'Top Gun: Maverick' isn't an Oscar winning movie. It isn't some some deep and meaningful societal drama. It isn't a superhero movie filled with mindless effects, bland characters and social messaging... Thank goodness!
'Top Gun: Maverick' is what has been missing from the cinema in recent years... A movie with great characters who you want to root for. Action and adventure, a dash of romance, a classic hero, and a patriotic story of good vs evil. No agendas, no lecturing, just good old-fashioned heroic fun with heart.
It hits all the marks, from the nostalgia nods (without drowning in them), through to being a sequel that adds to the original without detracting from it. The character of Maverick finally grows up, but without feeling like he's been a useless man-child in the interim. There are touching moments, most notably with Val Kilmer, and an appropriate level of romance to round out Maverick's character arc. The side characters are all enjoyable clichés of the best kind, ergo the type that are established quickly and well, and that you like and enjoy.
One factor that makes this all even more enjoyable is that Maverick is _still_ the best-of-the-best (With Iceman possibly equal...). He's not portrayed as the tired 'ace' who has to move aside for the newer, younger, superior hero. No, he's just the best. And that provides the film with a huge, grinning sense of satisfaction.
The plot itself is nothing original, but it didn't need to be. It's a mix of inspiration from the original film, with a dash of Star Wars and even a little Iron Eagle thrown into the mix. The heart of it is Maverick finally finding a home, and dealing with the fallout from losing his best friend (Goose) in the original, and the repercussions it had on Goose's son.
From a visual standpoint, the film is appropriately stylish and the hefty dose of real aircraft footage, mixed with the effects sequences, helps to sell the film far more successfully than if it had been done with digital effects alone.
If I had one complaint, it would be that the music just isn't up to the original. Hans Zimmer does the job, and it works, but outside of Harold Faltermeyer's original main theme, only the 'Darkstar' music is particularly note-worthy. Meanwhile, the integrated songs don't capture the new era the way the original did, but how could they? However, the soundtrack is a minimal complaint.
Ultimately, 'Top Gun: Maverick' succeeds by being all that it needed to be, without trying to shoehorn in anything else. It tells a new story but honours its origins and leaves the viewer thoroughly satisfied.
'Top Gun: Maverick' is what has been missing from the cinema in recent years... A movie with great characters who you want to root for. Action and adventure, a dash of romance, a classic hero, and a patriotic story of good vs evil. No agendas, no lecturing, just good old-fashioned heroic fun with heart.
It hits all the marks, from the nostalgia nods (without drowning in them), through to being a sequel that adds to the original without detracting from it. The character of Maverick finally grows up, but without feeling like he's been a useless man-child in the interim. There are touching moments, most notably with Val Kilmer, and an appropriate level of romance to round out Maverick's character arc. The side characters are all enjoyable clichés of the best kind, ergo the type that are established quickly and well, and that you like and enjoy.
One factor that makes this all even more enjoyable is that Maverick is _still_ the best-of-the-best (With Iceman possibly equal...). He's not portrayed as the tired 'ace' who has to move aside for the newer, younger, superior hero. No, he's just the best. And that provides the film with a huge, grinning sense of satisfaction.
The plot itself is nothing original, but it didn't need to be. It's a mix of inspiration from the original film, with a dash of Star Wars and even a little Iron Eagle thrown into the mix. The heart of it is Maverick finally finding a home, and dealing with the fallout from losing his best friend (Goose) in the original, and the repercussions it had on Goose's son.
From a visual standpoint, the film is appropriately stylish and the hefty dose of real aircraft footage, mixed with the effects sequences, helps to sell the film far more successfully than if it had been done with digital effects alone.
If I had one complaint, it would be that the music just isn't up to the original. Hans Zimmer does the job, and it works, but outside of Harold Faltermeyer's original main theme, only the 'Darkstar' music is particularly note-worthy. Meanwhile, the integrated songs don't capture the new era the way the original did, but how could they? However, the soundtrack is a minimal complaint.
Ultimately, 'Top Gun: Maverick' succeeds by being all that it needed to be, without trying to shoehorn in anything else. It tells a new story but honours its origins and leaves the viewer thoroughly satisfied.