Top Gun Maverick movie review: Tom Cruise’s latest film is a love letter to cinema

We have come to Top Gun week and I am super excited. In this post, I review Top Gun: Maverick and let you know whether or not you should check it out in theaters on Friday, May 27.

Top Gun Maverick follows Pete Mitchell, who, after more than 30 of service, is called to do one thing he’s never done before, teach. He must overcome his past and present in order to lead the next generation of pilots into battle.

I am speechless to the point where I don’t even know where to start my review. I rewatched the original Top Gun in preparation for Maverick. The movie is good, it’s very much a bro movie, but there’s nothing wrong with that. My expectations for Maverick were high regardless.

From the opening scene, the film sets the tone for the next two hours. You will laugh, you will cry, you will smile and you will cheer as you will be in complete awe of the film that is being presented to you.

Top Gun Maverick is a masterpiece all the way around

Let’s talk about the emotional layers of the film. There are callbacks to the original movie that never feel forced, and there’s also a sprinkle of new emotional elements that connect audiences to these new characters. I was shocked by the level of moments I found myself in a puddle of tears.

Speaking of new characters, I loved every single one of them, but the MVP is Rooster a.k.a. Miles Teller. Teller, from the moment we are introduced to him, we know has a story and one that the movie is going to be heavily invested in. As we peel back each layer of his story and the relationship between Rooster and Maverick, you find yourself so connected that every moment that they shared was more impactful than the last. Teller is a star and he shined like one.

I have to mention Tom Cruise, who is single handily the greatest movie star who has ever stepped foot in the world of film. Cruise’s approach is INSANE, we all know that but how this man raises the bar after each performance you think he couldn’t top the one before and he manages to do it time and time again. Man does he know how to reel you in with every possible facet of acting.

There’s a film that every once in a while reminds me of the power of cinema. The feeling of sitting in that theater chair and being engulfed in the screen for two hours and being completely blown away.

Joseph Kosinski’s work behind the camera did something that very few movies have ever done, it brought me to tears. As I mentioned, there was an emotional element of the film within the script that also brought me to tears, but I was in awe of the spectacle presented to us by Kosinski. He directed some of the most intense, insane, edge of your seat action shots I have ever seen. I give so much credit to the stunt team, to the rest of the cast who took on the task of flying these jets themselves and to anyone who had a hand in any part of the technical aspect of this film, it is a masterpiece all the way around.

Ultimately, Top Gun Maverick needs to be seen on the biggest screen possible. It is one of/if not the greatest action movies ever been made. Be prepared to take a ride on the wild side.

Top Gun: Maverick is in theaters on Friday, May 27, 2022.