Two years. We’ve been waiting two years to see this movie, thanks to Covid, but the wait is almost over. You could safely say TOP GUN was the film that solidified Tom Cruise as a blockbuster movie star way back in 1986. In the decades that followed, there have been rumors about a possible sequel, and now almost 35 years later, we’re finally getting that follow up. Cruise re-teams with director Joseph Kosinski (OBLIVION) and is joined by Miles Teller, Jennifer Connelly, Jon Hamm, Glen Powell, Lewis Pullman, and Ed Harris in TOP GUN: MAVERICK. In an age where Hollywood is frequently going back to the well with sequels, this might just be one of the very best yet.

From the opening seconds, you can tell the powers that be knew exactly how to deliver what the fans wanted. The Harold Faltermeyer theme from the 1986 film gives us chills as the Paramount logo takes the screen, then there’s the exposition text that mirrors that of the first film, followed by the titles that are also done just like the original. And then within a few more seconds, we’re watching planes taking off and landing on aircraft carriers as Kenny Loggins sings “Dangerzone” …if you’re even a casual fan of the first movie, you’ll be grinning from ear to ear as this sequel gets going. Maverick (Cruise) is now spending his days in an old airplane hanger fixing antique planes, but still finds himself helping out the Navy with experimental flights, and is about to finish out an ambitious mission testing a super fast stealth plane, but is told the program is being shut down because it’s not pushing the limits enough. So of course, Maverick being Maverick, he decides to defy orders from the top brass, and prove he can go beyond the limits of the program he and his support team were ordered to abandon. His defiance should have resulted in him being shut down for good, but instead it leads to him being assigned as an instructor to a group of younger pilots who must take on a risky mission to destroy a top secret weapons factory in enemy territory. Adding to Maverick’s stress is the fact that one of the pilots he must train is call sign “Rooster” (Miles Teller), the son of his friend Goose, who died tragically in the events of the first film. And much like the story of the original, these young pilots are all full of enthusiasm, but a little too cocky for their own good and lacking unity. As the mission gets closer, Maverick struggles to get the team up to speed, and also rekindles a romance with local bar owner Penny (Jennifer Connelly) who is now raising a daughter by herself from a previous relationship.

As a sequel, TOP GUN: MAVERICK is incredibly satisfying and plays very well, but is also very much relying on viewers having seen and remembering the first film, despite having flashbacks in the movie as reminders. This may also be the biggest possible weakness of the sequel, as many of the events here and the charm of the Maverick character would be lost on viewers who haven’t seen the original. For Tom Cruise, this movie is a big reminder of just how endearing he can be, and he really brings a new depth to the role this time around. This Maverick may still be cocky, but he is also more seasoned and still tortured by his own shortcomings and past failures. Cruise knows what he’s doing, and he’s really making the most of this return – as much as I like those MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE movies, I actually think I enjoyed seeing him reprise this role even more, and I was only a casual fan of the first one. This movie also brings back Val Kilmer as Iceman, and I won’t spoil how he’s used in the film, but like many of the familiar elements here it is a satisfying and even heartwarming element. Kilmer has been fighting throat cancer in real life, and this has prevented him from acting much and has even made speaking nearly impossible, but they still manage to make him a strong and looming presence in this movie, and use him to great effect in a way that will make fans happy. Jennifer Connelly does a great job playing the potential love interest this time around, but her character feels a little underwritten, and I almost felt like she could have been left out entirely and not hurt the film’s narrative, since a bulk of the movie really is about Maverick and the mission he’s in charge of. Miles Teller is pretty good in his role as Goose’s frustrated son, and his struggles here make for an interesting element in the story, and a solid challenge for Maverick to deal with. If they decide to make this new TOP GUN the start of a new franchise, I could easily see him taking the lead in the next outing. Glen Powell is one of the strongest and most effective of the new characters, playing a sort of antagonistic presence for the young recruits, but one that also may just deserve his confidence more than the others. Some of the other characters don’t get much to do, but I imagine there may have been some decisions made in editing to stick with some of the stronger story elements, which may have resulted in certain roles getting reduced down a bit. Jon Hamm and Ed Harris add some gravitas playing top ranking foils for Maverick to deal with, but I wish Ed Harris had more to do in the film as he ends up being a glorified cameo.

Director Joe Kosinski does a terrific job of making this new movie look and feel like the original, while still delivering a new and sleek feel to the proceedings. It’s easy to see why Cruise wanted to work with him again, and I still contend their previous work together on OBLIVION was not appreciated enough, so it’s great to see them teaming up once more. This movie should definitely put Kosinski on the map as a solid A-list director. Just seeing the actors actually in real cockpits and really flying through the skies makes the visuals here really impressive, and every penny is on the screen in a big way. It could be argued that the first half of TOP GUN: MAVERICK is stronger than the second half, but the overall film is a lot of fun and really delivers as a sequel in a big way. I’ll be honest, I wasn’t terribly excited to see this movie initially, as again I was only a casual fan of the original, but I’m very happy with the end result and it’s safe to say that as a continuation of the original story, this is an extremely satisfying moviegoing experience… perhaps, in some ways, even better than the first film.

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