Top Gun. Maverick

Went to see Top Gun Maverick in the movie theatre. Initially I was hesitating a bit because I found the first Top Gun a bit too extremely macho. The machismo was well acted but it made the characters not very endearing to me. Reading early reviews of Maverick I then changed my mind mainly because the visuals were supposedly spectacular and not just CGI based. During our short trip to Ter Helme we talked to some family members that had already seen it and they were very enthusiastic. So the first weekend after we got back home we went to watch it as well with the whole family. And I have to say the movie didn’t disappoint. The flight shots are absolutely stunning so worth watching the movie for by itself if you are a fighter plane fan. But even if you are not a plane buff there is lots to like about Top Gun Maverick. The beginning is a little bit like a rerun of the first movie with testosteron driven pilots bragging. But after those first 20 minutes the story really takes off. And this is for me what makes it infinitely better than the first Top Gun movie : there is actually a purpose for all the training flights that matters, a dangerous real mission to be executed. The danger adds suspense naturally and the action propels the story forward. It is not only action though. There is a love story again but also here one that works better than in the first movie. Demons from the past have to be confronted and the main characters are all scarred or somehow damaged by past experiences making them a lot less one dimensional. End result for me is that this is an action packed and thrilling story with characters you care about. I did watch the first Top Gun again as a preparation but I didn’t feel like watching it yet again. Top Gun Maverick on the other hand I want to see again once it is available for viewing at home.