Travis Lytle’s review published on Letterboxd:
As safe and sanitized a blockbuster as a global audience could desire, "Top Gun: Maverick" is, nonetheless, magnetic, full-bodied entertainment. Returning Tom Cruise to the role that turned actor into icon, Joseph Kosinski's sequel to the 1986 landmark is a rousing, rollicking blast of wrinkle-free enjoyment.
As Pete "Maverick" Mitchell, Cruise leads the action sequel through expectation-fulfilling story beats and character types. There is the potentially past-his-prime hero, an unnamed global threat, a crew of hotshots in need of refining, and there are arcs involving redemption, the mission, and unexpected allegiances.
Those beats and characters follow formula, but that formula is an instant success. There is an earnestness and a wink that underscores each narrative thread, and those threads intertwine with unforced appeal.
The work soars. The audience is put in the cockpit of priceless birds of war, and Kosinki's melding of mechanical speed and human grit, of technical and sweat creates a potent piece of action cinema. The look, sound, and energy of it all thrills early and often.
Kosinki's cast is stellar. Cruise charms, but the rest of the players offers screen-friendly faces and sound personality. There is heart and soul to the roller coaster thanks to the woman and men on screen.
Taking few risks beyond the impossible task its characters undertake at its plot's center, "Top Gun: Maverick" lands as a nearly pitch perfect crowd-pleaser. Built to excite, built to grip, built to fly, the film does all of these with weary ease. A sequel to a world-beater with no need of a followup, Kosinski and Cruise's action thrill ride electrifies in way that stands on its own while saluting the original work.
Travis liked these reviews
All
' ].join(''); if ( adsScript && adsScript === 'bandsintown' && adsPlatforms && ((window.isIOS && adsPlatforms.indexOf("iOS") >= 0) || (window.isAndroid && adsPlatforms.indexOf("Android") >= 0)) && adsLocations && adsMode && ( (adsMode === 'include' && adsLocations.indexOf(window.adsLocation) >= 0) || (adsMode === 'exclude' && adsLocations.indexOf(window.adsLocation) == -1) ) ) { var opts = { artist: "", song: "", adunit_id: 100005950, div_id: "cf_async_0b9d8f22-2019-49ae-a663-e38a5a948df8" }; adUnit.id = opts.div_id; if (target) { target.insertAdjacentElement('beforeend', adUnit); } else { tag.insertAdjacentElement('afterend', adUnit); } var c=function(){cf.showAsyncAd(opts)};if(typeof window.cf !== 'undefined')c();else{cf_async=!0;var r=document.createElement("script"),s=document.getElementsByTagName("script")[0];r.async=!0;r.src="//srv.tunefindforfans.com/fruits/apricots.js";r.readyState?r.onreadystatechange=function(){if("loaded"==r.readyState||"complete"==r.readyState)r.onreadystatechange=null,c()}:r.onload=c;s.parentNode.insertBefore(r,s)}; } else { adUnit.id = 'pw-0b9d8f22-2019-49ae-a663-e38a5a948df8'; adUnit.className = 'pw-div -tile300x250 -alignleft -bottommargin'; adUnit.setAttribute('data-pw-' + (renderMobile ? 'mobi' : 'desk'), 'med_rect_btf'); if (target) { target.insertAdjacentElement('beforeend', adUnit); } else { tag.insertAdjacentElement('afterend', adUnit); } window.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', (event) => { adUnit.insertAdjacentHTML('afterend', kicker); window.ramp.que.push(function () { window.ramp.addTag('pw-0b9d8f22-2019-49ae-a663-e38a5a948df8'); }); }, { once: true }); } } tag.remove(); })(document.getElementById('script-0b9d8f22-2019-49ae-a663-e38a5a948df8'));
' ].join(''); if ( adsScript && adsScript === 'bandsintown' && adsPlatforms && ((window.isIOS && adsPlatforms.indexOf("iOS") >= 0) || (window.isAndroid && adsPlatforms.indexOf("Android") >= 0)) && adsLocations && adsMode && ( (adsMode === 'include' && adsLocations.indexOf(window.adsLocation) >= 0) || (adsMode === 'exclude' && adsLocations.indexOf(window.adsLocation) == -1) ) ) { var opts = { artist: "", song: "", adunit_id: 100005950, div_id: "cf_async_848985f7-a15f-4e3a-8748-4261bdeff47c" }; adUnit.id = opts.div_id; if (target) { target.insertAdjacentElement('beforeend', adUnit); } else { tag.insertAdjacentElement('afterend', adUnit); } var c=function(){cf.showAsyncAd(opts)};if(typeof window.cf !== 'undefined')c();else{cf_async=!0;var r=document.createElement("script"),s=document.getElementsByTagName("script")[0];r.async=!0;r.src="//srv.tunefindforfans.com/fruits/apricots.js";r.readyState?r.onreadystatechange=function(){if("loaded"==r.readyState||"complete"==r.readyState)r.onreadystatechange=null,c()}:r.onload=c;s.parentNode.insertBefore(r,s)}; } else { adUnit.id = 'pw-848985f7-a15f-4e3a-8748-4261bdeff47c'; adUnit.className = 'pw-div'; adUnit.setAttribute('data-pw-' + (renderMobile ? 'mobi' : 'desk'), 'sky_btf'); if (target) { target.insertAdjacentElement('beforeend', adUnit); } else { tag.insertAdjacentElement('afterend', adUnit); } window.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', (event) => { adUnit.insertAdjacentHTML('afterend', kicker); window.ramp.que.push(function () { window.ramp.addTag('pw-848985f7-a15f-4e3a-8748-4261bdeff47c'); }); }, { once: true }); } } tag.remove(); })(document.getElementById('script-848985f7-a15f-4e3a-8748-4261bdeff47c'));
