Lamar Reviews - "Top Gun Maverick" (Airdate 6/3/2022)

Lamar Reviews - "Top Gun Maverick" (Airdate 6/3/2022)

I’m not sure if you guys remember but I have a thing about Tom Cruise, he’s a Scientology nut! In fact, he is the poster nut, the face that represents the rest of the nuts. But, when he steps in front of a camera he gives it everything he’s got. And boy does he bring it in this movie. This is one of those rare movie sequels that is actually better than the original. It has been 36 years since the original Top Gun. You don’t have to see the original to understand this one, it does stand alone. But if you see this without watching the original, or don’t remember the original, you are doing yourself a disservice.

The movie opens just like the original, on a carrier with jets taking off and landing. We see him riding a Kawasaki Ninja, racing a jet, and a few more scenes familiar to the original. But now Pete “Maverick” Mitchell is a test pilot for experimental aircraft. Right off the bat he and an Admiral, played by Ed Harris are at odds, He transfers Maverick to train pilots for a secret mission under orders from the Commander of the Pacific Fleet, Admiral Tom “Iceman” Kazansky, played by Val Kilmer. 

That right there is more than enough reason to know the history of “Maverick” and Ice Man” in the original movie. They have assembled the top pilots from the Top Gun flight school for this mission. The problem for Maverick is one of the pilots in the group is Lt. “Rooster” Bradshaw, played by Miles Teller, who is the son of the deceased “Goose” Bradshaw, that died in a plane crash with Maverick. Yet another reason you need to know what happened in the first Top Gun. Admiral Beau Simpson, played by Jon Hamm, is the Admiral in charge of this suicide mission. Maverick is determined to make sure the pilots that fly this mission are able to complete it, and come back alive. As you would expect Maverick and Admiral Simpson don’t see eye to eye.

There is a romantic component of course, and it involves and old flame of Maverick’s, whose life he has drifted in and out of over the years. Her name is Penny, and she is played by Jennifer Connelly. So, you have a mission, a navy pilot that doesn’t follow the rules, who is trying to connect with his dead best friends’ son who hates his guts, while training pilots to pull off an impossible mission, and rekindle a romance in his spare time.

All done with jet fighters screaming across the landscape in the background. All bases are covered for man, woman, or child to enjoy this movie.

The movie is a fast paced 2 hours, 10 minutes, Rated PG-13 for action and language.

This movie has it all. Action, intrigue, romance, and some moments that had me bawling, others had me cheering, and some had me doing both. Tom Cruise has grown as an actor in the last 36 years and it really shows in this movie.

To watch Tom Cruise and Val Kilmer in their scene was very touching, and very, very cool. Especially knowing what Kilmer is dealing with. I’m not sure if I mentioned this or not, you really need to have seen the original to get the full experience.

One of the best movies I’ve ever seen. Now I would be remiss if I didn’t give a shout out to Tom, let’s get you off of that “crazy train, last stop hell fire and damnation, onto the J-Team. Jesus ain’t mad at you, come on home. Eternity lasts a long time.

My Score: A Full 12PK of Ice-Cold Budweiser.

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