Top Gun Maverick will change the way we view the success of a cinematic project. In the year 2022, we believed that sequels could not be more popular than the original. We believed that special effects were the way to go, the future, the now, the magic formula that might not guarantee success, but that was a definite yes in the hit formula. We believed that young influencers were needed to drive the youth popularity of a project.
We were wrong.
Tom Cruise defied all odds as Maverick reappeared on the screen after 36 years, only to come back even stronger, even sharper, even HOTTER (if that’s possible). It was like ageing a wine, preserving at at just the right temperature and then, taking the plunge by trying something that could be super risky, or a super hit! He went in, keeping to the original frames, he believed that he didn’t need to use CGI, young blood, lame jokes or even, a brand new soundtrack to make it work.
He believed instead, of playing it from the heart, and you know what, it worked!
So here are 5 reasons why Maverick is the movie to watch out for not just for audiences, but also for filmmakers, to go back to the drawing board and give it their best shot, yet again! Here we go then!
1. Superb Casting
From Jennifer Connelly, as the love interest that matched up to Tom’s charm. I am so thankful the script acknowledged and respected age-appropriate casting and showed the magic of middle age love on screen. Not just that, but the build-up to the relationship was so organic, with one meaningful conversation, when Maverick acknowledges that he doesn’t want the rooster to hate his mother too – Bang, we didn’t need too much to feel that this was a forced union, or that Maverick is just looking to get laid. Penny aka Connelly played hard to get with just the right tone of sensitive vs independent streak. Just what the doctor would order for maverick-like characters!
Not just Connelly but Miles Teller aka Bradley Bradshaw cut a stunning resemblance to his dad, Glen Powell as Hangman kept the adversity going with a swag, Monica Barbaro as Phoenix added subtle oomph, and glimpses of Val Kilmer as Iceman were just so heartwarming. To top it all, Ed Harris as Rear Admiral slipped in, unassumed, giving us subtle shades to challenge the defiant in Maverick. There was a hint of predictability and then again, amusing banter that fans wanted – a fine balance to grab the interest of the newbies, yet keep the old narrative alive. And that’s why I see so many teens going to watch this film!
2. The Action, Action & More Action!
The dog fights were intense, action-packed, and oh so riveting. They didn’t need any special effects, the pressure was on with the verbal exchange, on-air acrobatics, and the nail-biting suspense – will they make it or won’t they? The need for speed, a signature Tom Cruise was somehow, played in just right. There was more than one aerial exchange and each one gave us adrenalin blasting thrill – again, just what we were hoping for, and yet, please note, no CGIs to support the scenes. It was purposely made to feel organic and that was the secret to why the scenes hit the magic spot!
3. The Scrip & Narrative
Over 2 hours long and yet, it was an entertainer to the end! The film justified every one of its 2 hours 17 min run time, such is the pull of master storytelling. The script reached a well-orchestrated climax and then, didn’t just leave the viewers wanting more, it gave them more! The humor was real and the predictable was also surprisingly unpredictable. Many had surmised that Maverick might die in the end, without giving away any spoilers (who still haven’t got to the movie yet, for whatever unexplained reason), Maverick seduced us with every second onscreen, not letting us leave the theatre without crossing all that’s, dotting this, yet making us feel it and told a complete story without getting clinical about it.
4. Deeper, Meaningful Plot Line
The relationships dug deep. Rooster and Maverick coming to terms, the initial adversity, the pent-up rage, and then Iceman and Maverick’s fleeting yet heartening interaction was well worth the smiles. Hangman’s coming around, Penny’s subtle presence and Rooster vs Hangman’s problematic relationship resonated with many amongst audiences, especially those who had retained precious memories from 36 years ago. They wanted to prove to the world that Top Gun was a thing back then, and it’s still a thing today – and I feel the makers kept their faith. That perhaps was the most surreal experience for all.
5. A Nostalgic Soundtrack That Might Take Your Breath Away But Kept Us Breathing
Lady Gaga’s Hold My Hand, mixed in with the old track just about did it for me. The lyrics hold passion, pain, past and present shades, and a surreal kind of Top Gun feeling that only a true Top Gun fan can fully relate to. The scenes, that motorbike ride into the sunset with just the right colors streaming in the backdrop certainly took my breath away as I was transported back 36 years ago, yet stayed in the present, loving the fact that such a beautiful, transient memory could be captured onscreen again, in the present, as a new story, yet evoke old sentiments.
Spoiler Alert!
A minor yet significant complaint, if any. The enemy in the plot was largely nonexistent. He came into existence through warplanes and aerial dog fights, however, strangely faceless, and lacked any sort of personality. Perhaps that was the narrative since the emphasis was emphatically on this side of the narrative. Coming to the narrative – Feel good with a capital F. Not a single life lost was stretching it far, knowing that the task was so hard, almost impossible to achieve. Yet, that was the narrative, to bring back everyone, taking it from the previous one, and all said and done, perhaps a feel-good return to the cinema moment is not such a bad idea after undergoing a heavy dose of COVID reality!
The ensemble cast includes Tom Cruise, Val Kilmer, Jennifer Connelly, Miles Teller, Glen Powell, Monica Barbaro, Ed Harris, Jon Hamm, Jean Louisa Kelly, Lewis Pullman, Lyliana Wray, Manny Jacinto, India Everett, Danny Ramirez, Jay Ellis, Greg Tarzan Davis, Charles Parnell, Jake Picking, Bob Stephenson, Kara Wang, Rachel Winfree, Bashir Salahuddin, Mark Anthony Cox, Chelsea Harris, Roberta Sparta, Randy Davison, & Raymond Lee, among others.
Joseph Kosinski has directed it and the screenplay was written by Christopher McQuarrie, Ehren Kruger, Peter Craig, Ashley Miller, Zack Stentz, Eric Singer, and Justin Marks. It’s been produced by Tom Cruise, Jerry Bruckheimer, Christopher McQuarrie, David Ellison, and Don Granger.
Top Gun Maverick you have certainly hit it out of the park. Here’s to many more films post-2022 that rely on strong storytelling, simple motives, and cinematography that takes your breath away in simple, sunsets and of course … needless to say a male lead like no other. 36 years on and he’s still taking our breath away!
