A force ten times that of gravity crushes your every organ, muscle, bone. You begin to lose consciousness, your plane cutting into the heavens at a hellish angle. All the while the enemy chases you. Feelin’ good?
I sure am! Top Gun: Maverick showed me an exhilarating, terror- and pride-inducing time. Twas a display of both human and big-screen excellence. Fun, fun, fun!
In this one, Captain Mitchell (perhaps the best fighter pilot the U.S. Navy has ever seen) is forced into and out of retirement in a flash. Each event is more surprising than the next, so when a new mission is presented that seems impossible even for drones to handle, we become invested.
But be patient sailor, we’ll have to wade through some slow and sappy stuff first. A substantial chunk of the first half of this movie is about the Captain’s past; filled with references and flashbacks. It’s hard to care or connect with what’s going on if you haven’t seen the prequel origin of these moments. All self-referential, no action. Like attending a school reunion for a school you didn’t attend.
This fluff is bookended by more meaningful emotional connection, though—and action. Oh my stars is there action. Impressive practical effects, seeing humans get thrown around by g-forces, having our fields of vision turned upside down . . . Good casting, a great lead; seamless editing, creative direction, and rumbling sound? Folks, prepare for takeoff!
So yeah we’re real close to the ground, going real fast, over.