Top Gun: Maverick has finally been screened for audiences, and the first reactions to the film are overwhelmingly positive, with some even going so far as to declare it better than the 1986 original. Starring Tom Cruise, Val Kilmer, and Kelly McGillis, Top Gun was an instant success and is now widely regarded as one of the best ‘80s movies ever. The film is also among Cruise’s best works, but it appears the upcoming Top Gun: Maverick is going to be a more than worthy sequel to its beloved predecessor.
Top Gun: Maverick has been in development for several years and only began production in 2018. The film has been delayed multiple times over the years but will finally be arriving in theaters next month. Top Gun: Maverick was screened for the attendees as part of Paramount Pictures' CinemaCon 2022 presentation. The viewers so far have nothing but praise for the movie. The aerial combat sequences, the story’s emotional core, and the performances, especially those of Tom Cruise and Miles Teller, were lauded.
Erik Davis of Fandango called it "absolutely terrific in every conceivable way." You can check out the reactions below.
Barry Hertz of The Globe and Mail also mentions an "extremely interesting geopolitical angle." That was always one of the mysteries, or more like a concern, surrounding Top Gun: Maverick, that who would be the bad guys. It looks like the film has handled the subject with care.
Many of the reactions have called the film "emotional" and "heartbreaking." Fans familiar with other recent legacy sequels are probably hoping no character gets the Luke Skywalker or Dewey Riley treatment.
Forbes’ Scott Mendelson was the only one with a somewhat mixed review, criticizing the "generic" story of Top Gun: Maverick.
These reactions tease everything fans were hoping for from Top Gun: Maverick. It was a gamble to make a sequel to an iconic film like Top Gun, and that too, three decades later. But it seems everything has worked out in the film’s favor, and all those extensive flying shots, reshoots, and the delays paid off massively.
Top Gun: Maverick Cast Underwent Intense Preparation to Play Their Roles
Tom Cruise is known for his incredible commitment to his craft, and he made sure the entire cast of Top Gun: Maverick wasn’t lagging in the same. Paramount recently released a featurette from the film, which shows Cruise undergoing training to play a navy fighter pilot. He also helped guide the young cast to get the feel of a fighter jet as Cruise himself has clocked in several hours of flying.
Director Joseph Kosinski told Empire last month that over 800 hours of footage was shot for Top Gun: Maverick. That is more than all three Lord of the Rings movies combined. Most of that was in the aerial sequences that took a lot of effort as the filmmakers wanted to be as authentic as possible and minimize the use of CGI. And judging by the reactions, the action is arguably the best part of Top Gun: Maverick and deserves to be seen on the biggest screen possible.
Top Gun: Maverick stars Tom Cruise as Captain Pete "Maverick" Mitchell, who trains a fresh batch of graduates from the US Navy’s Top Gun program. The film also features Miles Teller, Jennifer Connelly, Jon Hamm, Glen Powell, Ed Harris, and Val Kilmer.
Top Gun: Maverick will fly into theaters on May 27, 2022.