Top Gun: Maverick Movie Review: Tom Cruise's Sequel Is A Speedy, Emotional Ride For The Better

Available In Theatres
Duration: 137 Minutes
Language: English

Plot: Tom Cruise returns as Navy flyboy Pete 'Maverick' Mitchell to train the best of the newest Top Gun officers for an unthinkable mission.

Review: Top Gun: Maverick has struck the right balance between nostalgia and new content for the film. The prologue is the very copy of the 90's film with better visuals as the jets take off and land to adrenaline-pumping music. As Tom Cruise rides off on his iconic Kawasaki with the leather jacket on, he gives fans exactly what they came for, an emotional and stylish farewell to the character along with cocky heroism, heart-warming friendship, hot romance and a bit of friendly rivalry.

The film begins with Maverick rushing to test which was supposed to happen two months later in a new jet for the navy. All while the admiral is trying to shut their project down because pilots will be obsolete in the future. Maverick chooses to go through with the test despite the risks to save the team, however, he does lose his job with the project. Instead of being retired from the navy, like he should have been, Maverick is asked to return to Top Gun, this time to teach instead of leading a team like he expected to do.

There aren't any big villains or big victories in the film other than the leading cast winning over their emotional hurdles, and for Top Gun Maverick it is enough. Pete 'Maverick' Mitchell is hesitant to take the job, he believes 'I am not a teacher' and he does not want to risk what little relationship he has left with his late best friend Goose's son Lieutenant Bradley 'Rooster' Bradshaw. He ends up taking up the job to make sure whoever ends up doing the mission, he can prepare (them?) well enough to make sure they come back home.

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The film's plot and screenplay have been kept simple giving the characters enough space to explore and the director enough run time to give everything the audience is actually in the theatre for, which would be supersonic jets, dog fights and Tom Cruise. Pete unlike his previous self is more of a team player now with years of wisdom that he is ready to share with others. However, still a captain in the Navy, he is being called out by his superiors who are note able to resist his charm and end up siding with him till the end.

The corny and high on testosterone script from 1996 Top Gun has been toned down and traded in for a more appropriate screenplay with characters who are still cocky and full of pride. The new group of flyers have call signs Hangman, Coyote, Fanboy, Phoenix, Bob and Omaha, all of them best of their own batches, ready to prove themselves against each other.

Val Kilmer makes a special appearance (as Iceman) which is sure to take the audience back to the original film. Jennifer Connelly plays Pete's love interest as the woman who owns the bar closest to the base. While she does help Pete manoeuvre his plans in the right direction it is not enough for her character. Unfortunately, the only female pilot played by Monica Barbaro (Call Name: Phoenix) is also left with a similar role to help Rooster make the right decisions for the team.

Tom Cruise remains at the centre of the screen with few moments spared for Miles Teller's Rooster and his father Goose alongside Glen Powell's Hangman, who is the sole embodiment of the big-headedness the original film showed. It is a change of pace to see Tom in a drama as the emotional type with less hand to hand combat and more of actor ready to explore where the character takes him.

Overall, Top Gun: Maverick turns out great in the second half with more jets taking off to the skies and staying there for actual combat. Meanwhile, the film also packs few sneaky emotional moments which are sure to be a treat for the fans of the cult classic Top Gun.