In Joseph Kosinki’s “Top Gun: Maverick,” Tom Cruise returns in the role of the supremely talented and confident Captain Pete “Maverick” Mitchell. Paramount Pictures studio is celebrating success: in just four days the film earned $156 million, which surpassed “Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End”. How is this possible?
The film’s success has exceeded the expectations of studios and market analysts, filling hopes for a full revival of the film industry after the coronavirus pandemic. The film was a success not only in financial terms. As of this moment, it has garnered as much as 96% positive reviews on Rotten Tomatoes. Wherein lies its phenomenon?
“Top Gun: Maverick” is a sequel that surpasses the original in every way. The film continues the story of a US Navy soldier. Pete “Maverick” Mitchell is testing new hypersonic intelligence aircraft. The problem is that the pilots are soon to be replaced by drones and artificial intelligence… Not wanting to let this happen, Pete must reach ten times the speed of sound. Seconded to Top Gun, Maverick is to prepare a group of pilots for a mission to bomb a uranium factory, which drones cannot reach for technical reasons.
The film’s plot itself is rather contrived, nevertheless it does not seem boring or stilted. On the contrary. The film is full of references to the original and Cruise’s other projects. Director Joseph Kosinski masterfully approached the theme and took advantage of the audience’s nostalgia. The film had room for frantic action and human drama.
In the original “Top Gun” the airplanes actually played the role of decoration, and in the new film the greatest emphasis is placed on them. They are an integral part of the film and blend harmoniously into it. The value of the film is also undoubtedly the characters with their problems and experiences. They are not just intrepid stuntmen, but flesh and blood people. This is particularly evident in the case of Maverick himself, who is not abandoned by his guilt over the death of his best friend. He gives expression to this with the extraordinary care he surrounds his son with.
Through all the frames of the film shines a longing for the original and an extraordinary respect for it. For this, the sequel deserves a five-plus. This is an old-school film shot in a new way.
It’s probably no secret to anyone that Tom Cruise likes to do all the tricks himself, without the help of stuntmen. And this film is no exception. As a result, all the scenes with his participation look very natural.
Here every scene is watched with bated breath. Kosinski showed the flights as they actually are. All action scenes were shot without the use of special effects, and you should know that they required extraordinary acrobatic skills in the skies. As you watch the stunt after stunt, you feel as if you were doing the twists, turns, quilts and spins around the axis yourself. In this respect, the new “Top Gun” surpasses not only the original, but most modern action films.
On the sound level, the film also deserves the highest praise. Particularly well sounded are the airplanes and the sounds of battles that drill you to the core. The drama and dynamism of the action are emphasized by a very well-chosen soundtrack. “Top Gun: Maverick” is an action film in the true sense of the word. Is it worth watching? Yes, yes and yes again!
main photo: unsplash.com/Nick Trentham
