis, and Danny Ramirez. You can see that they enjoyed the whole experience and also gave such wonderful performances. It’s also such a lovely gesture that they remember to include Val Kilmer, and he was glad to perform despite his condition. His involvement was very important to the story, and it’s good to know that he and Tom had fun doing scenes together again. Miles Teller knew his character very well, because he did the same characters from his previous film, that dark horse kind and yet managed to prove himself in the end. I don’t see any actors who can nail that but him. But damn, Glen Powell is the real star of this film! I’m glad he didn’t get the Rooster part, because no one can top his performance as Hangman. He managed to steal the scene even with his hateable character. His character reminded me of Iceman, but Powell’s performance showed that his character is truly notable.
This film brought hope to cinema-goers, where people from different generations and perspectives can unite and celebrate together. Top Gun: Maverick is the very reason why we go to the cinemas.
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