I must begin with a confession; I have not seen the original ‘Top Gun’. It is a testament to ‘Top Gun: Maverick’ as a stand-alone film, that I did not need the nostalgia, the love of old characters, to still come to the opinion; this is a pretty good action film. I would not call myself a Tom Cruise fan, but I can see why already ‘Top Gun: Maverick’ is already being labelled one of his best films.
Pretty quickly I was swept away into the Top Gun world. Opening wide location shots rapidly interchanged with contextual close-ups, connecting the audience to the world of the Navy. The opening cinematography is astonishing; there is a delicate orange glow to the shots, perhaps signifying hope and an element of positivity, setting the scene by adding to the richness of the locations and scenery.
Even with this bronze tint to the screen, the film still holds it’s sense of realism. Add relatable characters, created by impeccable acting, emotional action sequences, that make you hold your breathe, this two hour film feels more like a personal induction to the world’s best pilot school. The mission is exciting and gripping, the audience is compelled to want the group to succeed; but at the same time absorbed by their fear.
At first the characters may seem stereotypical and slightly type casted, however this fades as the connections and interactions between the characters pull at heartstrings, and any ‘fake-ness’ is lost. The characters feel fun, an update to the stereotypes expected. The cast is star-studded consisting of Tom Cruise as Maverick, Tom Keller as Rooster, Jon Hamm, as well as some new comers, Glen Powell as Hangman, and Monica Barbaro as Phoenix.
All this being said, there was one element to the film I really didn’t like; the cheesy romance scenes. I have a feeling that these were added for the nostalgia to ‘Top Gun’ (the original) and were included for the fans; those who wanted to know what happened to Maverick and Penny’s unrequited love. Maybe to these fans, the romance scenes were poignant and moving, adding to the strong emotions throughout the film. However not having that connection to ‘Top Gun’, I felt they were unneeded and obvious, the only section of the film I got a bit bored feeling like I knew exactly how it would all turn out.
‘Top Gun’ fan or not, I am sure this summer blockbuster will resonate with many and be enjoyed by all. I mean who doesn’t want to feel like they’re souring through the sky in a fighter plane?
7.5/10
Image: https://www.fsm-media.com/top-gun-maverick-new-poster-and-trailer/
Comments