By two years, Top Gun: Maverick of Joseph Kosinski was an unknown. Especially when rumors suggested that the film was not only an homage, but also a powerful viewing experience. The original, directed by the late Tony Scott, became a generational icon and a cult film. What could be expected from its sequel, which had to face multimillion-dollar franchises and sagas? Would it manage to amaze as much as its predecessor? Much more so, could it show off that well-measured gender mix that made Scott’s famous?
Not only does it succeed, but it is also a great tribute to the legacy of Tony Scott and his notion of entertainment cinema. Furthermore, it is a journey through new places on action cinema. Its characters — and context — have become richer and more eloquent. And especially, he is more interested in looking at everything he links to Top Gun with a greater type of cinematic experience. It even accentuates the sensation of spectacle and creates an elegant connection with a type of cinema that currently tends to disappear. Top Gun: Maverick it’s brilliant in its sense of the extraordinary in its look at Tony Scott’s heritage. But especially, to the idea of a type of film created to dazzle.
What unites and what separates the original? What do you need to know to watch the sequel? We leave you a list of five elements to refresh in the history of Top Gun. And specifically, what you need to remember to enjoy much more the experience of this generational symbol that returns to the big screen in style. Much better: with a sequel turned into a maybe the smartest sequel to the story that stunned the 1980s.
Pete “Maverick” Mitchell returns and from the same place you remember him
But that does not mean that the character played by Tom Cruise has not matured and grown. Actually, one of the high points of Top Gun: Maverick is the act of creating a more mature and sophisticated version of his hero. That without transforming it into a symbol of nostalgia or analyzing it outside its natural environment. Maverick is a pilot – “the fastest man in the world” – and also a brilliant strategist. One who recognizes his faults, who carries the weight of his personal history and who has a sincere connection with his history.
Much more so, the writing team led by Peter Craig, Christopher McQuarrie and Ehren Kruger emphasize the quiet maturity of the character. Maverick is still brash, daring and fearless. But he is also much deeper and more emotional. Past injuries left a mark on his behavior and the movie knows it. And the plot uses the premise to create a more interesting and deeper character.
Again, we return to the top gun pilot academy
And for good reason to do so. The original film raised the rivalry between pilots from an atypical and exciting point of view. And it created the perception that the academy was a common space so that the best could test their potential. The sense of urgency changes Top Gun: Maverick and turns into a daring argument about danger and risk.
More interestingly, the training that Maverick heads up is very much in the hero’s way. Several of the scenes seem to refer to a growth as a team and as an individual traditional in the cinema. The substratum gives a much deeper meaning to the drivers’ journey to excellence. And also, the emotional connection between everyone. Top Gun: Maverick pays tribute to the original through the idea of a competition space. But this time he adds an ingredient of power and commitment that surprises with its forcefulness.
Aerobatics are the undisputed protagonists
Top Gun: Maverick is heir to a type of action cinema that currently seems dated and a bit stiff. And director Joseph Kosinski seems well aware of that. So the film doubles down on the idea of adventure based on its technical and visual component. The film takes the formula to an extraordinary level and elevates it to the category of art. The aerial shots are a combination of practical effects, specific advances in the filming section, and a powerful look at symbolism. If Tony Scott’s Top Gun created an immersive experience at all levels, this time the production doubled the bet.
And the result is the best action scenes made into a movie in a long time. The camera carefully follows the flights, dives but also pays attention to the way its young characters react to the action. In the same way as the original, Top Gun: Maverick It is a compendium of extreme situations and also a masterful look at adventure.
Almost all of the original characters return in one form or another.
One of the high points of top gun Tony Scott was the chemistry between his characters. And in fact, the strongest point is that the script never spared any effort to show the relationships – tense, passionate and deep – between them. Top Gun: Maverick it does not forget it and establishes substantial and elaborate ties with its entire history. From the immediate connection with Nick “Goose” Bradshaw to the return of Tom “Iceman” Kazansky. The film is taken seriously and brilliantly, the idea of a world beyond the screen that grew and matured.
Of course, there are also some conspicuous absences. Charlotte Blackwood, The character of Kelly McGillis is not part of the return to the screen of Captain Pete “Maverick” Mitchell. Neither does Carol Bradshaw, played by Meg Ryan. Of the latter, there is a little more context and the reason for the conspicuous absence of it is explained.
Top Gun: Maverickbased on its visual impact
Yes top gun was a combat — emotional and intellectual — between two extraordinary characters, its sequel takes the formula to a new level. It also conditions the perception of risk, action and responsibility. As a continuation of a simple story, the film keeps the elementary points in clear. But at the same time, he deepens, builds and sustains a much neater and firmer version of his argument. And while it falters at some points — especially when it tries to fuse action and drama — the film has enough skill to create a brilliant idea of adventure.
As a sequel, Top Gun: Maverick it’s stylish, powerful, and it’s serious about deepening the legacy it receives from a pop culture icon. It corrects errors, delves into the weak points of the original and extols its heritage as a product based on pure entertainment. A brilliant proposal that is also aware of its origin and the attention paid to it.