Top Gun: Maverick - The scoop and digest

We've been waiting impatiently since 2019, but Joseph Kosinski's highly anticipated sequel to Tony Scott's 80's classic finally soars into cinemas.

For those who care, Top Gunner (2020) is The Asylum's mockbuster.

Worth your time? Not really.

Tom Cruise - Maverick

Jennifer Connelly - Penny

Miles Teller - Rooster

Glen Powell - Hangman

Monica Barbaro - Phoenix

Lewis Pullman - Bob

Jay Ellis - Payback

Danny Ramirez - Fanboy

Greg Tarzan Davis - Coyote

Ed Harris - Rear Admiral Chester Cain

Val Kilmer - Iceman

Summary

Under the orders of Tom "Iceman" Kazansky, Captain Pete "Maverick" Mitchell is tasked to train twelve hungry Top Gun graduates for a mission to destroy an unsanctioned uranium enrichment plant before it becomes fully operational.

However, target inside snowy mountainous region is protected by multiple SAM launchers.

Elite pilots include Payback, Halo, Yale, Bob, Coyote and notably, Goose's son Rooster.

Maverick must exorcise personal demons and faces his greatest challenge yet.

Hypersonic

A scintillating, heart-pounding return to the danger zone.

Unlike Ghostbusters: Afterlife, we're not bombarded with relentless fan service.  Sure there are nods and homages, but balance is carefully struck.

Ignoring F-14 Tomcat scenes, aerial shots and in-flight sequences (at Cruise's insistence) are not CG.

Cinematography is excellent and like Berlin, adrenaline-fuelled finale takes your breath away.

Given respective ages, it makes sense that Tom Skerritt and James Tolkan don't return.

Michael Ironside could have reprised role as Jester, but who knows?

With the omission of Kelly McGillis, Connelly is drafted in as Cruise's love interest.  Fans will know decision isn't random, as character was mentioned by Goose, Stinger and Carole in original.

Cruise is on brilliant form, with Teller and co impressive in support.

Screenplay slices enjoyable cheese and sensibly features low-key humour.

Near the beginning, a disorientated Maverick staggers into a packed diner and asks "Where am I?" A kid drily answers "Earth".

Ha ha ha!

Ice communicates with Maverick via messaging service and because Kilmer lost his voice due to treatment for throat cancer in 2015, his son Jack briefly provides the yap.

Touching cameo is handled with sincerity and emotional dignity.

Enjoy as intended - on the BIGGEST screen possible.