top gun new movie reviews

Movie Reviews

Tv/streaming, collections, great movies, chaz's journal, contributors, top gun: maverick.

Now streaming on:

In “Top Gun: Maverick,” the breathless, gravity and logic-defying “ Top Gun ” sequel that somehow makes all the sense in the world despite landing more than three decades after the late Tony Scott ’s original, an admiral refers to Tom Cruise ’s navy aviator Pete Mitchell—call sign “ Maverick ”—as “the fastest man alive.” It’s a chuckle-inducing scene that recalls one in “Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation,” when Alec Baldwin ’s high-ranking Alan Hunley deems Cruise’s Ethan Hunt, “the living manifestation of destiny.” In neither of these instances are Cruise’s co-stars exclusively referring to his make-believe screen personas. They are also (or rather, primarily) talking about the ongoing legacy of Cruise the actor himself. 

Truth be told, our fearless and ever-handsome action hero earns both appraisals with a generous side of applause, being one of the precious remnants of bona-fide movie superstardoms of yore, a slowly dwindling they-don’t-make-'em-like-they-used-to notion of immortality these days. Indeed, Cruise’s consistent commitment to Hollywood showmanship—along with the insane levels of physical craft he unfailingly puts on the table by insisting to do his own stunts—I would argue, deserves the same level of high-brow respect usually reserved for the fully-method sorts such as Daniel Day-Lewis . Even if you somehow overlook the fact that Cruise is one of our most gifted and versatile dramatic and comedic actors with the likes of “ Born on the Fourth of July ,” “ Magnolia ,” “ Tropic Thunder ,” and “ Collateral ” under his belt, you will never forget why you show up to a Tom Cruise movie, thanks in large part to his aforesaid enduring dedication. How many other household names and faces can claim to guarantee “a singular movie event” these days and deliver each time, without exceptions?

In that regard, you will be right at home with “Top Gun: Maverick,” director Joseph Kosinski ’s witty adrenaline booster that allows its leading producer to be exactly what he is—a star—while upping the emotional and dramatic stakes of its predecessor with a healthy (but not overdone) dose of nostalgia. After a title card that explains what “Top Gun” is—the identical one that introduced us to the world of crème-de-la-crème Navy pilots in 1986—we find Maverick in a role on the fringes of the US Navy, working as an undaunted test pilot against the familiar backdrop of Kenny Loggins’ “Danger Zone.” You won’t be surprised that soon enough, he gets called on a one-last-job type of mission as a teacher to a group of recent Top Gun graduates. Their assignment is just as obscure and politically cuckoo as it was in the first movie. There is an unnamed enemy—let’s called it Russia because it’s probably Russia—some targets that need to be destroyed, a flight plan that sounds nuts, and a scheme that will require all successful Top Gun recruits to fly at dangerously low altitudes. But can it be done?

It’s a long shot, if the details of the operation—explained to the aviator hopefuls in a rather “It can’t be done” style reminiscent of “ Mission: Impossible ”—are any indication. But you will be surprised that more appealing than the prospect of the bonkers mission here is the human drama that co-scribes Ehren Kruger , Eric Warren Singer , and Christopher McQuarrie spin from a story by Peter Craig and Justin Marks . For starters, the group of potential recruits include Lt. Bradley “Rooster” Bradshaw ( Miles Teller , terrific), the son of the dearly departed “Goose,” whose accidental death still haunts Maverick as much as it does the rest of us. And if Rooster’s understandable distaste of him wasn’t enough (despite Maverick’s protective instincts towards him), there are skeptics of Maverick’s credentials— Jon Hamm ’s Cyclone, for instance, can’t understand why Maverick’s foe-turned-friend Iceman ( Val Kilmer , returning with a tearjerker of a part) insists on him as the teacher of the mission. Further complicating the matters is Maverick’s on-and-off romance with Penny Benjamin (a bewitching Jennifer Connelly ), a new character that was prominently name-checked in the original movie, as some will recall. What an entanglement through which one is tasked to defend their nation and celebrate a certain brand of American pride ...

In a different package, all the brouhaha jingoism and proud fist-shaking seen in “Top Gun: Maverick” could have been borderline insufferable. But fortunately Kosinski—whose underseen and underrated “Only The Brave” will hopefully find a second life now—seems to understand exactly what kind of movie he is asked to navigate. In his hands, the tone of “Maverick” strikes a fine balance between good-humored vanity and half-serious self-deprecation, complete with plenty of quotable zingers and emotional moments that catch one off-guard.

In some sense, what this movie takes most seriously are concepts like friendship, loyalty, romance, and okay, bromance. Everything else that surrounds those notions—like patriotic egotism—feels like playful winks and embellishments towards fashioning an old-school action movie. And because this mode is clearly shared by the entirety of the cast—from a memorable Ed Harris that begs for more screen time to the always great Glen Powell as the alluringly overconfident “ Hangman ,” Greg Tarzan Davis as “Coyote,” Jay Ellis as “ Payback ,” Danny Ramirez as “Fanboy,” Monica Barbaro as “ Phoenix ,” and Lewis Pullman as “Bob”—“Top Gun: Maverick” runs fully on its enthralling on-screen harmony at times. For evidence, look no further than the intense, fiery chemistry between Connelly and Cruise throughout—it’s genuinely sexy stuff—and (in a nostalgic nod to the original), a rather sensual beach football sequence, shot with crimson hues and suggestive shadows by Claudio Miranda . 

Still, the action sequences—all the low-altitude flights, airborne dogfights as well as Cruise on a motorcycle donned in his original Top Gun leather jacket—are likewise the breathtaking stars of “Maverick,” often accompanied by Harold Faltermeyer ’s celebratory original score (aided by cues from Hans Zimmer and Lorne Balfe ). Reportedly, all the flying scenes—a pair of which are pure hell-yes moments for Cruise—were shot in actual U.S. Navy F/A-18s, for which the cast had to be trained for during a mind-boggling process. The authentic work that went into every frame generously shows. As the jets cut through the atmosphere and brush their target soils in close-shave movements—all coherently edited by Eddie Hamilton —the sensation they generate feels miraculous and worthy of the biggest screen one can possibly find. Equally worthy of that big screen is the emotional strokes of “Maverick” that pack an unexpected punch. Sure, you might be prepared for a second sky-dance with “Maverick,” but perhaps not one that might require a tissue or two in its final stretch.

Available in theaters May 27th. 

Tomris Laffly

Tomris Laffly is a freelance film writer and critic based in New York. A member of the New York Film Critics Circle (NYFCC), she regularly contributes to  RogerEbert.com , Variety and Time Out New York, with bylines in Filmmaker Magazine, Film Journal International, Vulture, The Playlist and The Wrap, among other outlets.

Now playing

Bring Him to Me

Glenn kenny.

Apples Never Fall

Cristina escobar.

Wicked Little Letters

Sheila o'malley.

Brian Tallerico

Do Not Expect Too Much from the End of the World

Ordinary Angels

Film credits.

Top Gun: Maverick (2022)

Rated PG-13 for sequences of intense action, and some strong language.

131 minutes

Tom Cruise as Captain Pete 'Maverick' Mitchell

Miles Teller as Lt. Bradley 'Rooster' Bradshaw

Jennifer Connelly as Penny Benjamin

Jon Hamm as Vice Admiral Cyclone

Glen Powell as Hangman

Lewis Pullman as Bob

Charles Parnell as Warlock

Bashir Salahuddin as Coleman

Monica Barbaro as Phoenix

Jay Ellis as Payback

Danny Ramirez as Fanboy

Greg Tarzan Davis as Coyote

Ed Harris as Rear Admiral

Val Kilmer as Admiral Tom 'Iceman' Kazansky

Manny Jacinto as Fritz

• Joseph Kosinski

Writer (based on characters created by)

• Jack Epps Jr.

Writer (story by)

• Peter Craig
• Justin Marks
• Ehren Kruger
• Eric Warren Singer
• Christopher McQuarrie

Cinematographer

• Claudio Miranda
• Chris Lebenzon
• Eddie Hamilton
• Lorne Balfe
• Harold Faltermeyer
• Hans Zimmer

Latest blog posts

Steve Martin Is an Auteur Without Having Directed a Thing

The Unloved, Part 124: Play Dirty

Beyoncé and My Daughter Love Country Music

A Poet of an Actor: Louis Gossett, Jr. (1936-2024)

• International edition
• Australia edition
• Europe edition

Top Gun: Maverick review – irresistible Tom Cruise soars in a blockbuster sequel

Cinema’s favourite ageless fighter pilot returns with all the nail-biting aeronautics and emotional sucker punches that made the original an 80s-defining hit

A nd we’re back. A full 36 years (including some Covid-related runway delays) after Tony Scott’s big-screen recruitment advert for US naval aviators became an epoch-defining cinema hit, Tom Cruise is back doing what he does best – flashing his cute/crazy superstar smile and flexing his bizarrely ageless body in an eye-popping blockbuster that, for all its daft macho contrivances, still manages to take your breath away, dammit.

From the burnished opening shots of planes waltzing off an aircraft carrier to the strains of Kenny Loggins’s Danger Zone , little has changed in the world of Top Gun – least of all Cruise. Maverick may be testing jets out in the Mojave desert, but he’s still got the jacket, the bike(s), the aviator shades and (most importantly) the “need for speed” that made him a hit back in 1986. He also has the machine-tooled rebellious streak that has prevented him rising above the level of captain – showcased in an opening Mach 10 sequence that doesn’t so much tip its hat to Philip Kaufman’s The Right Stuff as fly straight past it with a super-smug popcorn-eating grin. See ya, serious movie suckers!

“Your kind is headed for extinction,” growls Ed Harris’s forward-looking rear admiral (nicknamed the “Drone Ranger”) before admitting through gritted teeth that Maverick has in fact been called back to the Top Gun programme – not to fly, but to teach the “best of the best” how to blow up a uranium enrichment plant at face-melting velocity, a mission that will require not one but “ two consecutive miracles”. “I’m not a teacher,” Maverick insists, “I’m a fighter pilot.” But, of course, he can be both.

True to form, Maverick promptly throws the rulebook in the bin ( literally – the metaphors are not subtle) and tells his team of fresh-faced hopefuls that the only thing that matters is “your limits; I intend to find them, and test them”. Cue dog-fight training sequences played out to classic jukebox cuts, while thrusting young guns do 200 push-ups on the runway. In the local bar, an underused Jennifer Connelly serves up drinks and love-interest sass (Kelly McGillis was apparently not invited to this party) while Miles Teller ’s Rooster bangs out Great Balls of Fire on the piano, prompting a flashback to Maverick cradling Anthony Edwards’s Goose, who got famously cooked in the first film.

And therein lies what passes for the heart of the piece; because Rooster is Goose’s son, and Maverick (who still blames himself) doesn’t want to be responsible for history repeating itself. “If I send him on this mission,” Cruise emotes, “he might not come back; if I don’t send him, he’ll never forgive me. Either way I could lose him for ever.” Tough call, bro.

Cruise has described making a Top Gun sequel as being like trying to hit a bullet with a bullet – which is exactly the kind of thing that Maverick would say. Yet working with director Joseph Kosinski (with whom Cruise made Oblivion ) and scriptwriters including regular collaborator Christopher McQuarrie, he has done just that. For all its nostalgic, Miller Time sequences of shirtless beach sports and oddly touching character callbacks (a cameo from Val Kilmer ’s Iceman proves unexpectedly affecting), Top Gun: Maverick offers exactly the kind of air-punching spectacle that reminds people why a trip to the cinema beats staying at home and watching Netflix.

The plot trajectory may be predictable to the point of ridicule (like Richard Gere in An Officer and a Gentleman , Tom is going up where he belongs) but the emotional beats are as finely choreographed as the stunts. As for the “don’t think, just do” mantra (a cheeky rehash of Star Wars ’s “Use the force, Luke”), it’s as much an instruction to the audience as to the pilots.

Personally, I found myself powerless to resist; overawed by the ‘“real flight” aeronautics and nail-biting sky dances, bludgeoned by the sugar-frosted glow of Cruise’s mercilessly engaging facial muscles, and shamefully brought to tears by moments of hate-yourself-for-going-with-it manipulation. In the immortal words of Abba’s Waterloo, “I was defeated, you won the war”. I give up.

• Top Gun: Maverick
• Mark Kermode's film of the week
• Action and adventure films
• Miles Teller

Most viewed

Advertisement

Supported by

‘Top Gun: Maverick’ Review: Will This Stuff Still Fly?

Tom Cruise takes to the air once more in a long-awaited sequel to a much-loved ’80s action blockbuster.

• Share full article

By A.O. Scott

Every so often in “Top Gun: Maverick,” Pete Mitchell (that’s Maverick) is summoned to a face-to-face with an admiral. Pete, after all these years in the Navy — more than 35, but who’s counting — has stalled at the rank of captain. He’s one of the best fighter pilots ever to take wing, but the U.S. military hierarchy can be a treacherous political business, and Maverick is anything but a politician. In the presence of a superior officer he is apt to salute, smirk and push his career into the middle of the table like a stack of poker chips. He’s all in. Always.

The first such meeting is with Rear Adm. Chester Cain, a weathered chunk of brass played by Ed Harris, who has an impressive in-movie flight record of his own. (Without “The Right Stuff,” there would have been no “Top Gun.”) He seems to be telling Pete that the game is over. Thanks to new technology, flyboys like him are all but obsolete.

Based on this scene, you might think that the movie is setting out to be a meditation on American air power in the age of drone warfare, but that will have to wait for the next sequel. Pete still has a job to do. A teaching job, officially, but we’ll get to that. The conversation with Cain is not so much a red herring as a meta-commentary. Pete, as I’m sure I don’t have to tell you, is the avatar of Tom Cruise, and the central question posed by this movie has less to do with the necessity of combat pilots than with the relevance of movie stars. With all this cool new technology at hand — you can binge 37 episodes of Silicon Valley grifting without leaving your couch — do we really need guys, or movies, like this?

“Top Gun: Maverick,” directed by Joseph Kosinski ( “Tron: Legacy” ), answers in the affirmative with a confident, aggressive swagger that might look like overcompensation. Not that there is a hint of insecurity in Cruise’s performance — or in Maverick’s. On the brink of 60, he still projects the nimble, cocky, perennially boyish charm that conquered the box office in the 1980s.

Back then — in Tony Scott’s “Top Gun” — Pete was a brash upstart striving to stand out amid the camaraderie and competition of the super-elite Top Gun program. He seduced the instructor Charlie (Kelly McGillis), locked horns with his golden-boy nemesis, Iceman (Val Kilmer), and lost his best friend and radar intercept officer, Goose (Anthony Edwards). Ronald Reagan was president and the Cold War was in its florid final throes, but “Top Gun” wasn’t really a combat picture. It was, at heart, a sports movie decked out in battle gear, about a bunch of guys showboating, trash talking and trying to outdo one another.

Times have changed somewhat. Pete is the instructor now, called to the North Island naval base to train a squad of eager young fliers for an urgent, dangerous mission. The frat-house atmosphere of the ’80s has been toned down, and the pilots are a more diverse, less obnoxious bunch.

One advantage to the long gap between chapters is that the many credited screenwriters are free to fill in or leave blank as much as they want. In the last few decades, Pete has seen plenty of combat — Bosnia and Iraq are both mentioned — and pursued an on-and-off romance with Penny Benjamin (Jennifer Connelly). Now he finds her working at a bar near the base and an old spark rekindles. She has a teenage daughter (Lyliana Wray) — Maverick is not the dad — and a world-weary manner that matches Pete’s signature blend of cynicism and sentimentality.

Other reminders of the past include Rooster (Miles Teller), son of Goose, and Iceman himself, who has ascended to the rank of admiral and kept a protective eye on his former rival. Kilmer’s brief appearance has a special poignancy. Apart from the 2021 documentary “Val,” he hasn’t been onscreen much since losing his voice to throat cancer , and seeing him and Cruise in a quiet scene together is as sad and stirring as something from the Epic of Gilgamesh.

The first “Top Gun” unfolded against a backdrop of superpower conflict. There was a formidable — if mostly offscreen — real-world adversary (the Soviet Union, in case you forgot) and the hovering possibility of nuclear apocalypse. This time, there’s a real live-ammo skirmish with an unidentified foe, a mysterious entity in possession of super-high-tech aircraft who is building an “unauthorized” weapons facility in a mountainous region of wherever. No names are mentioned, just “the enemy.” The circumspection is a little weird. Who or what are we supposed to be fighting? China? (In this economy?) The Taliban? Netflix? Covid?

It doesn’t matter. We never see the faces of the enemy pilots once the mission is underway. Which only confirms the sense that “Top Gun: Maverick” has nothing to say about geopolitics and everything to do with the defense of old-fashioned movie values in the face of streaming-era nihilism.

Is the defense successful? The action sequences are tense and exuberant, reminders that flight has been one of the great thrills of cinema almost from the beginning . The story is a mixed bag. In spite of the emotional crosscurrents and physical hazards that buffet poor Maverick — his career, his love life and his duty to the memory of his dead friend, to say nothing of G-forces and flak — the dramatic stakes seem curiously low.

The junior pilots enact a kind of children’s theater production of the first movie. The cockfight between Maverick and Iceman is echoed in the rivalrous posturing of Rooster and the arrogant Hangman (an interestingly Kilmeresque Glen Powell). We are treated to a shirtless game of touch football on the beach, which doesn’t quite match the original volleyball game for sweaty camp subtext. There are some memorable supporting performances — notably from Bashir Salahuddin, Monica Barbaro and the always solid Jon Hamm, as a by-the-book, stick-in-the-mud admiral — but the world they inhabit is textureless and generic.

At times Kosinski seems to be reaching for an updated version of the sun-kissed, high-style ’80s aesthetic that “Top Gun” so effortlessly and elegantly typified. What he comes up with is something bland and basic, without the brazen, trashy sublimity you find in the work of genuine pop auteurs like Scott, his brother Ridley, James Cameron or Michael Bay.

Though you may hear otherwise, “Top Gun: Maverick” is not a great movie. It is a thin, over-strenuous and sometimes very enjoyable movie. But it is also, and perhaps more significantly, an earnest statement of the thesis that movies can and should be great. I’m old enough to remember when that went without saying. For Pete’s sake, I’m almost as old as Maverick.

Top Gun: Maverick Rated PG-13. Running time: 2 hours 11 minutes. In theaters.

An earlier version of this article misstated the role of the character Goose in the first “Top Gun” film. He was the radar intercept officer for Pete Mitchell, not his wingman. It also misstated which naval base Mitchell is called to in “Top Gun: Maverick”; it is the North Island naval base, not Miramar.

How we handle corrections

A.O. Scott is a co-chief film critic. He joined The Times in 2000 and has written for the Book Review and The New York Times Magazine. He is also the author of “Better Living Through Criticism.” More about A.O. Scott

Explore More in TV and Movies

Not sure what to watch next we can help..

“X-Men ’97,” a revival on Disney+ that picks up where the ’90s animated series left off, has faced questions after the firing of its showrunner  ahead of the premiere.

“3 Body Problem,” a science fiction epic from the creators of “Game of Thrones,” has arrived on Netflix. We spoke with them about their latest project .

For the past two decades, female presidential candidates on TV have been made in Hillary Clinton’s image. With “The Girls on the Bus,” that’s beginning to change .

“Freaknik,” a new Hulu documentary, delves into the rowdy ’80s and ’90s-era spring festival  that drew hundreds of thousands of Black college students to Atlanta.

If you are overwhelmed by the endless options, don’t despair — we put together the best offerings   on Netflix , Max , Disney+ , Amazon Prime  and Hulu  to make choosing your next binge a little easier.

Sign up for our Watching newsletter  to get recommendations on the best films and TV shows to stream and watch, delivered to your inbox.

• Tickets & Showtimes
• Trending on RT

Top Gun: Maverick First Reviews: The Most Thrilling Blockbuster We've Gotten in Years

Critics say the long-awaited sequel is a must-see on the big screen and not only potentially better than the original, but also one of the best tom cruise movies ever..

TAGGED AS: Action , blockbusters , Film , films , movie , movies

Tom Cruise returns to the cockpit in Top Gun: Maverick , the long-awaited follow-up to the 1986 blockbuster Top Gun . And if you’re not already feeling the need for speed — again — then you might want to reconsider, because the first reviews for this legacy sequel are clear of the danger zone. In fact, many are even calling it a better movie than the original, and maybe even one of the best Tom Cruise movies of all time.

Here’s what critics are saying about Top Gun: Maverick :

Will Top Gun fans be happy?

On the whole, this is a thrilling sequel which is bound to delight fans of the first film. – Linda Marric, The Jewish Chronicle

It’s a follow-up that will thrill every Top Gun fan. – Philip De Semlyen, Time Out

Mainstream audiences will be happily airborne, especially the countless dads who loved Top Gun and will eagerly want to share this fresh shot of adrenaline with their sons. – David Rooney, Hollywood Reporter

This follow-up, directed by Joseph Kosinski, deals in the same unexpected-itch-scratching bliss: it’s crammed with images you didn’t know you were desperate to see until the second you see them. – Robbie Collin, Daily Telegraph

In the opening moments… you don’t know if you’re watching the original 1986 Top Gun or a new one. – Brian Truitt, USA Today

Tony Scott’s admirers may miss that disreputable edge, the unrepentantly vulgar sensibility that made the original Top Gun a dreamy, voluptuous hoot. – Justin Chang, Los Angeles Times

(Photo by Scott Garfield/©Paramount Pictures)

How does it compare to the original?

Top Gun: Maverick improves on the original. It’s deeper, it’s not corny, and it has thrilling effects. – Mick LaSalle, San Francisco Chronicle

The dogfights, chases, and mid-air sequences are truly remarkable — far clearer and far more intense than anything in the original Top Gun . – Matt Singer, ScreenCrush

A superior sequel. – David Rooney, Hollywood Reporter

If Top Gun was a fun film because it invented Tom Cruise, Maverick is a great film because it immortalizes him. – David Ehrlich, IndieWire

Maverick ideally would be less formulaic – and for the record, it doesn’t quite match the magic of the OG Top Gun . – Brian Truitt, USA Today

Is it a worthy legacy sequel?

Few Hollywood reboots can boast this blend of nostalgia, freshness and adrenaline. You will want to high five someone on the way out. – Philip De Semlyen, Time Out

The film is a true legacy sequel. In the tradition of Star Wars: The Force Awakens , it’s a carefully reconstructed clone of its predecessor, tooled not only to reflect changing tastes and attitudes but the ascendancy of its star Tom Cruise to a level of fame that borders on the mythological. – Clarisse Loughrey, Independent

The sequel follows the original beat for beat, to a degree that’s almost comical. And yet, as formulaic as it is, there’s no denying that it delivers in terms of both nostalgia and reinvention. – David Rooney, Hollywood Reporter

Tom Cruise remains deeply ambivalent with the notion of passing the torch to a new generation onscreen and so Top Gun: Maverick remains focused on Maverick and his story, sometimes to the detriment of the young cast. – Matt Singer, ScreenCrush

(Photo by ©Paramount Pictures)

Is this one of the best blockbusters we’ve gotten in recent years?

Top Gun: Maverick is as thrilling as blockbusters get. – Clarisse Loughrey, Independent

Top Gun: Maverick is the most fun I’ve had watching a big dumb Hollywood blockbuster for a while. – Linda Marric, The Jewish Chronicle

Takes to the skies as no blockbuster has before. – Peter Debruge, Variety

The movie soars – a reminder of how good Hollywood can be at popcorn entertainment when it sets its mind to it (and Cruise is involved). – Philip De Semlyen, Time Out

It is unquestionably the best studio action film to have been released since 2015’s Mad Max: Fury Road . – Robbie Collin, Daily Telegraph

How does it rank against other Tom Cruise movies?

We have surely arrived at the Cruisiest film he’s yet made. – Robbie Collin, Daily Telegraph

It’s not a Tom Cruise movie so much as it’s “ Tom Cruise: The Movie .” – David Ehrlich, IndieWire

In terms of performance, this is one of Cruise’s best pictures. – Mick LaSalle, San Francisco Chronicle

It fully surrenders to the grandiose fun that’s marked the best of Cruise’s recent star vehicles. – Jake Cole, Slant Magazine

Cruise finds new ways to add depth to his signature character (sorry, Ethan Hunt) without sacrificing any of his essential qualities. – Brian Truitt, USA Today

How is Val Kilmer’s return as Iceman?

Kilmer’s brief cameo, in what has the feel of a swan song, carries far more weight than anything directly related to the story. – Jake Cole, Slant Magazine

The film’s most moving element comes during the brief screen time of Kilmer’s Iceman. – David Rooney, Hollywood Reporter

If there’s one scene that really takes your breath away, it’s his. – Brian Truitt, USA Today

In one fictional moment, he gives us something unmistakably, irreducibly real, partly by puncturing the fantasy of human invincibility that his co-star has never stopped trying to sell. – Justin Chang, Los Angeles Times

Are there any other standouts in the cast?

Miles Teller [gives] an oddly alluring performance that really shouldn’t work as well as it does. – Richard Lawson, Vanity Fair

Teller, with his best turn since Whiplash, factors in as a worthy emotional foil. – Brian Truitt, USA Today

Jennifer Connelly brings a lot to a thankless role. – Alonso Duralde, The Wrap

Does Top Gun: Maverick deliver as an action movie?

It [has] what is surely one of the most impressive plane-based action scenes ever committed to film. – Matt Singer, ScreenCrush

The real draw here is, of course, the action, and Kosinski asserts his gift for large-scale filmmaking across the film’s runtime. – Jake Cole, Slant Magazine

The commitment to filming practically-everything practically feels like the cutting-edge equivalent of Howard Hughes’ history-making Hell’s Angels . – Peter Debruge, Variety

You have a series of character-driven, heart-in-your-throat dogfights more vivid than anything in the first previous film. – David Ehrlich, IndieWire

Breathtakingly balletic, and grounded in the increasingly rare pleasure of the tangible… it’s a true feat for director Joseph Kosinski to make something this ambitious look this effortless. – Clarisse Loughrey, Independent

The action scenes [have] a breathtaking beauty and urgency: the play of light and gravity on the actors’ faces, and the way the landscapes spin and drop away balletically through the canopy glass, puts other blockbusters’ green-screened swooping to shame. – Robbie Collin, Daily Telegraph

The best thing this movie does is boost visceral analog action over the usual numbing bombardment of CG fakery. – David Rooney, Hollywood Reporter

Are there any major criticisms?

One would have appreciated a slightly more effective female-centric subplot. – Linda Marric, The Jewish Chronicle

The film, unfortunately, doesn’t extend as much of a loving hand toward the women of Top Gun . – Clarisse Loughrey, Independent

Women are few and far between, and even the more prominent ones get mostly perfunctory treatment. – Justin Chang, Los Angeles Times

It would’ve been nice to see Meg Ryan return as the widow/mom, but the rules are cruel when it comes to aging female actors. – Peter Debruge, Variety

Do we need to see this on the big screen?

This is definitely a film that benefits from the IMAX experience, and the big-ass soundscape that comes with it. – David Rooney, Hollywood Reporter

This movie needs the big screen, preferably as big as you can find. I saw it in an IMAX theater, and now I have some idea of what it would feel like to take off in a fighter pilot from an aircraft carrier. – Mick LaSalle, San Francisco Chronicle

The result is the most immersive flight simulator audiences will have ever experienced, right down to the great Dolby roar of engines vibrating through their seats. – Peter Debruge, Variety

It’s the kind of edge-of-your-seat, fist-pumping spectacular that can unite an entire room full of strangers sitting in the dark and leave them with a wistful tear in their eye. – Clarisse Loughrey, Independent

Will it leave us wanting more?

One can imagine future spinoffs involving any of these characters. – Peter Debruge, Variety

[It’s a] launching pad for a potential second or even third sequel with its young cast at the center of new adventures. – Linda Marric, The Jewish Chronicle

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

On an Apple device? Follow Rotten Tomatoes on Apple News .

Related News

Pedro Pascal Movies and Series Ranked by Tomatometer

Weekend Box Office Results: Godzilla x Kong Scores Monster Debut

30 Most Popular Movies Right Now: What to Watch In Theaters and Streaming

TV Premiere Dates 2024

Renewed and Cancelled TV Shows 2024

Godzilla x Kong First Reviews: Full of Mindless, Glorious Spectacle, Just as Expected

Movie & TV News

Featured on rt.

April 2, 2024

April 1, 2024

Top Headlines

• Pedro Pascal Movies and Series Ranked by Tomatometer –
• Best Movies of 2024: Best New Movies to Watch Now –
• Best Horror Movies of 2024 Ranked – New Scary Movies to Watch –
• 30 Most Popular Movies Right Now: What to Watch In Theaters and Streaming –
• 52 Best Soccer Movies, Ranked by Tomatometer –
• Liam Neeson Movies Ranked by Tomatometer –

• Skip to main content
• Keyboard shortcuts for audio player

Movie Reviews

'top gun: maverick' is ridiculous. it's also ridiculously entertaining.

Justin Chang

Tom Cruise is back as Pete "Maverick" Mitchell in Top Gun: Maverick. Scott Garfield/Paramount Pictures Corporation hide caption

Tom Cruise is back as Pete "Maverick" Mitchell in Top Gun: Maverick.

In one of the more memorable lines in the original Top Gun , Maverick gets chewed out by a superior who tells him, "Son, your ego's writing checks your body can't cash."

Sometimes I wonder if Tom Cruise took that putdown as a personal challenge. No movie star seems to work harder or push himself further than Cruise these days. He just keeps going and going, whether he's scaling skyscrapers in a new Mission: Impossible adventure or showing a bunch of fresh-faced pilots how it's done in the ridiculous and ridiculously entertaining Top Gun: Maverick .

The Two-Way

'top gun 2' means one more ride into the danger zone.

Coronavirus Updates

Sorry, tom cruise fans — new 'top gun' and 'mission impossible' movies delayed again.

Cruise was in his early 20s when he first played Pete "Maverick" Mitchell, the cocky young Navy pilot with the aviator sunglasses, the Kawasaki motorcycle and the need for speed. In the sequel, he's as arrogant and insubordinate as ever: Now a Navy test pilot in his late 50s, Maverick still knows how to tick off his superiors, as we see in an exciting opening sequence where he pushes a new plane beyond its limits. Partly as punishment, he's ordered to return to TOPGUN, the elite pilot-training school, and train its best and brightest for an impossibly dangerous new mission.

One of his trainees is a hotheaded young pilot called Rooster, played by Miles Teller. Rooster is the son of Maverick's beloved wingman, Goose, who tragically died while flying with Maverick in the first Top Gun . Maverick's lingering guilt over Goose's death affects his relationship with Rooster; so does his desire to protect Rooster from harm, which generates some suspense over whether he'll end up choosing the young man for the assignment.

And so the three screenwriters of Top Gun: Maverick — including Cruise's regular Mission: Impossible writer-director, Christopher McQuarrie — have taken the threads of the original and spun them into an intergenerational male weepie, a dad movie of truly epic proportions. They're tapping into nostalgia for the original, while aiming for new levels of emotional grandeur. To that end, the soundtrack features a Lady Gaga song, "Hold My Hand." It's nowhere near as iconic a chart topper as the original movie's "Take My Breath Away," but tugs at your heartstrings nonetheless.

Much of the plot is unabashedly derivative of the first Top Gun . Once again, Maverick runs afoul of growling authority figures, here played by Ed Harris and Jon Hamm . Cruise's former co-star Kelly McGillis is nowhere to be seen, but Maverick does get another perfunctory love interest, a bartender named Penny, nicely played by Jennifer Connelly despite the thanklessness of the role.

#NowPlaying

Lady gaga, 'hold my hand'.

What's interesting about Top Gun: Maverick is how it isn't like its predecessor, mostly in terms of style. The first Top Gun , directed on a relatively low budget by the late Tony Scott , combined the aesthetics of a military recruitment video with some of the ripest homoerotic imagery ever seen in a major Hollywood movie. For better or worse, the sequel, directed by Joseph Kosinski of Tron: Legacy and Oblivion , is a much tamer, slicker, classier affair. Maverick no longer struts around in towels and tighty-whities, though he can still fly a plane like nobody's business.

The action sequences are much more thrilling and immersive than in the original. You feel like you're really in the cockpit with these pilots, and that's because you are: The actors underwent intense flight training and flew actual planes during shooting. In that respect, Top Gun: Maverick feels like a throwback to a lost era of practical moviemaking, before computer-generated visual effects took over Hollywood. You start to understand why Cruise, the creative force behind the movie, was so driven to make it: In telling a story where older and younger pilots butt heads, and state-of-the-art F-18s duke it out with rusty old F-14s, he's trying to show us that there's room for the old and the new to coexist. He's also advancing a case for the enduring appeal of the movies and their power to transport us with viscerally gripping action and big, sweeping emotions.

Which brings us to the movie's most powerful scene, in which Val Kilmer briefly reprises his role as Iceman, Maverick's former nemesis-turned-friend. Kilmer is, in some respects, Cruise's opposite: a onetime star whose career never quite found its groove, and who's been beset by health issues in recent years, including the loss of his voice due to throat cancer. His soulful presence here gives this high-flying melodrama the grounding it needs. Cruise may be this movie's immortal star, but it's Kilmer's aching performance that takes your breath away.

• Search Please fill out this field.
• Newsletters
• Sweepstakes
• Movie Reviews

Top Gun: Maverick review: A high-flying sequel gets it right

The need for speed comes with a fresh young cast, but the Cruise control remains.

Leah Greenblatt is the critic at large at Entertainment Weekly , covering movies, music, books, and theater. She is a member of the New York Film Critics Circle, and has been writing for EW since 2004.

In Top Gun: Maverick 's opening scene, someone makes the mistake of asking Tom Cruise to take his fighter jet to Mach 9. He pauses, then flashes that megawatt Cheshire grin. Never mind that it's a practice run; there is only one Mach he knows, and it is 10 (or maybe 10.2). That's because he's a maverick, the Maverick — Captain Pete Mitchell of the United States Navy, a rogue's rogue for whom clouds part and Hans Zimmer synths soar.

He's also 36 years older than the cocky young lieutenant he played on screen in the 1986 original , a bare fact that the sequel (in theaters May 27) both elides and celebrates in a movie whose bright stripes and broad strokes feel somehow bombastic and tenderheartedly nostalgic at the same time. Imagine a world where motorcyclists scoff at helmets, all bars burst into jukebox singalongs, and the U.S. military is simply an unblemished agent for good. A few decades ago you didn't have to, because you lived in it; Top Gun: Maverick can because it never left.

Inevitably, a few things have changed: Lady Gaga is on the soundtrack now , and there's a whole new class of lion-cub recruits. But that's still Kenny Loggins' " Danger Zone " chugging over the title credits, and Maverick is still the fastest man alive in an F-14, even if he's never managed to exceed the lowly rank of Captain. "You should be at least a two-star admiral by now, or a Senator," Ed Harris 's Rear Admiral grouses early on, before grudgingly sending him off to the Top Gun base in San Diego. Maverick's constant insubordination and looming obsolescence should have gotten him discharged years ago, he reminds him; instead, he's been saved by an old friend, Iceman ( Val Kilmer ), now an admiral himself.

There's a reason for that intervention: a uranium plant in a heavily guarded secret bunker that needs to be eliminated before it becomes operational for the enemy. (What enemy? Don't ask, don't tell.) And only jets can infiltrate it, if the Academy's ten best recruits can be taught to thread the needle and get out of there alive. Leading the team is Maverick's new job, though the bossman there (a scowling Jon Hamm) is not exactly overjoyed to welcome him — and a promising young pilot called Rooster ( Miles Teller , in a kicky little mustache) even less enthused. That's because Rooster's parents were Goose and Carole (Anthony Edwards and Meg Ryan, who appear only in misty flashbacks), and all he knows is that Pete had something to do with him getting pulled from the fast-track flight program years ago.

Otherwise, Rooster's main rival amongst the new hopefuls is Hangman ( Hidden Figures ' great Glen Powell), a fellow pilot whose smirky antagonism recalls the last movie's Iceman rivalry in everything except the frosted tips (Powell is a more natural kind of blonde, but the square-jawed swagger and resting smug face play the same). Director Joseph Kosinski ( TRON: Legacy ) revels in the sonic-boom rush of their many flight scenes, sending his jets swooping and spinning in impossible, equilibrium-rattling arcs. On the ground, too, his camera caresses every object in its view, almost as if he's making a rippling ad for America itself: The unfurling snap of a boat sail; the gleaming Formica in a desert rest-stop diner; golden bodies playing touch football in the California surf while a magic-hour sun goes down.

That nationalistic glow extends to Maverick's courting of a former paramour, Jennifer Connelly , but there's a bittersweet sentimentality in their reconnection, the kind of unhurried adult romance that doesn't make it on screen much anymore. (A brief interlude with Kilmer, who has largely lost his voice to cancer , is also surprisingly moving.) Kosinksi, of course, has to make his Maverick work with or without the context of the original, and the script, by Peter Craig ( The Batman ) and Justin Marks ( The Jungle Book ) toggles deftly between winking callbacks and standard big-beat action stuff meant to stand on its own. Teller and Powell are breezily appealing, actors at the apex of their youth and beauty, though the movie still belongs in almost every scene to Cruise. At this point in his career, he's not really playing characters so much as variations on a theme — the theme being, perhaps, The Last Movie Star. And in the air up there, he stands alone. Grade: B+

Related content:

• Tom Cruise revisits Goose's Top Gun death in Lady Gaga's 'Hold My Hand' music video
• The sky's the limit for Top Gun: Maverick hotshot Glen Powell
• Val Kilmer says he feels 'a lot better than I sound' after tracheotomy due to throat cancer

Related Articles

By providing your information, you agree to our Terms of Use and our Privacy Policy . We use vendors that may also process your information to help provide our services. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA Enterprise and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

‘Top Gun: Maverick’ Review: The Most Satisfying Summer Action Movie Since ‘Mission: Impossible — Fallout’

David ehrlich.

• Share on Facebook
• Share to Flipboard
• Share on LinkedIn
• Show more sharing options
• Submit to Reddit
• Post to Tumblr
• Print This Page
• Share on WhatsApp

In December 2020, a leaked audio snippet from the set of the next “Mission: Impossible” movie revealed star/producer/most intense man alive Tom Cruise absolutely losing his mind at some unnamed crew members who had, he felt, violated the COVID protocols that were allowing the massive studio production to roll cameras during the height of the pandemic. “We are the gold standard,” you might remember him shouting. “They’re back there in Hollywood making movies right now because of us… We are creating thousands of jobs, you motherfuckers!”

Cruise went on to note that he wasn’t interested in apologies: “You can tell it to the people who are losing their fucking homes because the industry is shut down. It’s not going to put food on their table or pay for their college education. That’s what I sleep with every night — the future of this fucking industry!”

In hindsight, that furious speech was an uncanny echo of several things that Cruise had said “in character” the previous year — months before the first documented COVID-19 case — while shooting “ Top Gun: Maverick .”

Related Stories Jerry Bruckheimer Offers ‘Top Gun 3’ Update: Joseph Kosinski Is Developing a ‘Wonderful’ Story Idea for Tom Cruise ‘In the Land of Saints and Sinners’ Review: Liam Neeson and Kerry Condon Fight to the Death in a Handsome but Hacky Irish Western

In one scene, legendary Navy fighter pilot Pete “Maverick” Mitchell fires back at a class of arrogant young hotshots after they fail a high-stakes training exercise, the aging veteran telling his students to save their sorries for the families of the wingmen they might leave for dead if they don’t learn to fly right. In another, Captain Pete screams above the American West at the controls of an experimental Navy fighter jet as it strains to hit Mach10 in defiance of the hard-ass admiral (obviously Ed Harris) who wants to shut the whole program down. Ordered to return to base, our hero grits his teeth, reflects on all the people who will lose their jobs if the government diverts funding towards drones at the expense of human pilots, and pushes the aircraft so fast that it breaks apart at the seams. “The future is coming,” the admiral growls when he finally confronts Pete face-to-face. “And you’re not in it.”

It’s become an increasingly self-evident truth that Cruise is the last Hollywood movie star of his kind — short as ever but still larger-than-life in an age where most famous actors are only as big as their action figures — and the new “Top Gun” isn’t exactly subtle about the self-commentary it offers on that situation. From new recruits to grizzled vets, every character in this film regards Maverick as both a relic and a god (sometimes in the same breath). Even the guy’s on-again off-again love interest, a thinly written bar owner who Jennifer Connelly wills into a flesh-and-blood woman, thinks of him as an old flame whose light has never gone out.

Watching Cruise pilot a fighter jet 200 feet above the floor of Death Valley, corkscrew another one through Washington’s Cascade Mountains, and give one of the most vulnerable performances of his career while sustaining so many G-forces that you can practically see him going Clear in real-time, you realize — more lucidly than ever before — that this wild-eyed lunatic makes movies like his life depends on it. Because it does, and not for the first time.

But if “Maverick” can’t quite match “Mission: Impossible — Fallout” for sheer kineticism and well-orchestrated awe, this long-delayed sequel does more to clarify what that means than anything Cruise has ever made. And the reason for that is simple: Tom Cruise is Maverick, and Maverick is Tom Cruise.

And while that may have been true since the moment Tony Scott’s “Top Gun” first hit theaters in 1986, the movie that minted the baby-faced kid from “Risky Business” as a bonafide icon rings so hollow for the same reason: Back then, being Tom Cruise didn’t mean anything. Joseph Kosinski ’s “Maverick,” on the other hand, is such a confidently rapturous, emotionally involving, take-your-breath away great time at the movies because it shares its star’s bone-deep awareness that being Tom Cruise now means everything . If “Top Gun” was a fun film because it invented Tom Cruise, “Maverick” is a great film because it immortalizes him. It’s not a Tom Cruise movie so much as it’s “Tom Cruise: The Movie,” and by the time it’s over, even his fiercest critics might have to admit that they’ll miss him when he’s gone.

Of course, “Top Gun” was more than just a watershed moment for the toothy mogul-in-the-making who piloted it to box office success (effectively cementing it as one of modern history’s greatest military recruitment campaigns along the way). Crystallizing a vibe that was already fading into the afterburner-orange sunset behind it, the Don Simpson/Jerry Bruckheimer mega-hit was and remains a veritable coke orgy of Reagan-era expansionism, comically unexamined homoeroticism (courtesy of Hollywood’s sweatiest rising stars), and synth-driven needle drops that target your brain’s pleasure centers with the frightening power of a MiG-28.

Composed like a symphony and plotted like a ham sandwich, “Top Gun” is a surface-to-air missile of Hollywood spectacle that balances the thrust of high-flying aerial footage with the drag of low-stakes storytelling. It endures, despite its general soullessness, because of how vividly it captures a moment in time when American men felt like they would live forever — which is why the film’s most indelible moment comes when one of them dies.

“Maverick” flips the script on “Top Gun” in almost every way that matters, despite — or perhaps because — it remains so faithful to its structure and “nothing to see here!” political outlook. Stainless where the original was musty, neutered where the original was soft-core (there isn’t a single gratuitous shower scene in this sequel, let alone three of them), and structured like an immaculate pop song where the original moved like freeform jazz, “Maverick” sounds like a major regression from an age where summer movies didn’t always play safe.

But let’s not forget that Cruise is the only guy whose summer movies still vehemently refuse to do that. In most cases, that unwillingness to play it safe translates into Cruise performing some insane stunt that could get him killed. In “Maverick,” a movie in which the actor launches an F/A-18 off the flight-deck of the USS Theodore Roosevelt as a mere appetizer for the holy shit, they did this all for real aerial theatrics to come, Cruise’s usual “what if I made a $200 million snuff film?” routine is textured and deepened by an unusually palpable obsession with death. Where “Top Gun” was fueled by a feeling of invincibility, this sequel draws its strength from an awareness of inevitability.

“Time is your greatest adversary,” Maverick barks at the cocky pilots he’s been ordered to train for a suicide mission three weeks away. And while it’s true that “Fanboy” (Danny Ramirez), “Phoenix” (Monica Barbaro, effortlessly adding women into the mix), “Hangman” (Glen Powell, grinning up a storm in his note-perfect turn as Iceman 2.0), and the rest of the new class will only have 150 seconds to zip under “the enemy’s” defenses and bomb a ridiculously well-fortified uranium-enrichment plant before it goes operational, the double-meaning of that dialogue is as unsubtle as everything else in this movie.

Once upon a time, Maverick was an entitled, nepotistic jackass who (figuratively) got away with murder because he was such a special little boy. Now, almost 40 years later, it’s embarrassing to see how little he’s changed. Or, more accurately, how hard he’s tried to keep things from changing. Maverick seems to believe that by staying a captain forever — by refusing promotions or retirement for almost half a century — he could live in his glory days forever. In that light, he should be thrilled by the invitation to return to the same Naval Fighter Weapons School where he trained (and eventually taught) in the original “Top Gun.” What better way to make time stand still?

Alas, you can only fly away from the international dateline for so long before you reach tomorrow, and it’s clear that Maverick is almost there. For one thing, the base’s dick-swinging “air boss” ( Jon Hamm in full-on “that’s what the money is for!” mode) takes every chance to remind Maverick that this will be his last assignment. For another, Maverick’s absent wingmen can’t help but remind him that time is always on his tail. Goose is still dead — sad how that works — and Iceman isn’t the perfectly symmetrical Übermensch he used to be. As for “Top Gun” love interest Charlotte Blackwood? Maverick doesn’t even want to know.

If Maverick is desperate to make time stand still, he’s absolutely terrified of allowing it to repeat itself. The look on Cruise’s face when he sees Goose’s resentful son step into his classroom… it’s like he saw a ghost, or at least a Paramount executive who threatened to release one of his movies day-and-date. Played by an uncharacteristically effective Miles Teller — who does an uncanny job of channeling Anthony Edwards, and mines genuine feeling out of begrudging unlikeability — Rooster is still mighty pissed off by Maverick’s involvement in his late father’s death, and the strained relationship between this young hotshot and his stone-faced new flight instructor forms the emotional bedrock of the story. Neither one of them knows how to let go, but that character flaw might just turn out to be an asset in disguise.

Ehren Kruger, Christopher McQuarrie, and Eric Warren Singer’s well-engineered script doesn’t reinvent the wheel, but “Maverick” is all about old-school thrills in defiance of a new world order, and the joy of watching it is anchored in a certain degree of predictability. Much like the original, “Maverick” is a drama steam-baked in so much testosterone and repressed male emotion that it sweats into an action movie. Unlike the original — which, in an historic moment of dumb screenwriting, drops its climactic mission on its hotshots while they were literally still at the Top Gun graduation ceremony — “Maverick” builds up to a particular mission from the start, and drills every detail about it into our heads as if we’ll have to fly it ourselves (those details will have to make room next to the melody of Lady Gaga’s end credits anthem “Hold My Hand,” which is used as score throughout the film to wonderful effect).

When the action finally starts, not even the wildest aerial maneuvers can disorient us. Factor in Kosinski’s ultra-crisp direction (made possible by Claudio Miranda’s camera-in-the-cockpit cinematography), and you have a series of character-driven, heart-in-your-throat dogfights more vivid than anything in the first previous film. Kosinski may not be able to match Tony Scott’s formalist bravado, but he makes up for it with speed, clarity, and a moral imperative to push the limits of what seems possible. Kosinski feels the need… the need… to remind multiplex audiences of what’s possible when people give their entire bodies to a movie instead of simply lending them to a brand (not as catchy, I’ll admit). So what if America’s top guns “no longer possess the technological advantage”? It’s the pilot, not the plane.

It’s certainly not the country. War hawks and Navy recruiters will naturally have a field day with this film, but misgivings about its (absent) politics are mitigated by a story that plays more like an IMAX-sized character study than it does a plea to funnel money towards the United States’ military budget. It’s a blockbuster about the glory of pyrrhic victories, itself a pyrrhic victory against blockbusters.

But if movie stardom is as obsolete as the kind of movies that stars used to make, “obsolete” isn’t the same as “over.” As Maverick whispers at a crucial moment: “There’s still time.” It’s clear that Cruise and Maverick are on their way out — just as this film makes it clear that neither one of them can find someone worthy to whom they can pass the torch — but it’s never too late to live forever. Not for the last star who’s still willing to put every fiber of his being into the movies he makes. Neither Tom Cruise nor Maverick may be in the future, but that will have to be the future’s loss.

Paramount Pictures will release “Top Gun: Maverick” in theaters on Friday, May 27.

Most Popular

You may also like.

Top Gun: Maverick (2022)

• User Reviews

Awards | FAQ | User Ratings | External Reviews | Metacritic Reviews

• User Ratings
• External Reviews
• Metacritic Reviews
• Full Cast and Crew
• Release Dates
• Official Sites
• Company Credits
• Filming & Production
• Technical Specs
• Plot Summary
• Plot Keywords
• Parents Guide

Did You Know?

• Crazy Credits
• Alternate Versions
• Connections
• Soundtracks

Photo & Video

• Photo Gallery
• Trailers and Videos

Related Items

• External Sites

Related lists from IMDb users

Recently Viewed

• Entertainment

'Top Gun: Maverick' Review: Smash Hit Tom Cruise Sequel Streaming in December

You'll feel the need for speed in this box office smash sequel to the '80s classic, streaming on Paramount Plus in time for the holidays.

Tom Cruise takes to the skies in Top Gun: Maverick with Miles Teller and Val Kilmer.

Welcome back to the danger zone. You might not think 2022 needed a sequel to the most '80s movie ever, but Top Gun: Maverick is way more wildly entertaining than it has any right to be. Top Gun 2 reboots the original film's heart-pounding aerial action, infectiously cheesy character drama and don't-think-too-hard-about-it military fetishism in a winning spectacle of cinematic escapism.

It's been more than 35 years since the release of the original Top Gun, in which Tom Cruise employed his widest grin as a US Navy aviator with a point to prove and a childlike delight in playing with high-speed toys (which just happen to be built for killing people, but whatever). Having smashed over a billion dollars in theaters, it's available now in digital stores, on 4K Blu-ray and on DVD (so that's your dad's Christmas present sorted). Top Gun: Maverick will also stream on Paramount Plus from Dec. 22.

Cruise reportedly resisted a sequel for decades, but it turns out if you wait long enough, a story presents itself. He returns to the cockpit as Pete "Maverick" Mitchell, still feeling the need for speed no matter what the top brass says. And now, enough time has passed since his co-pilot Goose's death in the original film for Goose's son to be a fully grown man.

Played by Miles Teller , the son is a chip off the old chock, flying with the Navy under the callsign Rooster. When Maverick is called in to train the next generation of cocky kids for a Dambusters-meets-Death-Star suicide mission, the pair are locked onto an intercept course. "And we're off," one character wryly observes of Maverick's anti-authoritarian antics, but he could be talking about the full-tilt re-creation of the original film's glossy thrills. 

Who plays Rooster in Top Gun 2? Miles Teller is the next generation of cocky cockpit jockey.

From the moment you hear the instantly recognizable tolling of the synth bell in Harold Faltermeyer's stirring Top Gun Anthem, it's like the past 30 years never happened. The opening credits describe Maverick, like the original, as a Don Simpson / Jerry Bruckheimer production, even though Simpson died in 1996. The opening text caption explaining the concept of the US Navy's Fighter Weapons School uses the same wording as the first film. And throughout, director Joseph Kosinski and cinematographer Claudio Miranda faithfully re-create the late Tony Scott's cinematic style, from a backlit bustling flight deck to ramrod-straight silhouettes arrayed in a hangar. This new version even begins by dropping you into the controlled chaos of an aircraft carrier flight deck with a shot-for-shot re-creation of the first film's iconic intro (probably).

This flight deck sequence has zero connection to what comes after, but it's still a pretty great introduction, instantly immersing you in the familiar feel of a film you may have seen many times or may not have seen for years. More importantly, it feels real , the film setting out its stall from the very beginning: It's about real stuff, like fighter planes and sailboats and proper old-fashioned stunts, not fake stuff like drones and phones and computer-generated spectacle. The marketing makes a big deal out of how the actors really went up in planes, and while there's doubtless a ton of invisible CGI -- as in every film, whether you notice it or not -- almost every shot at least feels like it was done for real. Unlike recent blockbusters (ahem, Marvel movies) which distance you from the action with clearly impossible camera angles and over-the-top CG effects, Top Gun: Maverick uses the visual language of the original, the camera jammed claustrophobically into a cockpit or shaking as it struggles to keep up with a jet screaming past.

Making this explicit connection to such a beloved movie is a risk, of course. The first film was crammed with iconic moments and quotes, and the sequel does little more than rearrange the planes on the flight deck. Still, it's pretty restrained with the catchphrases and callbacks. Yes, Maverick's leather jacket and motorbike get their own theme tune. But the fighter jets and aircraft carriers furnished by the United States Navy aren't the only formidable weapons deployed by the sequel: The toppest gun in the Top Gun arsenal is Cruise's still-explosive charisma.

While the flick again pushes credulity with its deification of Maverick and his godlike flying abilities, Cruise's secret weapon is always his willingness to look silly. So the over-the-top action is balanced with appealing humor and even a little pathos in Cruise's relationship with the younger flyers and his rekindled romance with a bar owner. She's played by Jennifer Connelly , another star who rose in the 1980s (check out who's singing on the jukebox when she first turns up). With Connelly as his old flame and Teller as his surrogate son, Cruise's aging Maverick provides just enough heart to keep things moving as he grapples with the prospect of keeping his feet on the ground permanently. A bittersweet scene reuniting Cruise with the original film's co-star, an ailing Val Kilmer, is also a touching and surprisingly funny moment.

Take to the skies in Top Gun: Maverick.

There's no disguising that a lot of the story is a rerun of the original. For example, Cruise takes the Kelly McGillis role, just for fun. But somehow, despite the fact it's all geared toward a life-or-death mission, the stakes don't feel as immediate as they did the first time around. The original film was fueled by the sense Maverick was genuinely dangerous to the people around him, but this new model doesn't capture the same headlong rush into the danger zone. Partly because the younger models look more like, well, models, rather than warriors. But the main problem is that the mission is so improbably specific to the needs of the plot. The G-force of narrative silliness will start to crush your brain, especially when a late-stage twist fires the afterburners and jets into absurdity that might tempt you to eject.

There are certainly reasons not to like a film like this, whether it's Cruise's personal life or the film's unquestioning attitude to war. Matthew Modine and Bryan Adams were among the '80s stars who declined to be involved in the original because of its jingoistic tone, which was a post-Vietnam reassertion of American military (and masculine) might. Even Cruise dodged a sequel because he didn't want to glorify war. Oddly, Top Gun: Maverick is so bloodless and untroubled by ambiguity it barely feels like a war film. It's just boys with toys.

There's a vague subplot about Jon Hamm's pencil neck in the tower caring that the pilots complete the mission and not so much about them coming back alive, but that only makes the flick's explicit disdain for unmanned combat drones somewhat confusing. In fact, a much truer Top Gun sequel was actually made a few years ago: Good Kill, in which Ethan Hawke plays a Cruise-esque fighter pilot exiled to drone duty, losing his mind in a metal box in the Las Vegas desert as he presses a button and kills civilians thousands of miles away .

Top Gun: Maverick, meanwhile, doesn't even tell us who Tom's fighting against. There's an unnamed faceless adversary, black-helmeted bogeys and boogeymen, stripped of sovereignty or even humanity. The eternal enemy, somewhere out there, doing vaguely defined bad-sounding things that need to be blown up by missiles and helicopters and aircraft carriers. Your tax dollars at work.

But who cares about that? This isn't Saving Private Ryan, this is Top Gun. Ask not for whom the synth bell tolls, because the synth bell tolls for anyone who loves a great popcorn action movie that's as enjoyable as it is ridiculous. Top Gun: Maverick is a blast. The film keeps insisting this is Maverick's last post, but this polished action movie powerhouse is a fun way to fly into the sunset. 

New Movies Coming in 2023 From Marvel, Netflix, DC and More

2023's Best TV and Streaming Shows You Can't Miss on Netflix, HBO, Disney Plus and More

Find anything you save across the site in your account

“Top Gun: Maverick,” Reviewed: Tom Cruise Takes Empty Thrills to New Heights

By Richard Brody

When Ronald Reagan was elected President, in 1980, it seemed only slightly more absurd than if Ronald McDonald had won. Both were entertainers, but the burger clown knew it, whereas Reagan believed the nostalgic and noxious verities of the movies that he had appeared in—and as a politician he attempted to force modern American life to conform to them. Thus “Top Gun,” which I saw when it came out, in 1986, felt like the cultural nadir of a time that was itself something of a nadir. As a film of cheaply rousing drama and jingoistic nonsense, “Top Gun” played like feedback—a shrill distillation of the very world view that it reproduced. Little did we know that there was another, less accomplished yet more bilious entertainer waiting in the wings to wreak even more grievous damage, more than three decades later, on the polity and the national psyche.

No less than the original “Top Gun,” its new sequel, “Top Gun: Maverick,” directed by Joseph Kosinski, is an emblem of its benighted political times. That’s why, in comparison with the sequel, the original comes off as a work of warmhearted humanism. Yet, paradoxically, and disturbingly, “Maverick” is also a more satisfying drama, a more accomplished action film—I enjoyed it more, yet its dosed-out, juiced-up pleasures reveal something terrifying about the implications and the effects of its narrative efficiency.

“Maverick” is less a sequel to “Top Gun” than a renovation of it. The framework of the story is borrowed from the original, nearly scene for scene; drastic changes, while updating it for the present time, leave it recognizable still. In the new film, Tom Cruise returns as Lieutenant Pete Mitchell, whose call sign is Maverick. Now he’s a test pilot at an isolated post in the Mojave Desert, where the project he’s working on—the development of a new airplane—is about to be cancelled in favor of drones, on the pretext of a performance standard that can’t be met. So Maverick, defying an admiral’s order, takes the plane airborne and, against all odds and at grave personal danger, pushes it past Mach 10 (which, for the record, is more than seven thousand miles per hour), thus temporarily saving the project but also risking court martial. Instead, Maverick is sent back to Fighter Weapons School, a.k.a., Top Gun—of which he is, of course, a graduate—in San Diego, summoned by the academy’s commanding officer, Admiral Tom (Iceman) Kazansky, his classmate and respected rival in the first film (again played by Val Kilmer). Maverick’s assignment is to train a dozen young ace pilots for a top-secret and crucial mission, to fly into a mountainous region in an unnamed “rogue” state and destroy a subterranean uranium-enrichment plant.

Yet soon another admiral, Beau (Cyclone) Simpson, played by Jon Hamm, sidelines Maverick and changes the mission’s parameters. In response, Maverick steals another plane and undertakes another unauthorized and dangerous flight, thereby justifying his own set of parameters to Cyclone—who orders him back to lead the younger flyers. Yet Maverick has history with one of those flyers, Lieutenant Bradley Bradshaw (Miles Teller), call sign Rooster, whose late father, Nick (Goose) Bradshaw, played by Anthony Edwards, was Maverick’s wingman in the original “Top Gun” and died saving Maverick’s life. There’s more to that history (spoiler), but the dramatic point is that Maverick has to overcome both the distrust and the enmity of one of the best pilots he’s training—for the sake of the mission, the unit’s esprit de corps, Rooster’s peace of mind, and his own sense of responsibility for a fatherless young man for whom he assumed paternal responsibilities.

There’s also a romance, perhaps the most perfunctory one this side of a children’s movie. Like the one in the original “Top Gun,” it is centered on a bar. This time, Maverick re-meets cute a former lover named Penny (Jennifer Connelly), the owner of the bar where the pilots all hang out. (In the original “Top Gun,” there’s mention of a woman named Penny as one of Maverick’s romantic partners, but the hint goes undeveloped.) What it takes for them to get back together is a kind of barroom hazing that costs Maverick money and dignity, plus a jaunt on her sailboat where she literally teaches him the ropes. (As to what happened between him and Charlie, his instructor and lover in the first film, played by Kelly McGillis, the new film says not a word.) Their relationship is the hollow core around which the movie is modelled, and its emptiness comes off not as accidental or oblivious but as the self-conscious dramatic strategy of the director and the film’s group of screenwriters.

The first ten minutes of “Top Gun”—showing the midair freakout of a pilot called Cougar (John Stockwell)—contain more real emotion than the entire running time of the sequel, and therein lie the key differences between the two films. The powerful feelings, troubled circumstances, and unsettling ambiguities in the original posed dramatic challenges that its director, Tony Scott, and its screenwriters never met. Their film thrusted a handful of significant complexities onto the screen but never explored or resolved them. It wasn’t only Cougar who fell apart in “Top Gun.” Maverick himself, racked with guilt over Goose’s death, first attempted to quit the Navy and then, returning to combat duty, froze up in midair. Of course, Maverick quickly got over it (thanks to Goose’s dog tags), and his suddenly resurgent heroic skills saved the day, brought the movie to a quick triumph, and aroused three decades of impatience for a sequel—but his vulnerability and fallibility at least made a daunting appearance.

By contrast, “Maverick” allows for no such doubts or hesitations. There’s certainly danger in the film, including a pilot who passes out midair and needs to be rescued. Maverick himself ends up in some perilous straits. But none of these situations suggests any weakness or failure of will, any questioning of the mission or of the pilots’ own abilities. The challenges are visceral rather than psychological, technical rather than dramatic, and the script offers them not resolutions but merely solutions—ones that are as impersonal as putting a key in a lock and as gratifying as hearing it click open. “Maverick” feels less written and directed than engineered. It is a work that achieves a certain sort of perfection, a perfect substancelessness—which is a deft way of making its forceful, and wildly political, implicit subject matter pass unnoticed.

Again, comparison with the original is telling. Whatever else the original “Top Gun” is, it’s a movie of procedure. The astounding upside-down maneuver with which Maverick flaunts his daring and prowess early on isn’t a violation of rules, just a departure from textbook methods. On another flight, he does break the rules, in relatively minor ways—he goes briefly below the “hard deck” (the lower limit) to win a competition and then playfully buzzes officers in a tower—and gets seriously called on the carpet for it. By contrast, in the sequel Maverick openly defies the orders of his superior officers, and not merely for a quick maneuver or a playful twit—he steals two planes, and destroys one of them. (For that matter, the destruction is kept offscreen and is merely played for laughs.) The essence of “Maverick” is that a naval officer breaks the law but gets away with it, because he and he alone can save the country from imminent danger.

The lawbreaker-as-hero model rings differently in an age of Trumpian politics and practices, of open insurrection and a near-coup. “Maverick” is evidence, as strong as any in the political arena, that the Overton window of authoritarianism has shifted. This is apparent in the movie’s cavalier attitude toward the rule of law, even in the seemingly sacrosanct domain of military discipline. In the original “Top Gun,” Maverick and the other pilots are told, by the instructor Viper (Tom Skerritt), “Now, we don’t make policy here, gentlemen. Elected officials, civilians do that. We are the instruments of that policy.” (Yes, “gentlemen”—all the fliers in the original are men.) In “Maverick,” there is no parallel line of dialogue, and the military is hermetically sealed off from any reference to politics—perhaps because such sentiments would likely now, in many parts of the country, be booed.

In “Top Gun,” Maverick is a warrior who needs to master his emotions in order to serve his country and to protect his colleagues. In the new film, Maverick, nearing sixty, succeeds solely by giving in to his emotions, by expressly not controlling them—and this, above all, is the doctrine that he imparts to young pilots: “Don’t think, just do.” That mantra, which his best students repeat back to him and follow, is a strange perversion of a key phrase that the young Maverick, explaining himself in class, blurts out in “Top Gun”: “You don’t have time to think up there; if you think, you’re dead.” There’s a world of difference between the young Maverick’s nearly apologetic instrumentalizing of instinct and the elder Maverick’s exaltation of unthinking action. This key line—which, following the quotability of the original film, seems devised to become a catchphrase—isn’t limited to flying and fighting but is delivered as a dictum that could as easily be echoed by anyone with anything to do anywhere.

Thinking means reflecting on consequences and contexts, going past immediate desires and appearances to consider causes and implications. Not thinking is easy for the characters in “Maverick,” because they have no individual attributes at all. The pilots and the officers are played by a diverse group of actors, but the screenwriters give them identities outside of their military actions and no backstories beside the ones that issue from the original “Top Gun.” In the entire film, not a single event or idea or experience is discussed that doesn’t specifically relate to the plot. As a result, the stars and the supporting cast alike have little to do and are reduced to flattened emblems of themselves. Yet the reduction of the characters to cipher-like mechanical functions is part of the charm of “Maverick,” thrusting into the foreground the many extended sequences of high-risk flight, and rendering them more dramatically characterized than anything that takes place on the ground. Also, these airborne scenes far outshine the ones in “Top Gun,” because they are filmed largely from the point of view of the pilots, looking out through the front of the cockpit into the onrush of other planes and in the face of looming and menacing obstacles. They are some of the most impressive and exciting—and strikingly simple—action sequences that I’ve seen in a while.

Apparently, the flight scenes in “Maverick” were realized in actual planes in flight, and the cameras in the cockpits were wielded by the actors themselves. Cruise, who famously enjoys doing his own stunts, supposedly trained his castmates in the requisite skills of aerial cinematography. I wouldn’t have guessed any of this, though, if I hadn’t read the publicity materials in which Cruise and others say so. The scenes of pilots in flight are cut into rapid fragments that reduce aerial views to mere moments of excitement. They are interspersed with aggrandizing grunt-and-sweat closeups of the actors, especially Cruise. This amounts to a kind of malpractice in the editing room, transforming the actors’ brave and devoted exertions into a seeming cheat, an ersatz experience that might as well have been created with C.G.I.

What’s most impressive about “Top Gun: Maverick” is its speed—not the speed of the planes in flight but the speed with which the movie dashes in a straight line from its opening act to its conclusion. The flights at the center of the film are vertiginously twisty, but the drama is a bullet train on a rigid track. Both midair and on the ground, Kosinski is an approximator. He doesn’t let his eye get distracted by the piquant detail, and he doesn’t turn his head to overhear a stray confidence or an incidental remark. He’s narrowly focussed on the relentless course of the action, and incurious about its byways, its implications, its material or emotional realities. He keeps the drama as abstract as the military software and as inhuman as the military hardware that are the movie’s true protagonists. I repeat: I enjoyed it, and you might, too—if you don’t think, just watch.

New Yorker Favorites

Searching for the cause of a catastrophic plane crash .

The man who spent forty-two years at the Beverly Hills Hotel pool .

Gloria Steinem’s life on the feminist frontier .

Where the Amish go on vacation .

How Colonel Sanders built his Kentucky-fried fortune .

What does procrastination tell us about ourselves ?

Fiction by Patricia Highsmith: “The Trouble with Mrs. Blynn, the Trouble with the World”

Sign up for our daily newsletter to receive the best stories from The New Yorker .

By signing up, you agree to our User Agreement and Privacy Policy & Cookie Statement . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

By Justin Chang

• Latest Latest
• The West The West
• Sports Sports
• Opinion Opinion
• Magazine Magazine

‘Top Gun: Maverick’ review: How does it compare to the original?

‘top gun: maverick’ will keep you on the edge of your seat.

By Lindsey Harper

Action-packed fighter pilot scenes, Kenny Loggins’ “Danger Zone” and the return of Tom Cruise? The new “Top Gun” sequel, “Top Gun: Maverick,” has smashed the original movie out of the park and quickly become a must-see.

• “Top Gun: Maverick” follows Pete “Maverick” Mitchell (played by Cruise) as he makes his way back to the United States Navy Strike Fighter Tactics Instructor program, known as TOPGUN, to train a group of flight school graduates for an extremely dangerous mission.
• One of the graduates Maverick oversees is Bradley “Rooster” Bradshaw, the resentful son of his deceased best friend and naval wingman from the first film, Nick “Goose” Bradshaw.
• Maverick reunites with an old flame along the way, Penny Benjamin (played by Jennifer Connelly), which adds just the right amount of romance to this action/drama movie.

The good parts: “Top Gun: Maverick” is the perfect sequel. It does a great job of incorporating parts of the original “Top Gun” without confusing viewers who haven’t seen the first movie.

• The movie offers an ideal blend of old and new, paying homage to the original movie with nostalgic ’80s hit songs (hello, “Great Balls of Fire”) while reimagining famous scenes in creative ways (Spoiler: This movie’s “dogfight football” scene is way better than the original movie’s volleyball montage, in my opinion).
• “Top Gun: Maverick” takes you on a gripping adventure that will leave your jaw and knuckles sore from tensing the whole time. The plot is thrilling; just when you think you know what happens next, the film throws you for a loop in the best possible way.
• Oh, and did I mention that Tom Cruise, along with his cast members, actually went through flight training in order to accurately film the fighter jet scenes?

The cast: Tom Cruise is exactly what you expect and more: daring, charming, funny — a well-liked guy who gets away with bending the rules sometimes.

• Miles Teller, who plays Rooster, does a great job portraying the bitter-turned-appreciative lead with wonderful character development throughout.
• Val Kilmer makes a sublime reappearance as “Iceman” and shares a tear-jerking scene with Cruise that will leave you reaching for the nearest tissue box.
• Jon Hamm is the perfect admiral in charge — stern, gruff and effectively authoritative. Given his award-winning role in “Mad Men,” it comes as no surprise.

The bad parts: Honestly, I can’t point out a single “bad part” in this movie.

• While some are calling Maverick’s chemistry with love interest Penny Benjamin “flat,” I actually enjoyed their light romance and appreciated the lack of sex scenes. (If you are looking for a more provocative on-screen romance, the first “Top Gun” will supply you with plenty.)

The bottom line: “Top Gun: Maverick” is a fun whirlwind of a movie that takes you right into the “danger zone.” Its never-ending action will leave your heart racing and your palms sweating. I definitely recommend it to people of all ages, but especially to those who grew up watching the original.

Common Sense Media

Movie & TV reviews for parents

• For Parents
• For Educators
• Our Work and Impact

Or browse by category:

• Get the app
• Movie Reviews
• Best Movie Lists
• Best Movies on Netflix, Disney+, and More

Common Sense Selections for Movies

50 Modern Movies All Kids Should Watch Before They're 12

• Best TV Lists
• Best TV Shows on Netflix, Disney+, and More
• Common Sense Selections for TV
• Video Reviews of TV Shows

Best Kids' Shows on Disney+

Best Kids' TV Shows on Netflix

• Book Reviews
• Best Book Lists
• Common Sense Selections for Books

8 Tips for Getting Kids Hooked on Books

50 Books All Kids Should Read Before They're 12

• Game Reviews
• Best Game Lists

Common Sense Selections for Games

• Video Reviews of Games

Nintendo Switch Games for Family Fun

• Podcast Reviews
• Best Podcast Lists

Common Sense Selections for Podcasts

Parents' Guide to Podcasts

• App Reviews
• Best App Lists

Social Networking for Teens

Gun-Free Action Game Apps

Reviews for AI Apps and Tools

• YouTube Channel Reviews
• YouTube Kids Channels by Topic

Parents' Ultimate Guide to YouTube Kids

YouTube Kids Channels for Gamers

• Preschoolers (2-4)
• Little Kids (5-7)
• Big Kids (8-9)
• Pre-Teens (10-12)
• Teens (13+)
• Screen Time
• Social Media
• Online Safety
• Identity and Community

Explaining the News to Our Kids

• Family Tech Planners
• Digital Skills
• All Articles
• Latino Culture
• Black Voices
• Asian Stories
• Native Narratives
• LGBTQ+ Pride
• Best of Diverse Representation List

Celebrating Black History Month

Movies and TV Shows with Arab Leads

Celebrate Hip-Hop's 50th Anniversary

Top gun: maverick, common sense media reviewers.

Tamer sequel to '80s fave has peril, cursing, solid message.

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Strong theme of second chances and redemption. Ski

Maverick has grown from his mistakes and teaches a

Racial and gender diversity among Navy personnel.

Intense moments of peril during dangerous flight m

Romance. A clothed couple makes intense eye contac

Strong language includes "d--khead," "hell," "s--t

Some brands are presented as aspirational, includi

Hanging out and drinking at a bar is shown to be f

Parents need to know that Top Gun: Maverick is the long-awaited sequel to '80s favorite Top Gun. Expect frequent intense peril and aerial combat, but kills aren't bloody, and you can see someone ejecting with a parachute after their plane is hit. Time has made Capt. Pete "Maverick" Mitchell (Tom…

Positive Messages

Strong theme of second chances and redemption. Skill and instinct are a result of a thorough knowledge of the material plus training, practice, and learning from those with experience.

Positive Role Models

Maverick has grown from his mistakes and teaches a new generation to avoid prideful errors. He's willing to sacrifice his own reputation and status to do what he feels is right. He still defies authority, but usually with a purpose -- for the betterment of his colleagues. Several young fighter pilots are aspirational in their skill level and camaraderie, especially Phoenix, who holds her own (and then some) against the male pilots.

Diverse Representations

Racial and gender diversity among Navy personnel. The one female fighter pilot in the training group, a Latina woman (Monica Barbaro), is razzed about her gender by a male classmate but doesn't take it and proves she's just as capable as (or more capable than) her male colleagues.

Did we miss something on diversity? Suggest an update.

Violence & Scariness

Intense moments of peril during dangerous flight missions and training sessions. Aerial combat, including planes being shot down and blowing up.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide.

Sex, Romance & Nudity

Romance. A clothed couple makes intense eye contact while one is positioned above the other, who's lying on her back; in the next scene, they're talking and laughing while he's in bed shirtless and she's clothed, implying that they had sex. Kissing. Men are shirtless while playing sports.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Sex, Romance & Nudity in your kid's entertainment guide.

Strong language includes "d--khead," "hell," "s--t," and one instance of "what the f--k."

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Language in your kid's entertainment guide.

Products & Purchases

Some brands are presented as aspirational, including a Ford Bronco and a Porsche. Additionally, Budweiser and Sailor Jerry rum are featured in a bar.

Drinking, Drugs & Smoking

Hanging out and drinking at a bar is shown to be fun, cool, and a way to build relationships with others.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Drinking, Drugs & Smoking in your kid's entertainment guide.

Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that Top Gun: Maverick is the long-awaited sequel to '80s favorite Top Gun . Expect frequent intense peril and aerial combat, but kills aren't bloody, and you can see someone ejecting with a parachute after their plane is hit. Time has made Capt. Pete "Maverick" Mitchell ( Tom Cruise ) more responsible, but he still sometimes can't help defying authority. And while many '80s teens likely saw his character as proof that cocky was cool and winning was everything, now Mav teaches his aviator students that knowledge and preparation hone the instincts they need for successful outcomes. He also passes on a moral code: Never leave your wingman. Mav's romance with Penny ( Jennifer Connelly ) is tame: A brief scene implies sex, but she's always shown fully clothed. As is the Top Gun way, the shirtlessness is reserved for men enjoying sandy sports together. Language is mostly "s--t," but there's one use of "d--khead" and a "what the f--k." It's possible to follow the movie's story as a standalone, but it will be far more meaningful if you've seen the first film -- and it will drive home the message that growth and change of perspective come with life experience. To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails .

Where to Watch

Videos and photos.

Community Reviews

• Parents say (52)
• Kids say (130)

Based on 52 parent reviews

From a Navy fighter pilot - AMAZING. Absolute must-see.

Feel good action film, what's the story.

In TOP GUN: MAVERICK, Tom Cruise reprises his role as Capt. Pete "Maverick" Mitchell, who's found his niche in the Navy as a test pilot, pushing the limits of new aircraft. When his friend and former rival Adm. Tom "Iceman" Kazansky ( Val Kilmer ) reassigns Maverick to train a new group of Top Gun graduates for a special high-risk mission, he must return to Miramar. But when he learns that the class includes Lt. Bradley "Rooster" Bradshaw ( Miles Teller ), the son of Maverick's late best friend, Goose, he must find a way to resolve the past -- for the sake of Rooster's future.

Is It Any Good?

Compared to the original, this sequel is 70% less sweaty, 85% less sexy, and 90% more tween appropriate. Top Gun: Maverick is a tale of redemption both for Maverick and for the original film. Top Gun is a piece of classic cinema, one of the most significant films of the 1980s. But it projected hyper masculinity as aspirational, arrogance as cool, and the idea that rules are for losers. The fact that Maverick's recklessness cost his best friend his life was lost in the excitement of the Danger Zone and the camaraderie of volleyball on the beach and serenading bar beauties.

Top Gun: Maverick remedies this -- so much so that it's actually a really great idea to watch them as a double feature with teens and tweens. In the sequel, the perspective is flipped, with the class of swaggering fighter pilots shown from the instructor's point of view. They're not ready, they're overly confident, and it's clear that they need structure and guidance. Still shattered from Goose's death all these years later and afraid that Goose's son, Bradley (Teller), could lose his life the same way, Maverick has to teach the young guns how to take risks in the most risk-averse way. The movie's romance no longer has an uneven power dynamic (ahem, dating the teacher), either: Maverick's love interest, Penny ( Jennifer Connelly ), is the same age and has her own, separate career -- and things between them get about as sexy as a starched collar. Where viewers are likely to feel the intensity is in the aerial combat, which is notably more breathtaking and includes stunning action sequences. Cruise is known for insisting on authenticity by performing stunts himself, and he and the other actors really fly these planes. That helps make the film more immersive. Many former '80s teens have fond memories of watching Top Gun with their parents. Top Gun: Maverick is made for that experience to continue.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

Families can talk about "trusting your gut." What does that mean, and how can you cultivate an instinct?

What does Maverick mean when he says that being a pilot "is not what I am, it's who I am." Are you so passionate about anything that it feels like part of your personality?

In both films, Top Gun classmates have a rivalry. How can competition be used to help push you to be your best, and when can it be unhealthy?

What is the purpose of a sequel? How does Top Gun: Maverick complete the journey of Capt. Pete Mitchell? What characters from other movies would you like to check in on 30 years later?

How do characters demonstrate courage and humility ?

Movie Details

• In theaters : May 27, 2022
• On DVD or streaming : August 23, 2022
• Cast : Tom Cruise , Jennifer Connelly , Miles Teller , Val Kilmer
• Director : Joseph Kosinski
• Studio : Paramount Pictures
• Genre : Action/Adventure
• Topics : Friendship
• Character Strengths : Courage , Humility
• Run time : 131 minutes
• MPAA rating : PG-13
• MPAA explanation : sequences of intense action, and some strong language
• Awards : Academy Award , Common Sense Selection
• Last updated : March 13, 2023

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

Suggest an Update

Our editors recommend.

American Made

Mission: Impossible - Fallout

Air Force One

Best action movies for kids, thriller movies, related topics.

Want suggestions based on your streaming services? Get personalized recommendations

Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.

• Entertainment
• Celebrities
• Ticket Sales
• Promoted: What to Watch on Prime Video

Recommended

Johnny Oleksinski

‘top gun: maverick’ review: the perfect summer movie.

• View Author Archive
• Get author RSS feed

Thanks for contacting us. We've received your submission.

Now that’s how you do a 1980s film sequel.

Walking into “Top Gun: Maverick,” starring Tom Cruise, viewers violently shake with nervousness that they might witness a nightmarish repeat of “Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull” — all their favorite ‘80s stars and characters reunited after decades, wasted, embarrassed and chasing after aliens.

Then the movie starts. All it takes is the opening scene of Cruise as Maverick pushing a plane’s limits to a daunting Mach 10 while “Highway to the Danger Zone” plays to realize that this is a worthy, often exemplary follow-up to the 1986 classic. It’s everything a summer movie should be.

TOP GUN: MAVERICK

Running time: 131 minutes. Rated PG-13 (sequences of intense action, and some strong language). In theaters May 27.

The director, Joseph Kosinski, and writers Ehren Kruger, Eric Warren Singer and Christopher McQuarrie don’t get overly clever with Maverick’s story. He’s not a washed-up insurance salesman now who needs a training montage to get back in shape, and there are no meta inside jokes about the old film. 

Still a captain in the Navy, Maverick is called back to Top Gun — where the nation’s best pilots are trained — to prepare a group of hotshots for a dangerous overseas mission to destroy a uranium plant in a mountain.

We’re never told which country is making nukes, probably because Paramount does not enjoy its films getting banned from overseas markets.

Returning to Top Gun is an emotional minefield for Maverick. One of the young flyers is Rooster (Miles Teller), the son of his late pal Goose. (Don’t worry, Anthony Edwards doesn’t play a ghost.) Mav wrestles with allowing Rooster to fly at all, which will put him in danger of his dad’s fate.

The other lieutenants all have big “Breakfast Club” personalities and those goofy callsigns: Hangman (Glen Powell), the jerk; Phoenix (Monica Barbaro), the powerful woman who has to put up with dudely nonsense; Coyote (Greg Tarzan Davis); Fanboy (Danny Ramirez); Payback (Jay Ellis); and geeky Bob (Lewis Pullman). Them and their uninformed compatriots compete for six coveted mission slots.

Providing some villainy is Jon Hamm as Cyclone — a cold, by-the-book vice admiral who is skeptical of Maverick’s unorthodox and life-threatening teaching style. Mav, you see, is like Whoopi Goldberg in “Sister Act,” if singing a song could get you blown to smithereens.

Maverick also has a new/old romance with bar owner Penny (Jennifer Connelly), whom he had a fling with sometime after his relationship with Kelly McGillis’ Charlie ended. Pushing 60, Mav wants his personal life — if not his planes — to slow down.

The teariest complication is Iceman, still played by Val Kilmer — who in real life has suffered from throat cancer and has difficulty speaking. Whatever animosity there was between Mav and Ice has melted, and their camaraderie is deeply moving. You’ll be glad Kilmer agreed to make the movie.

And then, of course, there’s Cruise. Despite the man’s consistently strange personal life, no action star working today demands the quality that Cruise demands. He is in peak form here in every respect, and the actors around him rise to his challenge. 

There is a fun scene on the beach in which Maverick has the oft-argumentative Top Gun flyers bond by playing football. Music plays, sun shines, water splashes. Naturally, everybody is shirtless, including Cruise. And, for a moment, the veteran actor blends in perfectly with these ripped, sexy 20somethings. 

The man is turning 60 in July. Really takes your breath away.

Share this article:

Advertisement

Log in or sign up for Rotten Tomatoes

Trouble logging in?

By continuing, you agree to the Privacy Policy and the Terms and Policies , and to receive email from the Fandango Media Brands .

By creating an account, you agree to the Privacy Policy and the Terms and Policies , and to receive email from Rotten Tomatoes and to receive email from the Fandango Media Brands .

By creating an account, you agree to the Privacy Policy and the Terms and Policies , and to receive email from Rotten Tomatoes.

Email not verified

Let's keep in touch.

Sign up for the Rotten Tomatoes newsletter to get weekly updates on:

• Upcoming Movies and TV shows
• Trivia & Rotten Tomatoes Podcast
• Media News + More

By clicking "Sign Me Up," you are agreeing to receive occasional emails and communications from Fandango Media (Fandango, Vudu, and Rotten Tomatoes) and consenting to Fandango's Privacy Policy and Terms and Policies . Please allow 10 business days for your account to reflect your preferences.

OK, got it!

Movies / TV

No results found.

• What's the Tomatometer®?
• Login/signup

Movies in theaters

• Opening this week
• Top box office
• Coming soon to theaters
• Certified fresh movies

Movies at home

• Netflix streaming
• Prime Video
• Most popular streaming movies
• What to Watch New

Certified fresh picks

• Love Lies Bleeding Link to Love Lies Bleeding
• Problemista Link to Problemista
• Late Night with the Devil Link to Late Night with the Devil

New TV Tonight

• Mary & George: Season 1
• Star Trek: Discovery: Season 5
• Sugar: Season 1
• American Horror Story: Season 12
• Parish: Season 1
• Ripley: Season 1
• Loot: Season 2
• Lopez vs Lopez: Season 2
• The Magic Prank Show With Justin Willman: Season 1

Most Popular TV on RT

• 3 Body Problem: Season 1
• A Gentleman in Moscow: Season 1
• We Were the Lucky Ones: Season 1
• Shōgun: Season 1
• The Gentlemen: Season 1
• Palm Royale: Season 1
• Manhunt: Season 1
• The Regime: Season 1
• Best TV Shows
• Most Popular TV
• TV & Streaming News

Certified fresh pick

• We Were the Lucky Ones Link to We Were the Lucky Ones
• All-Time Lists
• Binge Guide
• Comics on TV
• Five Favorite Films
• Video Interviews
• Weekend Box Office
• Weekly Ketchup
• What to Watch

Pedro Pascal Movies and Series Ranked by Tomatometer

Best Movies of 2024: Best New Movies to Watch Now

What to Watch: In Theaters and On Streaming

Awards Tour

TV Premiere Dates 2024

Renewed and Cancelled TV Shows 2024

• Trending on RT
• 3 Body Problem
• Godzilla X Kong: The New Empire
• Play Movie Trivia

1986, Action/Adventure, 1h 49m

What to know

Critics Consensus

Though it features some of the most memorable and electrifying aerial footage shot with an expert eye for action, Top Gun offers too little for non-adolescent viewers to chew on when its characters aren't in the air. Read critic reviews

You might also like

Where to watch top gun.

Watch Top Gun with a subscription on Prime Video, Paramount+, rent on Apple TV, Vudu, Prime Video, or buy on Apple TV, Vudu, Prime Video.

Rate And Review

Super Reviewer

Rate this movie

Oof, that was Rotten.

Meh, it passed the time.

It’s good – I’d recommend it.

So Fresh: Absolute Must See!

What did you think of the movie? (optional)

You're almost there! Just confirm how you got your ticket.

Step 2 of 2

How did you buy your ticket?

Let's get your review verified..

AMCTheatres.com or AMC App New

Cinemark Coming Soon

We won’t be able to verify your ticket today, but it’s great to know for the future.

Regal Coming Soon

Theater box office or somewhere else

By opting to have your ticket verified for this movie, you are allowing us to check the email address associated with your Rotten Tomatoes account against an email address associated with a Fandango ticket purchase for the same movie.

You're almost there! Just confirm how you got your ticket.

Top gun videos, top gun   photos.

The Top Gun Naval Fighter Weapons School is where the best of the best train to refine their elite flying skills. When hotshot fighter pilot Maverick (Tom Cruise) is sent to the school, his reckless attitude and cocky demeanor put him at odds with the other pilots, especially the cool and collected Iceman (Val Kilmer). But Maverick isn't only competing to be the top fighter pilot, he's also fighting for the attention of his beautiful flight instructor, Charlotte Blackwood (Kelly McGillis).

Genre: Action, Adventure

Original Language: English

Director: Tony Scott

Producer: Jerry Bruckheimer , Don Simpson

Writer: Jim Cash , Jack Epps Jr.

Release Date (Theaters): May 16, 1986  original

Rerelease Date (Theaters): May 13, 2021

Release Date (Streaming): Aug 1, 2013

Box Office (Gross USA): $179.8M

Runtime: 1h 49m

Distributor: Paramount Pictures

Production Co: Paramount Pictures

Sound Mix: Dolby Stereo, Surround, Dolby Atmos, DTS, Dolby Digital

Aspect Ratio: Scope (2.35:1)

Cast & Crew

Lt. Pete "Maverick" Mitchell

Kelly McGillis

Charlotte "Charlie" Blackwood

Anthony Edwards

Lt. Nick "Goose" Bradshaw

Lt. Tom "Iceman" Kazanski

Tom Skerritt

Cmdr. Mike "Viper" Metcalf

Michael Ironside

Lt. Cmdr. Rick "Jester" Heatherly

John Stockwell

Rick Rossovich

Lt. Ron "Slider" Kerner

Tim Robbins

Lt. Sam "Merlin" Wells

James Tolkan

Jack Epps Jr.

Bill Badalato

Executive Producer

Jerry Bruckheimer

Don Simpson

Harold Faltermeyer

Original Music

Giorgio Moroder

Jeffrey Kimball

Cinematographer

Chris Lebenzon

Film Editing

Billy Weber

Margery Simkin

John DeCuir Jr.

Production Design

Robert R. Benton

Set Decoration

News & Interviews for Top Gun

Is Top Gun: Maverick Best Picture-Worthy?

Top Gun: Maverick First Reviews: The Most Thrilling Blockbuster We’ve Gotten in Years

“Rotten Tomatoes Is Wrong” About… Top Gun

Critic Reviews for Top Gun

Audience reviews for top gun.

Not terrible but I think you had to be there when the movie originally came out to be able to truly appreciate it.

"Top Gun" is an amazing 1980's drama/action film. "Top Gun" has amazing acting from "Tom Cruise" and "Kelly McGillis". The plot to "Top Gun" is great and has great plot points. The special effects in this movie are incredible for a 1980's film. There are no action sequences that look like the back of a green screen. The soundtrack to "Top Gun" is great, it makes every scene better and better. I will recommend you watch "Top Gun" as it is a awesome action/drama. So I give "Top Gun" a 8/10.

One can appreciate the film for being iconic, yet it is frustratingly bland and corny. Though Top Gun is full of action, nothing really happens, and the charming romance that inspires the classic hit "Take My Breath Away" becomes a vague, second-thought.

[img]http://images.rottentomatoes.com/images/user/icons/icon13.gif[/img]

Movie & TV guides

Play Daily Tomato Movie Trivia

Discover What to Watch

Rotten Tomatoes Podcasts

• Best Shows on Netflix
• Best Movies on Netflix
• F1 Live Stream
• Stranger Things Season 5
• Best New Movies
• Most Popular Movies on Netflix
• Best Shows on Disney+
• UFC Live Stream
• Best Movies on Disney+
• Entertainment

Everything you need to know about Top Gun 3

In 1986, the original Top Gun solidified Tom Cruise ‘s status as a box office superstar. But not even Cruise could have predicted that Top Gun: Maverick would become his highest-grossing film ever, with $1.496 billion worldwide in 2022. With those kind of numbers, Top Gun 3 is inevitably going to take flight in theaters. But many questions remain about when it will happen and who will return for it.

Is Top Gun 3 officially happening?

Can tom cruise still star in top gun 3 after signing with warner bros..

• What’s the plot of Top Gun 3?

What are the other stars saying about Top Gun 3?

When will top gun 3 hit theaters.

To keep on top of the latest developments, we’ve assembled everything you need to know about Top Gun 3 .

The good news is that Top Gun 3 is in development at Paramount. It’s just anyone’s guess as to when it will actually come together. As reported by Variety , Ehren Kruger, the co-writer of Top Gun: Maverick , has been tapped to write the script for the next movie.

• Deadpool and Wolverine: Everything we know about the film formerly known as Deadpool 3
• Everything you need to know about Yellowstone season 5, part 2
• Everything you need to know about the Fallout show on Amazon Prime Video

Paramount not only wants Cruise and director Joseph Kosinski to return, but also the younger cast members including Miles Teller and Glen Powell. But at this stage, it’s not on Paramount’s schedule and the sequel has no release date.

Cruise signed a development deal with Warner Bros. Pictures in January that may eventually lead to Edge of Tomorrow 2 . However, Cruise’s deal with Warner Bros. is not exclusive, which means that he can make Top Gun 3 if he signs off on the script by Kruger and finds a place for it in his schedule. Cruise is currently working on his final Mission: Impossible movie, but it’s unclear as to what his next film will be when he finishes that.

What’s the plot of Top Gun 3?

Producer Jerry Bruckheimer recently told Screen Rant that the story has already been pitched to Cruise, and he liked it.

“Tom is amazing,” said Bruckheimer. We spent time with him. We have a story. Joe Kosinski had a wonderful story idea for it, and [Cruise] said, ‘I really like that,’ so we’re developing it. But you never know when it’s going to get made because Tom is so busy. He’s doing Mission: Impossible right now, he’s got a picture after it. Hopefully, we’ll get a screenplay that he loves, and we’ll be back in the air again.”

In 2022, Teller revealed to Screen Rant that he had his own idea for a sequel that would center on his character, Lieutenant Bradley “Rooster” Bradshaw.

“I’m trying to get a Top Gun: Rooster ,” said Teller. “I’ve been pitching it. We’ll see what happens. I don’t know. I think it’s interesting. Obviously, everybody was begging Tom to do a sequel right after the first one came out. I think this movie puts a nice bow on it; it really kind of wraps it up, but we’ll see. I’m available.”

More recently, Powell spoke to Variety and offered more vague updates about the sequel.

“There is going to be some fun stuff being announced soon … but it was confidential to me,” said Powell. “I talk to [Joseph] Kosinski, Cruise and Jerry [Bruckheimer] all the time. There is stuff happening and it sounds very exciting. I don’t know when I’ll be going back … I’m sure there is a jet waiting for me sometime in the future.”

It’s impossible to say at the moment, since the script isn’t finalized and Top Gun 3 is still far from actually shooting. No one involved with the film seems to be interested in rushing Top Gun 3 to the big screen before it’s ready to go. And that’s ultimately the best thing for it.

Editors' Recommendations

• Everything you need to know about Kevin Costner’s Horizon movies
• Everything you need to know about The Last of Us season 2
• 3 great action movies on Tubi you need to watch in March 2024
• Everything you need to know about From season 3
• Everything you need to know about 1923 season 2

In 1984, director David Lynch's Dune attempted to bring the entirety of Frank Herbert's original novel to the big screen in a single film. Four decades later, with Dune: Part One and Dune: Part Two, Denis Villeneuve has achieved the box office success that eluded Lynch. Narratively, Villeneuve has reached the same point that Lynch did. The key difference is that Villeneuve will have a chance to continue the story on the big screen in Dune: Part Three, or Dune Messiah as it's sometimes referenced due to the novel it's going to be based on.

Although the next sequel is still in a very early state, it's no secret that Dune 3 is on the horizon, and it's something that Villeneuve has openly spoken about. Now it's time to bring those threads together and share everything you need to know about Dune: Part Three. Is Dune: Part Three officially going forward?

Since its premiere in 2018, Yellowstone has been a breakout hit for The Paramount Network and one of the most popular shows on TV. Taylor Sheridan's modern Western also revitalized Kevin Costner's career by placing him in the lead as John Dutton, the patriarch of the Dutton family, who own the Yellowstone Dutton Ranch, one of the largest ranches in Montana.

The fifth season of Yellowstone premiered in 2022, but the future of the series and the franchise were called into question when reports emerged that Costner was leaving the show and Paramount Network had already ordered a sequel series that will continue without Costner's involvement. To bring everyone up to speed, here's everything you need to know about the future of Yellowstone. Will there be a sixth season of Yellowstone? Sort of, but not something labeled as Yellowstone season 6. The six remaining episodes of Yellowstone are still technically part of the fifth season, or season 5B, as Paramount has called it. But at the same time that Paramount confirmed the end of Yellowstone, the studio also announced that a contemporary spinoff is on the way that will feature many of the show's current cast members.

In 2014, Keanu Reeves starred as a retired hitman thrust back into the criminal underworld in John Wick. The film exceeded box office and critical expectations, with many fans and pundits praising Reeves' performance and the elaborate action sequences. John Wick spawned three sequels, with the latest entry – John Wick: Chapter 4 – premiering in March 2023.

The billion-dollar franchise is ready to expand with spinoffs, which began with The Continental, Peacock's limited series about a young Winston Scott's rise to power in New York City. The next project will be Ballerina, the first spinoff feature film in the franchise. Here is everything you need to know about Ballerina, including the release date, cast, synopsis, and trailer. Ballerina release date

Screen Rant

Top gun 3 story update given by producer jerry bruckheimer.

Exclusive: Producer Jerry Bruckheimer provides an update on Top Gun 3's story and when the sequel will be made considering Tom Cruise's busy schedule.

• Top Gun 3 's story development is underway with Tom Cruise leading the team once again.
• Uncertainty surrounds the storyline, but it is likely to revolve around a new mission for Maverick and his pilots.
• The timing for the production is unclear due to Cruise's busy schedule, including filming Mission: Impossible 8 and other potential projects.

Producer Jerry Bruckheimer provides an update on Top Gun 3 's story and production timeline. A legacy sequel to Tony Scott's original film from 1986, the Joseph Kosinski-directed Top Gun: Maverick was released in theaters in 2022 and enamored audiences with its high-octane aerial sequences on its way to grossing $1.4 billion at the box office. In light of this remarkable success, a third movie is reportedly in development with Tom Cruise returning as Maverick alongside Miles Teller as Rooster and Glen Powell as Hangman.

During a recent interview with Screen Rant promoting The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare , Bruckheimer provided an update on Top Gun 3's story , which Kosinski has a " wonderful " idea for that Cruise " really " likes. Asked if Powell will potentially take over, the producer confirmed that Cruise will be leading the team once again. He also discussed when the sequel might get made considering the star's busy schedule. Check out Bruckheimer's full comments below:

It will be Tom Cruise. Tom is amazing. We spent time with him. We have a story. Joe Kosinski had a wonderful story idea for it, and he (Tom Cruise) said I really like that, so we’re developing it. But you never know when it’s going to get made because Tom is so busy. He’s doing Mission: Impossible right now, he’s got a picture after it. Hopefully, we’ll get a screenplay that he loves, and we’ll be back in the air again.

What To Expect From Top Gun 3's Story & Production Timeline

Much remains unknown about Top Gun 3 's story , especially since the Top Gun: Maverick ending didn't overtly set up a sequel, though it did leave enough narrative threads for a follow-up to unfold organically. Similar to the sequel, the threequel will likely revolve around a new mission that calls Maverick and his fellow Top Gun pilots back into service. If the same writing team behind the sequel returns to pen Top Gun 3 's story, it will likely have an equally strong script. Maverick earned an Oscar nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay, a real rarity for action movies.

Another major uncertainty regarding Top Gun 3 is when it will actually get made . Cruise is currently busy filming Mission: Impossible 8 and when he's finished, Bruckheimer says " he’s got a picture after it ." The producer is likely referring to Cruise's secretive collaboration with the Oscar-winning director Alejandro G. Iñárritu. After that, Cruise may even have more projects lined up under his new partnership with Warner Bros., such as Edge of Tomorrow 2 , that may further postpone the production timeline for Top Gun 3 .

Top Gun: Maverick is streaming on Paramount+.

Top Gun: Maverick

*Availability in US

Not available

Top Gun: Maverick is the sequel to the 1986 original film starring Tom Cruise as Pete "Maverick" Mitchell, a top-tier pilot in the Navy. Thirty years after the original film's events, Maverick is asked to head up a section of the TOP GUN program to embark on a dangerous mission. Things become personal when the program includes the son of Maverick's late friend, forcing him to confront his past.

'Top Gun 3' Will Still Have Tom Cruise as The Lead, Confirms Jerry Bruckheimer

"Joe Kosinski had a wonderful story idea for it."

The Big Picture

• Tom Cruise's star power shines in Top Gun: Maverick , with the film grossing $1.4 billion and earning rave reviews.
• Producer Jerry Bruckheimer confirms Cruise will return as Maverick for Top Gun 3 , with a promising story in the works.
• Top Gun: Maverick won Best Sound at the Oscars and is available to stream on Paramount+.

Inspired by producer and star Tom Cruise , Paramount's Top Gun: Maverick powered up its jet engines and made a rapid climb up the ladder of success in what was a thrilling sequel to the beloved original 1986 film, Top Gun . Described by some as the film that “saved Hollywood,” after the effects of the pandemic on the entertainment industry, the action sequel grossed an astonishingly impressive run, $1.4 billion at the global box office . Given the heights of success Top Gun: Maverick attained, it came as no surprise when it was announced that a third movie was in development with Cruise returning as the titular character, Maverick.

While it might seem a bit too soon for a third installment in the franchise, given it took 36 years for Maverick to arrive after Tony Scott 's 1986 original film, Top Gun 3 already has a story in the wings. Speaking with ScreenRant in an interview promoting his latest project, The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare , Top Gun: Maverick producer Jerry Bruckheimer provided an update on the third installment's story and production timeline.

Bruckheimer confirmed that there is a "wonderful story" on the ground that Cruise "really" likes. The producer then confirms that Cruise will be back in the cockpit as Maverick once more. Bruckheimer's comments in full read:

"It will be Tom Cruise. Tom is amazing. We spent time with him. We have a story. Joe Kosinski had a wonderful story idea for it, and he (Tom Cruise) said I really like that, so we’re developing it. But you never know when it’s going to get made because Tom is so busy. He’s doing Mission: Impossible right now, he’s got a picture after it. Hopefully, we’ll get a screenplay that he loves, and we’ll be back in the air again."

Tom Cruise Still Has Star Power

Top Gun: Maverick holds a 96% critic rating and an audience score of 99% on the review aggregator, Rotten Tomatoes . Joseph Kosinski helmed the feature with a screenplay by Ehren Kruger , Eric Warren Singer , and Christopher McQuarrie . The film went on to bag six Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture , Best Achievement in Film Editing, Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures (Original Song), Best Sound, and Best Achievement in Visual Effects.

Top Gun: Maverick went on to claim the gong for Best Sound, further cementing Cruise's star power . Top Gun 3 likely means a return for Miles Teller as Rooster and Glen Powell as Hangman alongside Cruise's Maverick, and while there might have been suggestions that Cruise might not return, it seems scheduling might be the only challenge left to navigate.

Top Gun: Maverick is currently streaming on Paramount+ in the U.S.

Top Gun: Maverick

After thirty years, Maverick is still pushing the envelope as a top naval aviator, but must confront ghosts of his past when he leads TOP GUN's elite graduates on a mission that demands the ultimate sacrifice from those chosen to fly it.

WATCH ON PARAMOUNT+

Tom Cruise Is ‘So Busy’ That ‘You Never Know’ When ‘Top Gun 3’ Will Get Made, Says Franchise Producer: He ‘Really’ Likes the ‘Wonderful Story Idea’

By Zack Sharf

Digital News Director

• Michael Keaton Admits His ‘Batman’ Casting ‘Was a Ballsy Move’ but Backlash Was ‘Baffling,’ Says Jack Nicholson Questioned Him for Working Out on Set 19 mins ago
• Hunter Schafer Has ‘Gotten Offered Tons of Trans Roles’ but ‘I Just Don’t Want to Do It’ or ‘Talk About It’: ‘I Just Want to Be a Girl and Move On’ 1 hour ago
• Lizzo Is Not Quitting Music, Says Viral ‘I Quit’ Statement Was Only About Not ‘Giving Any Negative Energy Attention’ 2 hours ago

Tom Cruise is a busy man, which makes it all but impossible to put a timeline on when “ Top Gun ” fans might finally get to see a third installment in the beloved action-drama franchise. Variety confirmed in January that Paramount was developing “Top Gun 3”  and had tapped its “Top Gun: Maverick” co-writer Ehren Kruger to work on the screenplay. Franchise producer Jerry Bruckheimer now tells ScreenRant he has no idea when Cruise might even have free time in his schedule to shoot the third “Top Gun” film.

Cruise is currently filming “Mission: Impossible 8,” which will serve as the sequel to last year’s “Dead Reckoning.” Paramount is also behind that action franchise. The studio is hoping that “Top Gun: Maverick”   director Joseph Kosinski will return to helm the next “Top Gun” movie. Bruckheimer now confirmed Kosinski came up with the story idea for the next sequel. “Top Gun” newcomers Glen Powell, Miles Teller and more are likely to return.

“People looked at me like I knew what was going on,” Powell told Variety at Sundance earlier this year about the next “Top Gun ” movie. “There is going to be some fun stuff being announced soon…but it was confidential to me. I talk to [Joseph] Kosinski, Cruise and Jerry [Bruckheimer] all the time. There is stuff happening and it sounds very exciting. I don’t know when I’ll be going back…I’m sure there is a jet waiting for me sometime in the future.”

“Top Gun: Maverick” was a huge hit for Paramount, which tried for decades to find a way to get Cruise back in aviators. The film was nominated for the Oscar for best picture and grossed nearly $1.5 billion, making it the most popular film of Cruise’s career.

More From Our Brands

Adam sandler, martin short, more mourn joe flaherty: the ‘funniest man’, how bovet’s newest watch solves the horological conundrum of daylight savings time, silver lake taking endeavor private with mubadala, dell investment, the best loofahs and body scrubbers, according to dermatologists, tvline items: suits rewatch podcast, tic tac dough reboot and more, verify it's you, please log in.

“Top Gun 3 ”Update: Jerry Bruckheimer Says Tom Cruise Has Been Pitched a 'Story He Liked' (Exclusive)

W hile Jerry Bruckheimer says Tom Cruise liked a story pitch for 'Top Gun 3,' he notes Cruise is "a very in-demand actor and he's got a lot of movies lined up"

Plans are in motion for Tom Cruise to take to the skies again in a third Top Gun movie.

Jerry Bruckheimer , the producer behind Cruise's 1986 hit Top Gun and the 2022 box office sensation Top Gun: Maverick , tells PEOPLE "we're working on" Top Gun 3 as he promotes his new movie with filmmaker Guy Ritchie , The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare .

"We pitched Tom a story he liked. But he's a very in-demand actor and he's got a lot of movies lined up, so we have to wait and see," Bruckheimer, 80, adds.

When asked what might surprise fans about Cruise, 61, Bruckheimer immediately points to the actor's work ethic. "How hard he works," he tells PEOPLE. "A lot of actors, they finish the day, they get in their car and they go home. Tom stays around, talks to the other actors, looks at the film that they shot, wants to know what's happening tomorrow. He's really engaged in every part of the process."

Related: Where to Watch Top Gun and Top Gun: Maverick

Top Gun: Maverick grossed nearly $1.5 billion at the worldwide box office following its release in 2022. The sequel was the highest-grossing movie at the domestic box office that calendar year and currently stands out as the fifth-highest-grossing movie of all time in the U.S. and 12th-highest in the world.

When asked what the movie's success more than 25 years after the first Top Gun means to him, Bruckheimer tells PEOPLE, "Oh, it's fantastic."

"Just the fact that we can entertain so many people around the world was something that we worked so hard on. It is just the best there is," he says. "Just to stand back in the theater and watch an audience applaud and cry and laugh. Laughter is the best thing in the world."

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. 

Related: Glen Powell Jokes of His Future in Top Gun Franchise: 'That Is All Classified'

Bruckheimer's next movie, The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare, is in theaters April 19. The producer teamed up with director Ritchie, 55, for a film that stars Henry Cavill as a British special ops agent during World War II.

"I've been a fan of his since [1998's Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels ], way back when he was a young pup," Bruckheimer says of working with Ritchie. "It's been a long time trying to get him. Finally, [we] got him."

For more People news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter!

Read the original article on People .

9 top new movies to stream this week on Netflix, Prime Video, Hulu and more (March 19-March 25)

'Anatomy of a Fall,' 'Road House,' 'Bob Marley: One Love' and more movies arrive on streaming this week

This week brings a 2024 Oscars winner and several other top new movies on Netflix, Prime Video, Hulu and other major streaming services .

"Anatomy of a Fall" finally makes its streaming service debut this week. The Oscar winner has been available to buy or rent for a while but drops on Hulu for subscribers this Friday and is the clear top movie on streaming this week. I'll certainly be queueing it up to watch.

Aside from the acclaimed French legal drama, we have a couple of other major releases. "Bob Marley: One Love" is available to buy or rent as of today and Prime Video's "Road House" is debuting on the service this Thursday. Despite its big budget, there's no theatrical release for this remake of the 1989 cult classic so you'll need a Prime Video subscription to watch it.

Some of these titles are newly available via digital release, so you can purchase them for a premium price, but for others, all you need is the right streaming subscription. And while you're here, make sure to check out the new TV shows to watch from streamers this week and the best of what's new on Netflix .

Here are the top new movies streaming this week.

'Bob Marley: One Love' (PVOD)

This Bob Marley biopic doesn't shy away from the music, but it's just as much about Marley's influence on cultural movements as it is about the music. Starring Kingsley Ben-Adir as the reggae icon, the film starts with the political unrest in 1976 Jamaica that led to an assassination attempt on Marley's life and wraps up with the 1978 concert that marked his return to Jamaica. 

While the critical reviews for "Bob Marley: One Love" have been poor, audience response to the film has been overwhelmingly positive. It may be a fairly run-of-the-mill biopic but as long as you're okay with that Ben-Adir's performance is worth watching.

Sign up to get the BEST of Tom’s Guide direct to your inbox.

Upgrade your life with a daily dose of the biggest tech news, lifestyle hacks and our curated analysis. Be the first to know about cutting-edge gadgets and the hottest deals.

Buy or rent on Amazon now

'Inside the Yellow Cocoon Shell' (PVOD)

This Vietnamese film made waves at Cannes last year, where it took home the Camera d'Or — the award presented to the best debut feature film for a director. After watching the trailer I'm not surprised. "Inside the Yellow Cocoon Shell" may be a Vietnamese movie but it feels reminiscent of French arthouse cinema.

The movie stars Lê Phong Vũ as Thiện, whose sister-in-law dies in a motorcycle accident. He must take her child Dao and her body to the rural village where he grew up. While there, he decides to go on a personal journey to answer some of his nagging questions about his past. Blockbuster material this isn't, but if you love an indie art film this movie could be atop your list this week.

Buy or rent on Apple now

'French Girl' (PVOD)

"French Girl" stars Zach Braff as Gordon Kinski, a high school teacher from Brooklyn. His life gets turned upside down when his girlfriend Sophie Tremblay (Evelyne Brochu) asks him to come with her to her hometown of Quebec City where she is trying to join the kitchen of a new Michelin 3-star restaurant from super-chef Ruby Collins (Vanessa Hudgens). Plot twist — Sophie and Ruby used to be lovers.

It's not great when a movie doesn't have a Wikipedia page. It's even worse when the same movie scores a paltry 25% "fresh" rating from critics on Rotten Tomatoes . But this romantic comedy seems to, perhaps, be a passable rom-com from watching the trailer. If nothing else, it's got star power.

'Land of Bad' (PVOD)

"Land of Bad" stars Liam Hemsworth as Sgt. JJ "Playboy" Kinney, a U.S. Air Force Tactical Air Control Party officer. He's pulled into a U.S. Army Delta Force special operation to assist in drone operations as the team goes into Islamic State-controlled Philippines to rescue a CIA asset when things go horribly wrong. His team is seemingly wiped out and he must reach the extraction point with only the aid of drone pilot Capt. Eddie "Reaper" Grimm (Russell Crowe).

This movie has "Behind Enemy Lines" written all over it, with Hemsworth and Crowe standing in for the roles played by Owen Wilson and Gene Hackman in the 2001 war film. If you were a fan of that movie, or just like a good old-fashioned espionage action thriller, "Land of Bad" fits the bill.

'Expend4bles' (Starz)

"Land of Bad" isn't the only action movie on streaming this week. "Expend4bles" is the fourth installment in the "The Expendables" franchise and comes almost a decade after "The Expendables 3." This chapter in the action franchise brings back the elite mercenaries played by Jason Statham, Sylvester Stallone, Dolph Lundgren and Randy Couture. This time, they’re joined by Megan Fox, Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson, and Andy Garcia. 

The plot, for whatever that's worth, is for our band of heroes to stop the very evil arms dealer Rahmat (Iko Uwais) from acquiring nuclear detonators that could start World War III. But under no uncertain terms should this be considered anything more than a vehicle for explosions, gun fights and whatever else the action movie lover in you desires.

Stream on Starz now

'Road House' (Prime Video)

I'm lucky enough to see this movie in advance but if I wasn't, I'd be watching when it comes out this Thursday. This remake of the beloved Patrick Swayze cult classic of the same name, "Road House" stars Jake Gyllenhaal as Swayze's iconic bar bouncer Dalton. This time Dalton is a former UFC fighter working at a roadhouse in the Florida Keys rather than Missouri. It also features a cameo by UFC fighter Conor McGregor as a big bad that Dalton has to bounce.

I'm still not sure why this movie isn’t debuting in theaters. This movie feels like it’s made for the big screen. But I'm certainly not complaining about watching from the comfort of my own couch.

Stream on Prime Video starting March 21

'Anatomy of a Fall' (Hulu)

Starring Sandra Hüller as Sandra Voyter, "Anatomy of a Fall" is a gripping French legal drama (don't worry, it's in English) about the accidental death of her husband Samuel (Swann Arlaud). As the investigation into Samuel's untimely demise progresses blame suddenly shifts from gravity to Sandra, and what follows is a thriller you won't want to end.

This movie won the Palme d'Or at Cannes and cleaned up during award season, including winning Best Original Screenplay at this year's Oscars. Between the screenplay, an incredible job from director Justine Triet and an excellent performance from Hüller, this movie is the top movie on streaming this week beyond a shadow of a doubt.

Stream on Hulu starting March 22

'The Monk and the Gun' (PVOD)

In 2006, the King of Bhutan abdicated his throne, setting in motion the nation's first parliamentary elections. As part of this process, the government organizes a mock election to prepare people for the upcoming vote. While this is all happening, an old Buddhist lama arms a young monk (Tandin Wangchuk) to prepare for this moment of change while an American arms dealer (Harry Einhorn) hunts down the valuable rifle that has fallen into the monk's hands.

"The Monk and the Gun" went through the film festival circuit last year and had a small theatrical release this February in the U.S., garnering positive reviews. Don't miss it now that it's available to watch at home.

Buy or rent on Apple starting March 22

'Shirley' (Netflix)

Shirley Chisholm is a political icon. She was the first Black woman to be elected to Congress in the U.S. In 1972 she became the first to run for President. "Shirley" is a new biopic from Netflix centered on the story of that campaign and it stars the incomparable Regina King as the titular Chisholm.

King isn't the only incredible actor worth watching here though. We also get Terrence Howard as Arthur Hardwick Jr. and a posthumous performance from the late, great Lance Reddick as Wesley McDonald "Mac" Holder. Early reviews have been largely positive, so don't miss out on "Shirley" this week.

Stream on Netflix starting March 22

More from Tom's Guide

• 'The Zone of Interest' streaming date: When will it be available to watch?
• YouTube and YouTube TV's latest upgrade focuses on the most important thing
• 9 best shows like 'Masters of the Air' on Netflix, Max, Paramount Plus and more

Malcolm McMillan is a senior writer for Tom's Guide, covering all the latest in streaming TV shows and movies. That means news, analysis, recommendations, reviews and more for just about anything you can watch, including sports! If it can be seen on a screen, he can write about it. Previously, Malcolm had been a staff writer for Tom's Guide for over a year, with a focus on artificial intelligence (AI), A/V tech and VR headsets.

Before writing for Tom's Guide, Malcolm worked as a fantasy football analyst writing for several sites and also had a brief stint working for Microsoft selling laptops, Xbox products and even the ill-fated Windows phone. He is passionate about video games and sports, though both cause him to yell at the TV frequently. He proudly sports many tattoos, including an Arsenal tattoo, in honor of the team that causes him to yell at the TV the most.

This Netflix show has knocked '3 Body Problem' out of the No. 1 spot

New on Disney Plus in April 2024 — all the new movies and shows to watch

A brand-new 'Bridgerton' season 3 clip teases the book's steamy mirror scene

Most Popular

By Alan Martin April 01, 2024

By Dave LeClair April 01, 2024

By Hunter Fenollol April 01, 2024

By Josh Bell April 01, 2024

By Kelly Woo April 01, 2024

By Kate Kozuch April 01, 2024

By Brittany Vincent April 01, 2024

By Tom Wardley March 31, 2024

By Alyse Stanley March 31, 2024

• 2 Score! iPad mini just crashed to all-time price low
• 3 Lululemon’s ‘We Made Too Much’ sale is live — here’s my favorite deals from $9
• 4 Massive Best Buy sale is now live — here's the 15 deals I recommend now
• 5 Discord will soon show ads — here's how this will change the beloved gaming chat app
• 2 Lululemon’s ‘We Made Too Much’ sale is live — here’s my favorite deals from $9
• 3 Massive Best Buy sale is now live — here's the 15 deals I recommend now
• 4 Discord will soon show ads — here's how this will change the beloved gaming chat app
• 5 iPhone SE 4 leak just revealed the biggest design changes

• About Frontpage
• How To Search
• Official Rules
• Sweepstakes Facts
• Contest Details
• PCH Profile Builder

Entertainment

Lewis Hamilton Regrets Turning Down Role In 'Top Gun: Maverick'

Celebrity news.