Starring Tom Cruise

Which movie was better? The original or the sequel? While the 1986 movie is a classic, I think the editing and music pushes the 2022 movie into the lead. If you haven’t seen Top Gun: Maverick, you’ve been missing out!

Maverick is doing what he loves best, working as a test pilot for experimental navy planes, pushing the limits of human engineering and military regulations. But there’s one order he can’t ignore: sent back to the Top Gun training school, he is tasked with training the best-of-the-best for, essentially, a suicide mission to blow up a secret illegal nuclear site. (Russia? China? Take your pick!) But training these young pilots to complete the mission isn’t enough. Maverick is determined to make sure they come back alive – even if it requires him to defy his superiors, break the rules, and put his life on the line for one final mission.

Pros: Half of the appeal with this movie is knowing that CGI is limited. It would have been easy to shoot 90% of the movie on a sound stage. Instead, the actors did naval pilot training and took to the skies with the pros. Cameras were mounted inside the cockpits which the actors had to man while they said their lines and fought air sickness. Yes, Hollywood is fake, but this is about as close to realism as you’ll get nowadays.

Tom Cuise aside, the other half of the appeal is the unashamed patriotism. China banned the movie (their loss), and, like its predecessor, Top Gun: Maverick is responsible for a surge in recruitment. You can’t help walking away from this movie without feeling pride and gratitude for the valiant men and women who answered the call to defend our freedom.

Cons: The movie is rated PG-13 for violence and thematic elements (obviously). There is some language (including one usage of the f-word) and a closed-door sex scene where it’s pretty obvious what is going on. 

That said, unless you have young kids, it’s a pretty clean movie.

My only other tiny complaint is the formulaic storyline. It’s a cliche because it works, so I won’t whine too much.

Bottom Line: A rare modern-day Hollywood classic with as much guns-blazing, patriotic heroics as a John Wayne movie.