Top Gun: MaverickRecently I have had a strange feeling deep inside, a hankering for something. Then I realised, it was a need.. a need for speed
I must admit to being a great fan of the original Top Gun and considering it was released way back in 1986 it still holds up pretty well today. I remember going to see it on several occasions, once driving over fifty miles to the newly opened multiplex at Milton Keynes (the only one in the country at the time I believe) as it came towards the end of its cinematic run.
So, after an eternity of broken promises Top Gun Maverick finally arrives.
Anticipation is high as the ominous, familiar tones of the theme tune run through the surround sound and we are treated to an almost identical opening sequence from the original with fighter jets taking off and landing whilst ground crews jig around and high five each other. It must be great to serve in the US Navy, they seem to have so much fun.
We find our protagonist as a newly sacked test pilot, for once again demonstrating the sort of reckless abandonment of rules and regulations that would have seen him court martialled a dozen times in the real world. However, this is Tom Cruise, and this is story time. Maverick is brought back to Top Gun to teach a bunch of the finest pilots the Navy has to offer for a an almost impossible mission. Obviously, the mere mortal pilots struggle and in the end its maverick who will have to lead the mission They are going to have fly faster and lower than anyone has before.. Wooo Hoooo!
So, what’s Maverick like?
The story is incredibly basic, and even cheesy in places. Spoonful’s of over sentimentality are poured over one-dimensional characters and for the first thirty minutes we are starting to have doubts about the hype.
Then the action kicks in and wow some of the sequences are beyond spectacular and even though some CGI is interjected, it’s almost impossible to tell.
What makes the action so exciting is for a good amount of time the actors are in fighter jets, pulling G's and turning and burning for real. They occupy the backseat of the plane, pretending to operate said vehicle, whilst someone who knows what they are doing does the good stuff at the front. We see our heroes faces vibrate and fill with blossoms of blood as they experience for real what it’s like to be in a jet with your hair on fire.
One can’t but fail to feel exhilaration as we go first person in a supersonic fighter jet twisting and turning at low level through narrow canyons and over high-topped trees. The action sequences are truly breath-taking, add to that some great aerial fight sequences as air to air missiles and enemy jets try to blow our guys out of the sky and we have a film that finally makes you realise the seven hundred trailers were worth it.
Top Gun Maverick is not Shakespeare... it’s a basic story and premise, but the execution of its action is of the highest quality, and I’m sure thats what makes my partner want to see it again and absolutely nothing to do with Tom Cruise in dress uniform
For suspension of disbelief action junkies, it doesn’t get much better than this
So, another excellent Fajita Friday topped off by some Top Gunning
81/10 Fajitas
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