Top Gun Maverick review thread with SPOILERS *DANGERZONE*
Discussion
rdjohn said:
Enjoyable, but just a few questions
Was Jenifer Lawrence supposed to be playing the older Kelly McGillis, she still had a classic Porsche, but also a very nice yacht. But now owned a bar rather than be a tactical flight instructor?
No, Jennifer Connelly played Penny Benjamin - the admirals' daughter referenced a few times in the original movie. Hence the sailing background, nice yacht, and references to Maverick repeatedly breaking her heart.Was Jenifer Lawrence supposed to be playing the older Kelly McGillis, she still had a classic Porsche, but also a very nice yacht. But now owned a bar rather than be a tactical flight instructor?
48k said:
rdjohn said:
Enjoyable, but just a few questions
Was Jenifer Lawrence supposed to be playing the older Kelly McGillis, she still had a classic Porsche, but also a very nice yacht. But now owned a bar rather than be a tactical flight instructor?
No, Jennifer Connelly played Penny Benjamin - the admirals' daughter referenced a few times in the original movie. Hence the sailing background, nice yacht, and references to Maverick repeatedly breaking her heart.Was Jenifer Lawrence supposed to be playing the older Kelly McGillis, she still had a classic Porsche, but also a very nice yacht. But now owned a bar rather than be a tactical flight instructor?
Also released in 1986 was the cult classic 'scary' kids movie Labyrinth which starred Jennifer Connelly. She was 14 playing a 16 year old...
48k said:
rdjohn said:
Enjoyable, but just a few questions
Was Jenifer Lawrence supposed to be playing the older Kelly McGillis, she still had a classic Porsche, but also a very nice yacht. But now owned a bar rather than be a tactical flight instructor?
No, Jennifer Connelly played Penny Benjamin - the admirals' daughter referenced a few times in the original movie. Hence the sailing background, nice yacht, and references to Maverick repeatedly breaking her heart.Was Jenifer Lawrence supposed to be playing the older Kelly McGillis, she still had a classic Porsche, but also a very nice yacht. But now owned a bar rather than be a tactical flight instructor?
Penny is first referenced when Maverick and Goose are getting chewed out by Stinger (after the Cougar incident), who indicates that Maverick has been previously disciplined (twice by Stinger himself) for "a history of high-speed passes over five air control towers and one admiral's daughter!" Goose then whispers Benjamin's name to Maverick as if to remind him of who she was.
Goose also told his wife about the incident, who then repeated it back to Maverick:
"He told me all about the time you went ballistic with Penny Benjamin."
- Carole Bradshaw to Maverick
IT. WAS. PERFECT!
I've not come out of a cinema buzzing like that for as long as I can remember, I loved it!
And the details, for fans of the original. The Penny Benjamin nod to the original was SO nice. The opening sequence with exactly the same music - hairs on the back of the neck standing up within the first five seconds if you loved the original. But even tiny things. Maverick was still wearing the (now classic) Porsche Design Chronograph 1 watch. And talking of Porsches, surely Penny's classic silver 911 was a nod to Charlie's silver Porsche Speedster in the original?
I don't bother much with the cinema these days but I knew this had to be seen on the big screen and it so did. And I'll go back and watch it again.
I saw it described as 'a love letter to aviation' and I think that's a good summation.
This was the best movie I've seen in YEARS.
I've not come out of a cinema buzzing like that for as long as I can remember, I loved it!
And the details, for fans of the original. The Penny Benjamin nod to the original was SO nice. The opening sequence with exactly the same music - hairs on the back of the neck standing up within the first five seconds if you loved the original. But even tiny things. Maverick was still wearing the (now classic) Porsche Design Chronograph 1 watch. And talking of Porsches, surely Penny's classic silver 911 was a nod to Charlie's silver Porsche Speedster in the original?
I don't bother much with the cinema these days but I knew this had to be seen on the big screen and it so did. And I'll go back and watch it again.
I saw it described as 'a love letter to aviation' and I think that's a good summation.
This was the best movie I've seen in YEARS.
I really enjoyed seeing this, especially on the big screen. It's flawed and unbelievable but it's a block buster movie and was always going to be.
I didn't get as invested with the new young generation of hot shots as I did in the original movie. Maybe they just lacked some of the charisma of the original characters. I found the whole Penny Benjamin storyline a bit forced and thought they could have dedicated some of that screen time to the younger pilot characters to develop them a bit more.
The biggest source of irritation for me was the death star storyline of the mission. I wished they had come up with a more original mission that could have shown off the risks and skills instead.
The timelines could have been stretched out to make it more believable too. They had what, 3 weeks to come together as a unit, change their personalities to be more of a team, learn the required dog fighting skills and even then, they lost a week as it was brought forward. He's seen Ice and then went to his funeral and built up a new relationship with his old flame. All of this happening in a 2 week period was a stretch that didn't need to be.
All that said, the cinematography and flying sequences are spectacular. It's a thrill ride and you could tell that the shots weren't re-hashed edits like the original. The flashbacks worked well and tugged at the heart strings.
Overall, it's an epic movie and well worth the entry fee. Not perfect but you can't complain about not getting your money's worth with everything that went into making it.
I didn't get as invested with the new young generation of hot shots as I did in the original movie. Maybe they just lacked some of the charisma of the original characters. I found the whole Penny Benjamin storyline a bit forced and thought they could have dedicated some of that screen time to the younger pilot characters to develop them a bit more.
The biggest source of irritation for me was the death star storyline of the mission. I wished they had come up with a more original mission that could have shown off the risks and skills instead.
The timelines could have been stretched out to make it more believable too. They had what, 3 weeks to come together as a unit, change their personalities to be more of a team, learn the required dog fighting skills and even then, they lost a week as it was brought forward. He's seen Ice and then went to his funeral and built up a new relationship with his old flame. All of this happening in a 2 week period was a stretch that didn't need to be.
All that said, the cinematography and flying sequences are spectacular. It's a thrill ride and you could tell that the shots weren't re-hashed edits like the original. The flashbacks worked well and tugged at the heart strings.
Overall, it's an epic movie and well worth the entry fee. Not perfect but you can't complain about not getting your money's worth with everything that went into making it.
Ari said:
The opening sequence with exactly the same music - hairs on the back of the neck standing up within the first five seconds if you loved the original.
I actually felt a little short-changed by the opening as it's edited shorter than the original. The music deserves playing in full.Ari said:
But even tiny things. Maverick was still wearing the (now classic) Porsche Design Chronograph 1 watch.
The watch is owned by producer Jerry Bruckheimer who snaffled it from the original movie and loaned it back to Tom Cruise for filming the sequel. Maverick's leather jacket is also the same one from the original movie. Saw it last week in a 4DX cinema, where the seats move and spray you with water etc.. Very gimmicky but this was the perfect film to showcase this kind of experience. The seats would rumble and turn the way the planes were going - made watching the movie even better.
As a kid of the 80's, I loved this movie!
As a kid of the 80's, I loved this movie!
Jake899 said:
2fast748 said:
The US military has a long, rich history of effectively sponsoring Hollywood output to get it's message across.
I would say every applicant for US naval aviation in the last 35 years has seen the original and thought "yep I'll have a piece of that please"...and also probably quite a significant proportion of international military aviation worldwide too.
Going along with the original movie was probably the best recruitment decision the USN have ever made.
There is a film called Act of Valor, its not what you would call a good film, but if you like brain out action and great gun fights its brilliant. Most of the people in it arent actors but active Navy SEALs, one critic said it was basically a 90 minute recruitment add for the SEALs.
s1962a said:
Saw it last week in a 4DX cinema, where the seats move and spray you with water etc.. Very gimmicky but this was the perfect film to showcase this kind of experience. The seats would rumble and turn the way the planes were going - made watching the movie even better.
As a kid of the 80's, I loved this movie!
I hate 4DX, think its a distracting gimmick. But, but! I have seen Maverick twice already in Imax and will probably go again and wondering if I should give it a go on 4DXAs a kid of the 80's, I loved this movie!
I saw this last night. It's a good film, but I'm going to buck the trend and say it wasn't as good as the original.
The love interest just wasn't needed, felt like filler.
The first one had more humour in it and you got more invested in the cast. The bits of humour did hit the mark however.
They resolved the issue with Maverick and Rooster way too quickly and easily.
The plot was far fetched, the situation in the original was much more believable and made some sense. This felt a stretch too far.
Overall though a good and enjoyable film. I'm definitely glad I saw it.
The love interest just wasn't needed, felt like filler.
The first one had more humour in it and you got more invested in the cast. The bits of humour did hit the mark however.
They resolved the issue with Maverick and Rooster way too quickly and easily.
The plot was far fetched, the situation in the original was much more believable and made some sense. This felt a stretch too far.
Overall though a good and enjoyable film. I'm definitely glad I saw it.
I have a question. In the original trailer, the first 30 seconds was a fighter jet screaming across the desert floor. I don't recall seeing this actual clip in the movie. Did I miss it in all the excitement, or was it not used?
https://youtu.be/qSqVVswa420
https://youtu.be/qSqVVswa420
Ari said:
I have a question. In the original trailer, the first 30 seconds was a fighter jet screaming across the desert floor. I don't recall seeing this actual clip in the movie. Did I miss it in all the excitement, or was it not used?
https://youtu.be/qSqVVswa420
It’s in the bit where Mav proves he can do the training route in the time neededhttps://youtu.be/qSqVVswa420
Narcisus said:
Just left imax in Sheffield. Great film ! Even though I did laugh when the Tomahawks flew past the F18’s doing about Mach 15 !
They were Tom Cruise missiles.The mission itself was really suited to a volley of contour hugging cruise missiles.
Carpet bombing the runway was a bit of a waste.
Ari said:
s1962a said:
Saw it last week in a 4DX cinema, where the seats move and spray you with water etc..
As someone who wears glasses, that would incense me! What a bloody stupid idea. FWIW I think it's a gimmick that should have stayed at the Disney parks. It's fine for smelling Minnie Mouse's pie as she lifts it out of the oven, feeling the rats moving around your feet when Micky Mouse goes in to the haunted house, and getting sprayed in the face when Donald Duck sweeps the floor, but it's not what you want when watching a mainstream blockbuster movie. IMHO.
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