"This is a waste of money and time," I told my partner about 10 minutes into the movie. "It's so boring," I added. She nodded in agreement as I pondered the wisdom of my decision to see this movie of all the others that were showing.
But boy, was I wrong?
Top Gun: Maverick is the over three-decade-long-awaited sequel to the 1986 movie Top Gun. That movie catapulted Tom Cruise to the forefront of the Hollywood movie industry. So, it was only natural to expect him to deliver a riveting performance in homage to the original, especially since he was one of the producers.
And that he did.
The movie started slowly – at least for me. Tom Cruise's character Pete "Maverick" Mitchell, a navy pilot, has somehow managed to avoid advancing in rank for 35 years. Any rank advancement would see him trade him flying for a desk job, so he has stalled at the captain rank. When the movie begins, he is a test pilot who does some dangerous, avant-garde things for the navy.
Unfortunately for him, the people in charge are considering putting him out to pasture. Fortunately for him, his old rival (Val Kilmer as Iceman) is an admiral who looks out for him. Maverick is offered two options: retire or work as an instructor to some promising navy aviators who were to embark on a "Mission: Impossible" operation. His admiral friend convinces him to choose the latter.
Along the line, he finds love and forgiveness and converts a class of rivals into a team of people who laugh and look out for each other.
Top Gun: Maverick is a beautiful movie that tells a heart-warming story of dedication, passion, love, and friendship. It is awe-inspiring, hilarious, and fun. I, my friend, and the myriad other cinema-goers I saw the movie with went through many oohs and aahs. We also went through many fist-pumping hoorahs. The tension in the film was palpable yet not overdone.
Tom Cruise is one of the few remaining members of the old guard (of actors) still firing on all cylinders. While the movie started slowly and seemed dull, my opinion of it had done a 180 by the time it ended. Once again, Tom Cruise proved why he is one of Hollywood's most influential stars.
I left the cinema feeling lighter, more ecstatic, and happier. And I recommend the movie to all film lovers, especially those with a bias for the action genre.
