Ever since the country entered into its endemic phase, theaters have been packed up with Malaysian moviegoers! All hungry to catch the next big release. Now some might say with streaming services like Netflix that the age of cinema is over. We’d beg to differ though. There are just some films that you can’t fully appreciate on the small screen. Whether it’s Warner Bros’ sci-fi epic “Dune” or Marvel’s “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness”, it just hits differently when you’re in a crowd. So, if you’re looking for a film with enough spectacle, sound and heart to satiate that cinephile craving, we got just the the film for you. It’s the sequel to your cool uncle’s favourite testosterone-fuelled flyboy action film (with totally no homoerotic undertones), “Top Gun”!
Honestly, we walked in expecting another soulless cashgrab banking on the dormant nostalgia of 80’s kids but hot damn are we glad to be wrong. Don’t believe us? Well, then here are some reasons for you this weekened to take a trip to the Danger Zone with “Top Gun: Maverick”!
1. Tom Cruise is Cool with a Capital K
While we certainly love our comic-book films, we can’t help but feel a little bit of fatigue from it all. There’s only so much focus-group tested humour, nerdy easter eggs and CGI-constructed action you can take before you go enough is enough. Sometimes you don’t need a million cameos on screen to pull in the seats. Sometimes all you need is one kickass action star and “Top Gun: Maverick” knows that. Now once and a while we’ll see our actors do their own stunts but for mad lad Cruise, our boy is dedicated to doing every single one of his stunts. He does everything short of flying an actual F-18 Fighter Jet. Also, he’s got some great cheesy lines in the film to match with hus effortless charisma. If you’re a fan of Tom Cruise, then “Top Gun Maverick” is a must see.
2. It’s Better than the Original
Yes, we said it. Sue us! Honestly, while the first “Top Gun” does have a special place in our hearts, it was all a little bit juvenile. It also had a ton of filler that we didn’t need to see. “Top Gun: Maverick” though is a lean, mean character-centered, plot-driving machine. Even if you didn’t watch the original, the film organically introduces past characters and backstories in a way that doesn’t beat you over the head with them. Everyone from Sally to Iceman are brought back in the coolest away possible. The film doesn’t insists that you like them based on the record of the past film. Rather, it wins you over with plenty of heart and witty banter. The new cast are nothing to scoff at either with awesome characters like Miles Teller’s Rooster and Glen Powell’s Hangman.
3. The Fly Sequences are Spectacular (Best Experienced in IMAX)
The production team truly soared above and beyond here. “Top Gun: Maverick” delivers some of the most intense aerial dog-fights and flight sequences we’ve seen in a long time. The final flight of the film will have you biting your nails as our heroes race across the finish line. The actors brilliantly simulate the drama and tension of being in the cockpit. Everything from the strain of altitude sickness to the frantic panic of a malfunction to the twinkle in their eye from a death-defying run. Oh and the sound editing is just immaculate! You will feel the roar of the jet engines in your bones. For an optimal experience, we recommend watching in IMAX. We know it’s a little pricier but trust us when we say it’s worth every ringgit!
4. It’s Got Plenty of Head-Banging Jams
Now, now what kind of loveletter to classic 80’s action films would “Top Gun: Maverick” be if it didn’t come with some killer tracks? Thankfully, the film has that in spades! The film is scored by the original composer Harold Faltermeyer, with Hans Zimmer there to add more epicness to the whole thing. We’ve also got some great summer vibe jams like One Republic’s “I Ain’t Worried” and a beautiful love ballad by Lady Gaga, “Hold My Hand”, to bring it all home. Then of course, there’s the return of Kenny Loggin’s “Danger Zone”. When those opening credits hit and you hear those rolling guitar rifts, we dare you not to mouth along to it. It’ll easily make it onto your Spotify list.
5. It’s Fun for the Whole Family
Hey, sometimes it’s hard to find a sitter for the kids. That proves doubly true with the pandemic right now. Fear not parents because “Top Gun: Maverick” is just the perfect thrill ride for the entire family. It’s not one of those obnoxious children films that make you want to tear your eyes out…like Clifford the Big Red Dog. Nor do you have to worry about the potential gore and mental scarring from “Multiverse of Madness”. No, “Top Gun: Maverick” is a heartwarming story of Tom Cruise’s Maverick trying to reconnect with the orphaned son of one his best friends. It just so happens to be told with badass high-octane action and some hilariously cheesy dialogue. So no, you don’t have to call granny to sit for the kids this time. In fact, bring granny along!
You can now catch “Top Gun: Maverick” at your local theaters today!
