Tom’s still the Top Gun after 40 years
The almost four decade wait for the second installment in the Top Gun franchise is finally over for moviegoers as it’s available to watch in cinema’s. I had to view it on its opening weekend and clearly, I wasn’t alone, as it made $156 million dollars opening weekend, breaking records.
Tom Cruise reprises his stand out role of Captain Pete ‘Maverick’ Mitchell staring alongside Val Kilmer, returning as Lt Tom ‘Iceman’ Kazansky, however it also introduces new Top Gun recruits with Miles Teller as Lt Bradley ‘Rooster’ Bradshaw, as well as Glen Powel, Monica Barbaro, Lewis Pullman, Danny Ramirez and Jay Ellis as we follow Maverick preparing them for an advanced mission.
This film has been in my ‘must-watch’ since it got announced and I wasn’t disappointed. It perfectly encapsulates the essence of the 80s but with a modern twist, starting right from the beginning with the credits being shown before the film, like the old Hollywood films, to the flight scenes inside the cockpits of F-18s and the soundtrack featuring iconic songs from the first film such as Danger Zone by Kenny Loggins with the new soundtrack featuring Lady Gaga and her track, Take my Hand. The nostalgia of this second film gives a direct continuation on from the first one, with the only telling signs of how much time has passed being that Rooster is the son of Maverick’s original wingman, LTJG Nick ‘Goose’ Bradshaw, and the few wrinkles of Cruise’ face. But even then, the 36 years are hardly noticeable.
The films use of special effects during high impact scenes are amazingly crisp and high tech. With the addition of the loud audio in a cinema accompanying it, it completely takes over the audience and makes sure they are fully present in the moment. Helping them to understand what the characters are feeling as they enter dangerous situations and try to survive as the odds are against them.
The references to the first film are not a huge part, so if you haven’t seen the first Top Gun, you won’t miss the plot, but it adds some useful back story especially between Maverick and Rooster. Overall, this film is a must-watch, and I would recommend it to anyone who really enjoyed the first film or is a fan of action movies.
You can watch the trailer here: https://youtu.be/giXco2jaZ_4
Words by Ben Wheeler
