Review by David Baldwin for Mr. Will Wong
As we make our way through the third year of this never-ending Pandemic, it has become increasingly clear that Film audiences crave familiar characters and Intellectual Property (IP) when they venture out to the Movies. We as an audience have been conditioned to run out and see the latest Superhero movie on the biggest screen possible, and to wait to watch the less bombastic, less-familiar sounding films once they hit streaming services. At one point though, we rushed out to theatres to see Movie Stars who starred in high-concept movies that did not launch massive Franchises. Their name on a poster was enough to get butts in seats. Very few of those stars still exist today. The Characters are the stars now, not the Actors.
I am certain that sounds like the long-winded rant of a Boomer yelling at the clouds in the sky. Yet I challenge you to count out how many genuine Movie Stars there are left. People who can get audiences arriving in droves at just the sound of their name. Probably not many, right? Most of them have taken up streaming deals or are headlining prestige TV Shows that are consistently reimagining the scope of serial storytelling. But like him or not, there is one Movie Star who has remained steadfast in his love of the Cinema and continues to push the limits of his body to extreme lengths for our entertainment. And he has not been seen on movie screens for nearly four years.
Of course, I am talking about Tom Cruise – who after 36 long years and seven (!) release date changes here is finally returning to theatres in the role of Captain Pete “Maverick” Mitchell in TOP GUN: MAVERICK. When he played Maverick the first time, he transformed overnight into one of the biggest Movie Stars on the planet. For the long-awaited Sequel, he doubles-down and proves that there is still room for bona fide Movie Stars on the cinema marquee.
When we find Maverick at the beginning of the Film, he is a Navy Test Pilot with 30+ years flying experience. After taking part in an unauthorized test, he is called back to his old stomping grounds at the Top Gun flight school where he must train an elite group of graduates for a deadly mission. While he has his concerns, Maverick’s job becomes even more challenging when he discovers that one of his trainees is Lieutenant Bradley “Rooster” Bradshaw (Miles Teller), the son of Maverick’s late best friend, Goose.
What follows is the kind of breathless, high-octane entertainment we rarely see anymore. Though it follows the basic skeletal structure of the Original Film (right down to the opening text and smash cut into jets screeching off the aircraft carriers scored Kenny Loggins’ immortal “Danger Zone”), Director Joseph Kosinski has crafted the rare Sequel that betters its predecessor in almost every single way. As a lifelong fan of Tony Scott’s original film, I do not say those words lightly.
Practically every scene here is dialed-up past Mach 10 and delivers in a way that only the most massive of all Blockbusters can. Kosinski does not just strap a camera to the back of the jets and calls it a day. No, you are almost always in the cockpit, watching Cruise and the rest of the Cast flying actual fighter jets. Sure there are moments that have been spruced-up by CGI and aerial shots of these jets that are almost certainly being flown by actual Fighter Pilots. But I dare you to figure out which is which during these seamlessly edited scenes of jaw-dropping action that are peppered throughout the Film. I am losing my breath just thinking about some of the stunts and wild moments Kosinski was able to capture on-screen. They are eye opening and electrifying in all the right ways. He practically reinvents what is possible with an IMAX camera. The Third Act alone is an instant all-timer and demands to be seen on the biggest, loudest screen you can find (so warn the neighbours ahead of time if you are waiting for VOD).
I could continue praising those incredible action scenes, but they would be absolutely worthless without a great Cast. Thankfully, Kosinski and his team have assembled a group of Actors who are aces in their roles no matter their length of time on-screen. Teller is terrific as Rooster and does an impeccable job filling-in for Anthony Edwards. Monica Barbaro, Lewis Pullman and especially Glen Powell are great as Teller’s fellow Pilots, and Jon Hamm and Jennifer Connelly (in an age-appropriate romantic role) deliver solid supporting turns. Fans of Val Kilmer’s Iceman will be alternatively delighted and devastated by how he is integrated into the Plot.
As you might expect however, Cruise is the Film’s MVP. He slips back into the role of Maverick with ease and brings his trademark brand of charisma and precision to every scene. He may be an archaic dinosaur both figuratively and literally, yet he acts circles around everyone who strays into his sights. He injects just the right amount of humour into the Film and brightens-up every scene when he shines that legendary grin. Where he really soars is in the moments he is haunted by the grief of Goose’s death. It adds a much-needed layer of emotion and pathos, and really allows Cruise to flex his brilliant dramatic chops. It gives Maverick a dimension that was only hinted at in the Original Film and gives a valid reason for allowing Cruise to finally revisit this fan favourite character.
And because I have to note it somewhere, the Soundtrack is very good though not quite as legendary and game-changing as its Predecessor. That said, Lady Gaga’s “Hold My Hand” is a certified Banger.
TOP GUN: MAVERICK is an absolutely stunning Blockbuster in all sense of the word. It left me breathless and sweating, not daring to let go of my armrests until the Credits stopped. Kosinski and his team have delivered the blueprint for a brand of Action film that does not involve Superheroes, and does an incredible job paying homage to both the Original Film and the vision of the late, great Tony Scott (who the Film is dedicated to). The Cast is aces, and they complement another brilliant turn from Cruise. His dedication to Cinema is unrivaled, and his commitment to delivering one of the best theatrical experiences in years is cause for celebration like no other. So grab your Aviators, and strap in. Because if you are anything like me, then you too will feel the need. The need…for speed!
Paramount Pictures Canada release TOP GUN: MAVERICK exclusively in theatres on Friday, May 27, 2022.
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