Built to be a big blockbuster crowd pleaser ... with the Top Gun sequel ending up evolving into Tom Cruise the movie.

"The end is inevitable, Maverick. Your kind is headed for extinction ... Maybe so, sir. But not today."

Despite hearing all the buzz around Top Gun: Maverick all Summer, we just never found the time to go see the movie people were dubbing 'the savior of cinema'. So of course I have been anxiously looking forward to being late to the party, and dropping my post-hype opinions. Top Gun: Maverick is a very entertaining feel good movie. But the big flaw IMHO is that you can see exactly how it was pieced together based on the inherit awesomeness of 'Top Gun', mixed with some of Tom Cruise's greatest hits.

(Quick Hits) ... Spoilers:

- Why not give Cruise's top nostaglic gem of the 80s a late sequel, but actually give it a plot this time. Who cares if it just happens to be a 'Mission Impossible' styled plot

- While the original Top Gun relishes in its cheesy moments, Maverick plays off these kinds of fun scenes with a hearty nod. Like starting the movie in a similar way on the aircraft carrier, or the beach football scene

- Tom starts the movie by running off on a canceled mission, so he can go and shatter some speed record ... ya that sounds about right

"Your going to Top Gun!" ... ROLFL 🤣

- It has been amusing to hear people talk about how much better this movie is compared to the original, when this was basically just the same thing with a bit more substance

- So much for Top Gun being some kind of competition, they are just training for a seemingly impossible* mission these days

- Had enough of that third act slump from 'Top Gun' with Maverick sulking over the loss of Goose??? Well get ready for a ton more of that, as the big human emotion trigger point of this plot

- To its credit, the relationship between Rooster and Maverick was way more appealing than that hack job relationship from Indy 4

- Doesn't the whole super skilled trench flight path feel pulled right out of 'Star Wars'

- Did they ever say why it was so important to do this mission??? I think all the tension was placed into surviving it instead, with no context

- Well Rooster is going to hit top speed eventually, and we will be happy and cheer when he does

- Cancel the mission ... fuck that shit ... sit down and watch Maverick kill it!

- Love interests don't get more tacked on than Jennifer Connelly in this. Well I guess she does add a few 'Cocktail' moments to the mix

- From a technical milestone perspective, some of the flight scenes did make it feel like you were actually in the jet with them. For instance, the loud clicks from the jets rolling back and forth, filmed from so many great views

- All the dog fighting stuff was spectacular of course, and it was so fun to see the dynamics of the team come together as they are brought to train with Maverick

"Ready for what? Huh? Ready to fly like you? ... No, ready to forget the book. Trust your instincts! Don't think, just do. You think up there, you're dead. Believe me."

- A much-appreciated nod to Val Kilmer's character Iceman

- I liked how our heroes having to resort to using older jets, was used to amp up the stakes of the threat of the enemy pilots this time

- Having them basically succeed the mission, but then have to crash to the ground and figure out how to fly out again ... all made for a dynamic and thrilling action climax

- Ahhh, Hangman got to do the Han Solo move at the end

I will admit this is an overall better action movie compared to 'Top Gun', but damn it if I still can not get enough of those pure 80s vibes from the original.

Thanks for reading.
Happy movie watching ... Skål! 🍻