A love letter to the original that’s an absolute joy.
Before we take the highway into the danger zone, please be assured that zero spoilers will be found here and rather, in it’s stead, will be a love letter to the love letter to the film I grew up with throughout my teenage years, as well as a retrospective film review I penned for the 1986 original film a decade or so ago. Top Gun: Maverick was an easy sell for me as I still adore the original, even in spite of it’s overall ridiculousness, and Thomas Cruise Mapother IV rarely (barely?) makes a bad film. Writing these words mere hours after seeing the film for the first time I’ve subjected my beautiful son and Wingman to a lengthy dissection of nearly all of Tom’s films, and I’ve gushed like a fanboy over nearly every one. Pool hustler, cocktail maker, racing car driver, Vietnam veteran, Sex guru, Sports agent. The career has been both kind and long to Tom Cruise, and by the time his acting career finally coalesced with my favourite music band Radiohead in an iconic and empty Times Square in the 2001 film Vanilla Sky, we still have two further decades of iconic cinematic roles over which to enthuse.
But here we are today, 36 years on from the original Top Gun film and he’s finally returned as Pete “Maverick” Mitchell, and within just five minutes of the film’s beginning you can relax and smile, because this film has been created lovingly in the inspiration of it’s 1986 original. Within the opening five minutes you have the “crawl” from the original film, the iconic 1980’s soundtrack, Maverick riding his high powered motorcycle before “buzzing” the Tower and our entry into a 21st Century Top Gun film, but written and presented as an adoring love letter to it’s predecessor. Where once Maverick and “Ice Man” (Val Kilmer) faced off to be top dog at their exclusive Naval air fighting school, you now have “Rooster” (Miles Teller) and “Hangman” (Glen Powell). Call Signs or nicknames of the past such as “Goose”, “Viper”, “Jester” or “Slider” have been updated for a new Century cast and crew of “Cyclone” (Jon Hamm), “Bob” (Lewis Pullman), “Hammer” (Ed Harris) and many more such as “Payback”, “Fanboy” or “Coyote” amongst the dozen of the very best of the best at the current Top Gun flying school, and brought together for a super secret mission of National defence.
So far, so a carbon copy of the original film. This trend continues throughout, from the soundtrack (though also duly updated), original songs such as “Great Balls of Fire”, barroom songs amid team and personal tensions, regrets for the past (and the continuation of the Father/Son through line), the volleyball game of the original has been brilliantly updated with a game of beach football and the hero must have a heroine and where once was “Charlie Blackwood” (Kelly McGillis) and Berlin’s iconic anthem of “Take My Breath Away”, we now have “Penny Benjamin” (Jennifer Connelly), and our hero can finally lay his ghosts of the past to rest and luxuriate into the real love of his life.
Or can he?
Stating this is a carbon copy of the original would seem to be damning it with faint praise but it’s actually, in this instance, the highest of praise. Director Joseph Kosinski deserves high praise too for the insertions of snippets from the 1986 original, and at exactly the right narrative moment too. Tom Cruise is his usual film star self and his enmity with Val Kilmer’s “Ice Man” fully put to bed in an embrace that perhaps said more about real life away from the screen than the beautiful performances on it. Jennifer Connelly simply adds yet more fun, smiles and laughter to an already overflowing barrel with Jon Hamm chewing the scenery around him magnificently and Monica Barbaro, Jay Ellis and Danny Ramirez all excelling as they replace the icons of the 1986 fighter training school with real aplomb.
It’s the Cruiser’s film, obviously, but please don’t discount Miles Teller (Whiplash, Thank You For Your Service) for his portrayal of the angst ridden ghost of the past and present Bradley “Rooster” Bradshaw. Both the casting and the inclusion of the character he inhabits was an easy one, but both are brilliantly to the fore.
I loved Top Gun: Maverick, but then again, I always hoped I would. Hope was fulfilled and many, many smiles were had.
Bravo.
Here follows my original spoiler free review of Top Gun I included within a complete career retrospective of it’s dearly departed and much missed director, Tony Scott. I’ve linked my original article at the foot of this review, as well as two of my most recently published film review articles.
PS — I’d like to think my writing has improved somewhat over the past decade!
“I feel the need. The need for Speed!”
For those unfamiliar with this eponymous mid 1980’s blockbuster, a very brief premise: Top Gun is a flight school for the USA Navy, the “best of the best”, “the elite”, a tough training school for ACM (Air Combat Manoeuvres) or air combat dog fighting. The front line of attack and defence for the USA Navy.
A stereotypical 1980’s film production from Jerry Bruckheimer and Don Simpson, this second film from Tony Scott remains a personal favourite from my teenage childhood. A film I still love and a film that never fails to make me smile 26 years since it’s original release, it has dated a little but to associate a film of this age as dating a little is barely a criticism. It’s not perfect by any means, with the main criticism residing in a stale, sometimes lame screenplay which, when viewed now retrospectively, stunts some of the performances. A film definitely of it’s time, but one that still holds it’s own and a benchmark of the 1980’s blockbuster genre.
Backed by the excellent musical score from Harold Faltermeyer, the soundtrack is highly recommended for those of a 40 years old plus vintage! Spawning numerous hits, the two most famous of which litter the film in varying guises. The film opens with “Danger Zone” by Kenny Loggins and this is splintered throughout the film, as is both an instrumental version and full version of Berlin’s eponymous hit “Take my Breath Away”. The soundtrack as a whole is superb, with two further world famous songs noted below. In addition to the soundtrack is a stellar cast, the majority of whom have become household acting names since release. But none more so than Tom Cruise, who plays “Maverick”. His duel and indeed dual scenes with Val Kilmer’s “Ice Man” is the centre of the film, two ace pilots determined to outdo the other, to prove they’re the “best of the best”, and one of the film’s many taglines. Anthony Edwards is on star form as “Goose” Maverick’s co-pilot, similarly Rick Rossovich as “Slider” co-pilot to Ice Man. Michael Ironside plays “Jester” brilliantly, as does Tom Skerritt, in a stand out performance as the older, more experienced and looked up to leader “Viper”. I could mention many more performances but will end by confirming a small cameo role for Tim Robbins as “Merlin”.
With a typical three act structure, we follow Maverick’s life, his troubles, his duality and the loveable core to his being. Fiercely defensive of his Partner Goose and of his own abilities, this leads to the other key central strand of the film and his developing friendship and love interest with “Charlie” (Kelly McGillis).
Two short scenes develop this perfectly.
Late for their “classified” date, Maverick, his motorcycle and Berlin’s instrumental “Take my Breath Away” leads to the sweetest scene of the film. Playful banter leads Maverick to reminisce about his parents, as “Sitting on the dock of the Bay” plays in the apartment.
“Maverick” — “You are direct, aren’t you?”
“Charlie” — “This is gonna be complicated”
Following a high speed chase, Berlin’s instrumental version of “Take my Breath Away” still playing, an angry confrontation leads Charlie to confess:
“But I held something back. I see some real genius in your flying Maverick, but I can’t say that in there”
There are many more notable scenes in this benchmark 1980’s blockbuster, the highlights being Viper reassuring Maverick of his Father’s brilliance during a beach side walk and the continual butting of heads between Maverick and Ice Man. But the gem scenes are reserved for the laughter and smiles that will break out every time you see this film:
The beach volleyball game for the utter 1980’s “feel” (and the accompanying song!), the Tower Flyby’s or “buzzing the Tower”, Goose’s young son sitting atop a piano as his Dad plays “Great Balls of Fire!” which leads to Meg Ryan’s minor cameo as “Carole” and her fantastic “Hey Goose, you big STUD! Take me to bed or lose me forever!” line. Which is my personal favourite of the entire film. Or indeed Maverick and Goose with their “You’ve lost that loving feeling” bar routine.
Yes the film has aged a little and I’m probably a little biased, but it’s still a wonderful film and brilliantly directed by Tony Scott.
Thanks for reading. Please see the links below to my comprehensive love in article on the films of Tony Scott (including the above review of the original Top Gun) and my two most recently published film articles.
There are many more within my bulging archives:
Tony Scott (1944–2012). A Cinematic Legend.
All 16 films. All lovingly appreciated. All spoiler free.medium.com
The Genius of Quentin Tarantino Vol 2
Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. Oozing with myopic love, not spoilers.medium.com
“Don’t Look Up” (2021)
Adam McKay wags the dog as he takes us all on a surreal reflection of the past two fear driven years of our lives.medium.com