At first when I learnt of a Top Gun sequel, I was apprehensive of what it might be. But then, considering the fact that Tom Cruise was releasing this 36 years after the original and generally his movies are pretty good, I thought I’d find out for myself. I was very satisfied with all that was on offer.
MAIN CAST
Tom Cruise as Capt. Pete Michell (Maverick)
Miles Teller as Lt. Bradley Bradshaw (Rooster)
Glen Powell as Lt. Jake Seresin (Hangman)
Monica Barbaro as Lt. Natasha Trace (Phoenix)
Jennifer Connelly as Penny Benjamin
Val Kilmer as Adm. Tom Kazansky (Iceman)
BASIC PLOT
The story revolves around Maverick’s last tryst with the U.S. Naval Fighter Weapons School, TOP GUN. The best pilots there are to be trained for a very low altitude mission, set amidst an undulating terrain where they would have to evade surface to air defence systems, enemy fighter jets and complete a quick steep and long consecutive descent and ascent after 2 hits on targets without scope of failure and escape back home alive. This has to be achieved with relatively less time to train for, especially for pilots who are, thus far, not really trained in low altitude warfare where the gravity’s pull would be more intense and there is very low margin for error with the defence systems and uneven rocky terrain. Maverick has been recommended as an instructor for the same by Iceman, his former wingman and rival. To make things a bit more complicated emotionally, Maverick has to work with/train his former Radar Intercept Officer Goose’s son, among others. He hadn’t yet forgiven himself for Goose’s death. Nor was ’Rooster’, his son entirely convinced that Maverick wasn’t to blame for it. With this emotional cold war twist to go with the daunting task at hand, the story plays out as an intense war-action drama/thriller with a small romantic sub-plot and a few comedic scenes.
TAKEAWAYS FROM THE FILM
1]I think Tom Cruise really nails it in this film. Generally, his performances are associated with a lot of energy. Sometimes because the roles he chooses, demand so. At other times, it is because his portrayal is such. Perhaps, that is what comes naturally to him.
This is a perfectly believable version of a much older Maverick, who is still the same competitive daredevil at the core. But he doesn’t go into foolhardy overdrive with his emotions and bravado. He keeps in touch with practicality, while still achieving daring feats and fulfilling his responsibilities as an instructor (Unless when he doesn’t have a choice! :D).
Other supporting performances are also pretty good.
2]I think the editing of the film was pretty good. They covered so many things and the runtime was just 2 hours and 11 mins. No scene felt either too long or short or not properly fleshed out.
3]The film director Joseph Kosinski has also done an apt job here. He seems to work with Tom Cruise, this being their 2nd outing together.
4]Some of the best scenes in the movie are:
->When Maverick and Rooster are able to overcome an onslaught of 3 Su-57 fighters in their old and cranky F14A-TomCat plane with an impromptu offense.
->When Maverick demonstrates how the mission can be accomplished to the people at TOPGUN. That particular sequence may have been marginally more exciting than the actual mission.
->There are other scenes which remind you of the old film like those of the rivalry between ’Hangman’ and ’Rooster’ akin to those between ’Maverick’ and ’Iceman’. NextGen rivalries.
->The scene with ’Maverick-Iceman’ here is surprisingly pleasantly funny, considering their past.
->One of the Penny-Maverick scenes is also quite funny when Maverick has to exercise a hasty exodus from her home upon the unplanned arrival of her daughter.
5]Maybe, to a certain extent, the fact that Maverick escapes death while being on the brink of it owing to timely help from ’Rooster’ on 1 occasion and ’Hangman’ on the other, can feel a bit idealistic. But this kind of film was never meant to be a Shakespearean tragedy. The sequence of events are logically plausible.
6]Scoring of this film was also done adequately. I didn’t find it overtly positive or negative.
7]A lot of the stunt work was done in more realistic scenarios as is generally the case in Tom Cruise films. The camerawork in the planes was pretty good.
All in all, it turned out to be a worthy sequel and everything I could’ve hoped for, in such a film. I would probably give it a 9.5 or 9.5+/10, for the kind of film it is.