Top Gun: Maverick (2022)

Top Gun: Maverick

By Emily Hubbard

Tom Cruise stars in a sequel that soars higher than its predecessor 

• 5/5 Cameras🎥🎥🎥🎥🎥
• Starring: Tom Cruise, Miles Teller, Val Kilmer, et al. 
• Directed by: Joseph Kosinski
• Where to find it: In cinemas now 

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Top Gun. A film widely considered a classic by many, and the film that made Tom Cruise a household name. With ground-breaking stunts and camerawork, Top Gun changed the way blockbusters were seen and made directors up their game with their future work. To this end, you would be forgiven for being anxious at the idea of a sequel, given the relatively poor quality of many Hollywood sequels. However, in an almost unbelievable turn of events, Top Gun: Maverick may have managed to outshine its’ predecessor.

Picking up 36 years after the original film ended, Top Gun: Maverick sees Captain Pete ‘Maverick’ Mitchell (Tom Cruise) return to the infamous United States Navy Strike Fighter Tactics Instructor Programme (also known as Top Gun), where he must train a group of young aviators in what promises to be their most challenging mission yet.

Despite many trepidations surrounding the long-awaited sequel, the very first scene of Top Gun: Maverick, a scene that mimics the opening of the original film, is full of a sense of nostalgia that continues to ripple throughout the whole movie. From the instantly recognisable score to the yellow-toned shots of planes on a runway, it’s clear that director Joseph Kosinski knew exactly what fans wanted, and he sure did deliver. Notably, despite this nostalgia, the film doesn’t feel dated, and instead, adds a much-welcomed modern touch.

There are many ways in which Top Gun: Maverick is arguably better than its’ predecessor. There are countless seat-gripping airborne fight sequences that riddle you with anxiety after catching you off guard, and the plot of the film has actual stakes, making the film a true joy to watch from start to finish. Perhaps the biggest reason behind the film’s critical acclaim, however, is the sheer dedication of Tom Cruise, who slips back into Maverick’s leather biker jacket like he never left. Cruise refused to sign on for the film unless fight sequences could be shot in real fighter jets with as little CGI as possible. This resulted in some of the most impressive camera work and truly beautiful cinematography seen on screen in decades.

It's not just Tom Cruise who shines in Top Gun: Maverick, however, with all the supporting cast adding something different to the film, Miles Teller’s Rooster, however, is the real standout here. It was also a treat to see original cast member Val Kilmer return as ‘Iceman’, who has been made an Admiral since we last saw him. Kilmer’s role is reduced due to ongoing health issues; however, it still fits perfectly into the plot and makes for one of the many gut-punching emotional moments in the film’s 2-hour 10-minute runtime.

I could write for hours about Top Gun: Maverick and how its’ release could mark the beginning of the revival of the true old-school summer Hollywood blockbuster. However, the main point I took away from the film is that despite Hollywood’s countless failed efforts, it truly is possible to make a widely entertaining sequel that many would argue out shadows its predecessor.