Paramount Pictures presents the long-awaited Top Gun: Maverick (2022) to the screen this year and it could not have been a better sequel to the original 1986 feature. It is still possible for those who have never seen a Top Gun film to view the sequel and follow the plot but knowing the events of the first film allows for the events of Top Gun: Maverick to really hit home.

The sequel features a few breakout performances by upcoming stars that include Miles Teller as “Rooster” who appeared in the Divergent series, Monica Barbaro as “Phoenix” who starred in Chicago P.D. and Jay Ellis from HBO’s Insecure as “Payback”. While it’s good to see a few fresh faces, we also get to see Tom Cruise reprise his role as “Maverick”. The audience even gets to see some chemistry between Cruise and his on-screen love interest “Penny”, played by Jennifer Connolley, who adds a playful spark to each interaction between them.

The story is focused around Cruise training a group of Top Gun graduates for a special mission and in particular his relationship with “Goose’s” son “Rooster”. It pays off to know the events of the previous film as there is a fair amount of character development at play. Top Gun: Maverick is a thoroughly entertaining film and the aviation action is worth seeing in the cinema. 

It is safe to say Cruise hasn’t lost his touch in this Top Gun sequel 36 years later. Top Gun: Maverick will make you nostalgic for the original film. This film is an enthralling action-packed adventure from start to finish and Cruise mentoring Top Gun graduates while coming to terms with losing “Goose” makes it a worthy sequel to the Top Gun series. Grab a friend and go see this film in cinemas while you can, you won’t get the same experience through your laptop.

By: Joanna Letic