Story and tone

After 36 years, Tom Cruise returns to the role of Pete Mitchell, aka Maverick. The original 1986 film Top Gun has become a classic to some measure. The late British director Tony Scott, younger brother of Ridley Scott, directed the film.

It is hard to say whether it is necessary to watch the first part of the movie to understand it fully. The new version has an episode with flashbacks of the previous film, in which young Tom Cruise, Anthony Edwards, Meg Ryan, and Val Keamer appear. And Kosinski’s film itself is a complete piece, and you will only lose something if you watch Scott’s classics.

The sequel opens like the original, showing Top Gun’s creation in 1969 and jets launching from an aircraft carrier. At the same time, Kenny Loggins’ Danger Zone plays in the background, just like in the classic. It all makes you feel like you’re watching an old movie by accident, if not for the replacement of A-6 and F-14 aircraft with F-18 and F-35.

Now Pete Mitchell lives in an airplane hangar in the Mojave Desert in California alone and works as a Navy test pilot. However, Rear Admiral Kane, played by Ed Harris, says that the era of drones is coming, so the Navy will no longer need pilots.

Maverick receives an offer from his former rival from the first part and now best friend Tom Kazansky to train a new class of elite pilots at a fighter jet school in San Diego. Val Kilmer reprises Kazanski, and the film weaves the actor’s real-life battle with laryngeal cancer into the character.

Even decades later, Cruise’s character still grieves the death of his best friend, Goose (Anthony Edwards). So imagine his surprise when he learns that his friend’s son Rooster (Miles Teller) will be among the pilots he must train. The movie also tells the story of the death of Gusak’s wife. However, there is no mention of Charlie (Kelly McGillis), who was presented as the love of Maverick’s life at the time.

Nevertheless, there was a love storyline. Jennifer Connelly, one of the most talented Hollywood beauties, who played a small role in Sergio Leone’s cult Once Upon a Time in America back in the 80s, embodied the role of a single mother, Penny. She runs a local bar and once had a relationship with Maverick. The tandem of Cruise and Connelly is perfect. This also applies to the interaction between Maverick and Miles Teller’s characters, who create the dynamics of a father-son relationship.

Themes

At first glance, this is a movie for fans of the first part of Top Gun, but it is also a good blockbuster that deservedly took its place among the nominees. This movie is exactly that rare moment when a sequel surpasses the original.
Just for the sake of argument, nowadays, we realize the value of time. And if you want to watch a movie in this genre, don’t waste it on something second-rate.

Pros

• Tom Cruise delivers one of his most restrained and emotionally grounded performances.
• Strong continuity with the original film without relying entirely on nostalgia.
• Respectful and touching use of Val Kilmer’s character.
• Well-developed relationships between mentor and students.
• A sequel that feels complete and confident on its own.

Cons

• Some secondary characters lack deeper development.
• Viewers unfamiliar with the original may miss certain emotional nuances.
• The narrative follows a classic structure without major surprises.

Final verdict

Top Gun: Maverick is a rare example of a legacy sequel done right. It honors the original film without being trapped by it, offering both spectacle and genuine emotion. The film understands the passage of time, the weight of memory, and the cost of responsibility. More than a nostalgic return, it is a confident, mature blockbuster that proves some stories really do get better with age.