The patriotic portrayal of daredevil Naval aviators in "Top Gun" was one of the highlights of the '80s.
"Top Gun", directed by Tony Scott and released on May 16, 1986, was the macho movie that solidified Tom Cruise's reputation as a megawatt movie star that lit up the screen at Mach 2 with his hair on fire.
The sequel, "Top Gun: Maverick," is hitting the box office afterburners from director Joseph Kosinski with a stellar $156 million domestic opening weekend and Tom Cruise reprising his role as the charismatic icon.
In the new tab, Tom Cruise inquires about spaceflight.
"Top Gun: Maverick" is a crowd pleaser that hits every emotional note and never descends into nostalgic sentimentality or rides on the coattails of its 1986 predecessor, just when we were starting to lose faith in the Hollywood dream machine. This is the biggest opening weekend of Cruise's career, beating the Memorial Day record set by "Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End" in 1999. The widest release in Hollywood history is "Maverick", which is on 4,832 screens.
The son of the co-pilot who died in "Top Gun" after an ejection seat is being played byMiles Teller. This is not a repeat of a cash-grab.
The plot finds maverick 35 years old and trying to integrate into the digital age as a relic of another era. The test pilot was called back into action after pushing the envelope a bit too far in a stealth spy plane, where he was ordered to shepherd an inexperienced flock of Top Gun graduates towards new heights of advanced combat in FighterTown USA.
While acting as strike team leader for a suicide-type mission to destroy a rogue nation's uranium factory in a perilous mountain setting, Maverick finds closure and purpose while inspiring a younger generation to reach for their personal bests.
It feels like the right film for our divided country and its thrilling dogfights are the perfect antidote for stock market weakness and high gas prices. When was the last time you heard the crowd cheering at a movie? It has been a while.
It's refreshing to have your faith restored like a rebirth, cleansed in the waters of smart filmmaking where emotional payoffs arise from carefully drawn characters in an engaging screenplay.
The script by Ehren Kruger, Eric Warren Singer, and Christopher McQuarrie gives a full spectrum of emotion and beautiful pacing as we watch Tom Cruise do what he does best - be a certified movie star. The romantic side of the film features fireworks and glassy-eyed chemistry between the two lead characters, as well as the final sunset scene in a P51 mustang.
Astute aficionados of the 1986 flick will remember her character when she is mentioned in a scene where Maverick and Goose are reprimanded by their carrier commander and he tells them of their high speed pass. Mav was reminded that it wasPenny Benjamin.
Tony Scott's style of riveting flash cuts, musical cues, and penetrating close-ups made the original "Top Gun" so revolutionary. Eddie Hamilton has masterfully edited the F-18 Hornets' low-altitude runs and intense aerial combat, which are exhilarating to the point of inducing vertigo and will leave you breathless like that haunting Berlin song from the first film.
The top-notch cast includes Jon Hamm, Ed Harris, Glen Powell, Lewis Pullman and Danny Ramirez. Val Kilmer plays an ardent supporter of Tom "Iceman" Kazansky, who is now commander of the U.S. Pacific Fleet, in the second movie.
From the familiar melody of Harold Faltermeyer's "Top Gun" theme to Kenny Loggins' "Danger Zone," "Top Gun: Maverick" is a necessary trip down memory lane.
We encourage you to follow us on social networking sites.
All Rights Reserved © 2024
