The original Top Gun Maverick Movie Reviews came out almost exactly 36 years ago, turning Tom Cruise from a rising star into a legitimate superstar and implanting things like shirtless beach volleyball, callsigns, F-14 jets, and the Navy’s Fighter Weapons School into the public consciousness for decades to come.
Top Gun Maverick Movie Reviews 2022
The movie followed hotshot pilots Pete “Maverick” Mitchell and Nick “Goose” Bradshaw (Anthony Edwards) as they joined the school (known as TOPGUN), clashed with their commanding officers and fellow trainees (including Val Kilmer’s Tom “Iceman” Kazansky), and experienced tragedy, romance and some of the most dangerous yet exhilarating flying in the world.
Maverick arguably remains Tom Cruise’s most famous role, which is why it’s extraordinary in some ways that it’s taken more than three decades for a sequel to finally go into production (he’s spent a lot of time tending to his other franchise, Mission: Impossible, which will go eight films deep when all is said and done). But Top Gun Maverick is arriving on screens at last, leaving us with one question: Do you need to see the original movie to understand what’s happening in this one?
If you are a fan of the original – or if you do choose to watch it again or for the first time—your enjoyment of the sequel will of course be enhanced. Top Gun Maverick is awash in nostalgia, to the point of recreating signature moments from the first movie like the opening montage of jets taking off (set again to Kenny Loggins’ “Danger Zone”) and the shirtless beach sports scene (although here volleyball is replaced by football, and the homoeroticism is turned way down).
But if you’ve never flown with Maverick before, you’re still in good hands. Cruise (who also produced with Jerry Bruckheimer), director Joseph Kosinski, and a team of screenwriters have ensured that Top Gun Maverick Movie is a well-oiled machine that requires no previous flight time from viewers just joining the action now in 2022.
For instance, Maverick’s main motivating factor—the guilt that still haunts him over the death of Goose, his best friend and Radar Intercept Officer, in the original movie—is quite clearly explained and signaled. Photos of Goose are everywhere, the new film flashes back to the sequence in the original in which Goose is killed, and the memory of Goose is further put front and center by the arrival of his son, Bradley “Rooster” Bradshaw (Miles Teller) at the flight school, where he is one of the trainees who may be selected to fly the film’s incredibly risky central mission.
The new movie spells out quite clearly that Maverick has resisted promotion over the years because a) he still feels bad over Goose’s death, and b) he would rather fly than sit behind a desk. That’s all you need to know.
When Maverick also visits his old friend Iceman, now commander of the U.S. Pacific Fleet (and the only other returning cast member), it’s also made quite evident that they are very dear friends. Although they were bitter rivals in the original movie, only earning each other’s respect at the end, that’s not necessarily knowledge needed for this film (and the genuine warmth between Cruise and Kilmer—whose own real-life health problems have been built into Iceman’s story—goes a long way toward selling their rapport).
As for Maverick’s other major relationship in the movie—his romance with The Hard Deck bar owner Penny Benjamin (Jennifer Connelly)—there is enough interaction between them to give one the impression that this is a longstanding, on-and-off affair that they have pursued over the years. Did the sparks first fly in Top Gun?
They did not. Maverick’s major romance in the first movie was with flight instructor Charlotte “Charlie” Blackwood (Kelly McGillis), whose image is glimpsed in the sequel but whose name is not brought up once. On the other hand, Penny Benjamin is referenced in the original movie as an “admiral’s daughter” that Maverick got in trouble with, but that’s about it. We don’t meet her until now. So if you’re worried that you missed something from the first movie, you didn’t (we’ve seen the original—just recently, too—and actually wondered where the hell the Penny subplot in Maverick came from).
The bottom line? While a viewing of Top Gun will certainly help and perhaps deepen your understanding of some of the relationships and plot points in the sequel, you can walk into Top Gun Maverick Movie cold and still comprehend everything that’s going on. Plus, as outstanding as the flying sequences were in the 1986 film, they’re way more spectacular in the new one. Strap yourself in and enjoy.
Story:
With more than 30 years of experience as the Navy’s top aviator, Pete Maverick (Tom Cruise) Mitchell intentionally dodges promotions to be at the place where he belongs. One day, he gets a call from his friend and former rival, Tom Iceman Kazansky (Val Kilmer), the commander of the U.S. Pacific Fleet, to train an elite group of ‘Top Gun’ graduates. His job is to train them, including Bradley Rooster Bradshaw (Miles Teller), the son of his late best friend, to destroy a Uranium facility. How does Maverick train them? Do they destroy the facility? What happens between Maverick and Rooster? All these answers will be answered in the main movie.
Plus Points:
The story of Top Gun: Maverick is so simple and clear. But, what makes it interesting is the engaging screenplay and stellar performances from the lead actors, especially Tom Cruise. He looks terrific and handsome in the movie. His subtle performance, especially in the scenes with Rooster (Miles Teller) and Penny (Jennifer Connelly) is worth mentioning.
The way Tom Cruise prepares the ‘Top Gun’ members to work together and come back safely is one of the best parts of the movie. Moreover, the climax gives a nail-biting experience to the audience for sure. The combat scenes, especially the airborne dogfights will make the audience feel the thrill. Apart from Tom, the rest of the cast also did justice to their roles.
Minus Points:
Top Gun: Maverick has a simple story with not many twists and turns. This is a big disappointment to Tom Cruise’s fans who used to watch him in out and out action movies like the Mission Impossible franchise.
On the other hand, the inclusion of backstory related to his best friend and Radar Intercept Officer Lt. Nick Goose Bradshaw from the prequel could have helped the movie a bit to connect well. Scenes between Tom Cruise and Miles Teller would have been better.
Technical Aspects:
The first thing to mention is the direction of Joseph Kosinski, well known for Tron: Legacy. He makes the movie worth watching by considering and including all the elements one expected from a Tom Cruise’s film. Screenplay by Ehren Kruger, Eric Warren Singer and Christopher McQuarrie is racy.
Cinematography by Claudio Miranda is one of the best things which gives the audience a wonderful experience throughout the movie. Claudio Miranda’s work is phenomenal, especially in the airborne dogfights. Besides, music is one of the biggest assets of this action drama, which also has crisp editing by Eddie Hamilton.
Verdict:
On the whole, Top Gun: Maverick is a good action drama which is better than its prequel. The audience can happily enjoy it even if they didn’t watch the first part. Tom Cruise’s phenomenal performance and action sequences make the movie worth watching. Give it a watch if you love action dramas.
Top Gun Maverick Cast and Characters:
- Tom Cruise – Pete “Maverick” Mitchell
- Kelly McGillis – Charlotte “Charlie” Blackwood
- Val Kilmer – Tom “Ice Man” Kazansky
- Anthony Edwards – Nick “Goose” Bradshaw
- Tom Skerritt – Mike “Viper” Metcalf
- Michael Ironside – Rick “Jester” Heatherly
- Rick Rossovich – Ron “Slider” Kerner
Top Gun Maverick Released Date:
Top Gun: Maverick is out in theaters this Friday, May 27.
Top Gun Maverick Trailer:
Top Gun Maverick Latest Trailer:
What is the OTT streaming date?
While the best way to enjoy a movie like Top Gun is on the big screen, some people will be looking forward to watching it on their favourite streaming platform at home.
The latest update is that there is no confirmation on when it will drop on OTT, but we know whenever it will release digitally, it will stream on the Paramount+ streaming service.
And that service is not available in India, so it is likely that the digital rights will be acquired by someone else. Based on where some of the last Paramount movies were streaming in India, Top Gun will probably stream on Amazon Prime Video.
Conclusion:
So now you know about the Top Gun Maverick’s release date in India and will it come out in 3D and IMAX format. Also, you got the dubbing and streaming update
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