I’ve hit the hard deck and landed myself in the theater to watch Top Gun Maverick. The sequel to the Film Top Gun released in 1986 was a huge hit. Up until now, the world has patiently awaited the sequel. Theaters are selling out as the film earned 99 million dollars in its second week.
After 30 years Captain Pete Mitchell (Tom Cruise) is still one of the Navy’s top aviators and is called back to the weapons school Top Gun. A group of graduates is also called back for an almost impossible mission.
The film’s budget was a whopping 170 million dollars. Miles teller stars as Goose’s son Rooster or Lt. Bradly Bradshaw. There is a great scene when Maverick looks into the bar he was just kicked out of and sees Rooster playing a song on the piano they sang together in the original film. The character Bob played by Lewis Pullman has quite a funny introduction being made fun of for not having a sense of humor.
Thought the film there are callbacks and references to the first Top Gun. One of my Favorites is the opening carrier scene just like the original. This time being with F-18 fighter jets instead of the F-14 used in the original. We also get a chance to see Ice Man who is now the commander of the Pacific Fleet in the Navy. At the end of the film after a daring escape from enemy territory, Maverick gets the opportunity to “buzz the tower” one last time. But this time not with Goose but with his son Rooster.
The twist and high G turns throughout the film are awesome to watch as Maverick trains his students how to push the limits of their aircraft. This film wouldn’t have been possible without the collaboration of the Navy. The Navy provided 2 Aircraft Carriers, four Air Bases, and real aviator mentors for the film. The Filmmakers spent up to 11,374 dollars an hour to use the aircraft.
Top Gun Maverick is an amazing film. It’s not often you have a sequel that is just as good as the first. I would say that it is one of the best Movies ever along with the First Top Gun.