Cool as Ice (man)

Given the mixed, to be generous, results of reviving long dormant movie titles how good could this film really be? Pretty darn good it turns out.

Of all the films to bring into the modern era Top Gun is on paper one of the hardest to mesh with current sensibilities. The America is bad ass spirit and corny dialogue that ruled the roost in 1986 just shouldn't work in 2022 but the filmmakers inject just enough 21st century flavour to deliver a blockbuster experience for everyone.

The films success is down to two things, the moviestar charisma of Tom Cruise and the practical effects. People flying around in planes shouldn't be so thrilling but after years of someone standing in front of a green screen pretending to blast tennis balls on sticks there is no doubt the air of authenticity takes the action scenes to another level.

The main challange the filmmakers face is finding suitable real world bad guys and a modern day mission requiring expert fighter pilots. The movie goes to laughable lengths to obsure who the enemy is but it is probably the right call. We settle for some small unamed rougue state backed by one of the also unamed big boys. The actual mission is, if course, ridiculously precise in what it requires but provides the perfect conditions for dramatic tension.

Cheesy but plenty of fun, Maverick is better than it has any right to be.

7 high risk missions out of 10.

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