Movie review—Top Gun: Maverick

Note: Steve (Unitog) is our resident Peep in training. Much like Top Gun, we put our trainees through a rigorous training regime before setting them loose. This is Steve’s first review for RunPee. We’d be delighted if you left him feedback in the comments below. 

Top Gun 1986 was a classic movie for me. Therefore, Top Gun: Maverick had some expectations to overcome. I’m happy to say they did what good sequels do: respect and acknowledge what came before while telling a new story. I’ll try not to make too many comparisons between the two movies, but we all know it’s going to happen.

High flying action intermixed with some funny moments, drama, and love interest. Those coming in with the expectation of a shoot-em-up will be disappointed. Until they are on the mission they have been training for. I enjoyed TG: Maverick for the ride that it was.

I’m not going to lie, there are similarities between the two movies. I know some naysayers might say it’s just a remake of the first one. A little formulaic. My counter would be the first Top Gun was just training them for dog fighting. With enemy dogfights at the beginning and end of the movie. While TG: Maverick had the training montages sure. But they’re training for a specific mission this time. I concede the point that this formula could be used for innumerable sequels. The basic components are the same: pilots, planes, training, and combat. The formula worked 36 years ago. Why not give it another go, for the younger generations.

Like the first TG, I assume this movie will inspire some people to try to become pilots.

Tell a friend to see it?
Yes

Would I rewatch it?
Yes

Would I want to own a copy?
Yes

Must-see in theaters?
Not a must-see in the theater. But I can tell they tried to maximize the IMAX experience. Might not transfer to the home experience.

Do you need to see the original to enjoy this one?
I don’t think you do. You probably could enjoy it for what it is. But it helps with the motivation and understanding of some of the drama.

Grade: A

About The Peetimes: There’s no question: this is one of the most difficult movies I’ve done Peetimes for. There’s not a single Peetime that I’d like to recommend. But, that’s the mission, so we do our best. If you can stand to miss the “volleyball homage” from the first movie then the third Peetime is the one I would recommend above the others. The last Peetime is decent. The building tension is the only thing that really happens.

There are no extra scenes during, or after, the end credits of Top Gun: Maverick.

Rated:	(PG-13) Some Strong Language | Sequences of Intense Action
Genres:	Action, Drama
Starring:	Tom Cruise, Jennifer Connelly, Miles Teller
Director:	Joseph Kosinski
Writer(s):	Ehren Kruger, Eric Warren Singer, Christopher McQuarrie
Language:	English
Country:	China, United States

Plot
After more than thirty years of service as one of the Navy’s top aviators, Pete Mitchell is where he belongs, pushing the envelope as a courageous test pilot and dodging the advancement in rank that would ground him.