Top Gun: Maverick
Top Gun: Maverick
Set 30 years after its predecessor, it follows Maverick's return to the United States Navy Strike Fighter Tactics Instructor program (also known as U.S. Navy-Fighter Weapons School - "TOPGUN"), where he must confront his past as he trains a group of younger pilots, among them the son of Maverick's deceased best friend Lieutenant Nick "Goose" Bradshaw, USN.
Mike reviewedOctober 11, 2024
Top Gun: Maverick is more than just an exciting experience, but the thrilling fighter jet scenes is where it shines the most
"What the enemy doesn’t know is your limit."
I did not expect this film to be this good. It was everything I wanted it to be... and more. It wasn't just an exciting experience with thrilling fighter jet flights, it was also a film with a strong emotional connection and solid humor that was delivered by some great acting. But I do have to admit that the fighter jets were definitely the aspect where this film shines the most.
The story and character arcs in this film were pretty cliché, but luckily they were supported by great pacing, great acting and a solid plot. The plot had a great balance between the action and non-action sequences, which heavily contributed to the overall pacing.
Although the character arcs were pretty cliché, I really liked the character arc and chemistry between Maverick and Rooster. The other characters didn't have much character development, which resulted in a muted emotional connection with them. This is in my opinion something the original film did better.
Another aspect I really liked was the fact that not only the pilots are prepared for the mission, but the viewer is too. This builds a lot of tension and nerve-wrecking moments during the third act, which made it very captivating.
The cinematography was really immersive and created a lot of tension during the action scenes. The cockpit shots with the center framed pilots really emphasized their reactions and facial expressions, which showed the stress they experienced during these action scenes. These shots also had the same aesthetics as the original film, which I liked. The fighter jet aerial shots were also really beautiful. With multiple impressive fighter jets on screen you don't want the cinematography to be distracting, you want the focus to go to the fighter jets so the viewer can be immersed in the action. This is exactly what the cinematography of Top Gun: Maverick achieved.
The cinematography wasn't the only thing that focussed on the fighter jets and the action, the audio did too. The audio in this film was, for me, the most impressive aspect of the film. The sound of the engines have a very strong impact on the viewer, which heavily contributed to the immersive experience. There is just something special about the roaring sound of a fighter jet.
Read full review at Letterboxd: Mike_v_E