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Top Gun 2 Maverick is a Fantastic Movie

West Dundee Hawkeye

HR All-American
Sep 28, 2003
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If there has been a post on this already, I am sorry but I went and saw Top Gun 2 Maverick this past weekend and wow. It was the best movie I have seen since Saving Private Ryan over 20 years ago.

When I first heard they were doing it, I thought how stupid. I would not even watch the trailers. Then someone I know said it was pretty good so we went. It was the first movie I have been to since the pandemic. I think it was better than the first Top Gun.
 
Tony Scott died. They wouldn't do a Top Gun sequel without him? Is it all drones like the actual military is now? They'd have to make up a "Blow up the Death Star" type of mission to even justify training new fighter pilots.
 
If there has been a post on this already...
You mean this 5-pager?


But, yes, it was fantastic. Saw it pre-opening night and the following week. Planned on going a 3rd, but didn't make it to IMAX.
 
This is easily one of my favorite movies. I've seen it several times and then when it was re-released in IMAX this weekend, I had to see it. It also looks like it's about to jump up to 6th in the highest grossing movie in the US too
 
Tony Scott died. They wouldn't do a Top Gun sequel without him? Is it all drones like the actual military is now? They'd have to make up a "Blow up the Death Star" type of mission to even justify training new fighter pilots.
When i saw it the air force commercial “we own the sky” played right before the movie. Set the stage perfect.
 
When i saw it the air force commercial “we own the sky” played right before the movie. Set the stage perfect.
We got every movie coming out for the rest of 2022 and 2023 at the Des Moines area Fridley theater locations. Not complaining since I won't see most of them in IMAX.
 
Easily one of the Top 10 movies dealing with jets. And Top 20 Tom Cruise movie most likely.

My rankings since seeing TG2 (that's what I call it):

1. Iron Eagle 3
2. TG1
3. Iron Eagle
4. Firefox
5. Red Tails
6. Iron Eagle 4
7. The Aviator
8. Tora Tora Tora
9. TG2
10. Mosquito Squadron

Yup...just made top 10!

@THE_DEVIL

Like that, yo.
 
Was a nice break from the Marvel movies, and I am a big Marvel fan.
 
Is it all drones like the actual military is now? They'd have to make up a "Blow up the Death Star" type of mission to even justify training new fighter pilots.
The 'actual military' has a lot more planes that carry bombs than they do drones.
These are a few years old, but give an accurate sense of the composition.

us-air-force-combat.png

us-air-force-bomb-refueling.png

us-air-force-airlift.png

BoZBRen.png
 
So I saw this movie a couple weeks ago and I was left wondering why it got such great reviews.

The first movie was already fairly cheesy and unrealistic and this movie they just decided to ratchet both of those up by a factor of 10.
Yes, the flying was cool but the storyline was torn from Star Wars and the movie was so over the top it made the original seem like a documentary.
 
So I saw this movie a couple weeks ago and I was left wondering why it got such great reviews.

The first movie was already fairly cheesy and unrealistic and this movie they just decided to ratchet both of those up by a factor of 10.
It was a mindless summer blockbuster with some ridiculous plot lines, such as stealing the tomcat at the end. With that said, it a great story which was brilliantly executed. I would add that they interviewed a bunch of ex Top Gun pilots and they all pretty much agreed that they have done 90% of the aerial maneuvers shown in the movie.
 
It was a mindless summer blockbuster with some ridiculous plot lines, such as stealing the tomcat at the end. With that said, it a great story which was brilliantly executed. I would add that they interviewed a bunch of ex Top Gun pilots and they all pretty much agreed that they have done 90% of the aerial maneuvers shown in the movie.
I like all kinds of movies, and sometimes it’s fun to just sit back and enjoy something. Tom Cruise is the man when it comes to movies like that (don’t care about his Scientology).
 
It was a mindless summer blockbuster with some ridiculous plot lines, such as stealing the tomcat at the end. With that said, it a great story which was brilliantly executed. I would add that they interviewed a bunch of ex Top Gun pilots and they all pretty much agreed that they have done 90% of the aerial maneuvers shown in the movie.
And it sounds awesome on the surround sound and makes the subwoofer really boom in the all the flying scenes :) I got the digital copy as soon as it was released.
 
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It was a mindless summer blockbuster with some ridiculous plot lines, such as stealing the tomcat at the end. With that said, it a great story which was brilliantly executed. I would add that they interviewed a bunch of ex Top Gun pilots and they all pretty much agreed that they have done 90% of the aerial maneuvers shown in the movie.
Sure, great story - really enjoyed it the first couple of times it was told.
 
So I saw this movie a couple weeks ago and I was left wondering why it got such great reviews.

The first movie was already fairly cheesy and unrealistic and this movie they just decided to ratchet both of those up by a factor of 10.
Because it did exactly what it intended to do, entertain. It wasn't a documentary. Hell, one of my good friends is a former Striker Eagle & A-10 driver and despite some of its inaccuracies said it was a really fun movie and enjoyed his return to the theater.

Armageddon? Over the top none-sense, but it's one of my favorite pop-corn flicks.

To each his/her own, though.
 
It was a mindless summer blockbuster with some ridiculous plot lines, such as stealing the tomcat at the end. With that said, it a great story which was brilliantly executed. I would add that they interviewed a bunch of ex Top Gun pilots and they all pretty much agreed that they have done 90% of the aerial maneuvers shown in the movie.
Actually, that's one of the few plot points relatable to an actual event. Look up a WW2 pilot named Bob Hoover. Cool story.
 
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Because it did exactly what it intended to do, entertain. It wasn't a documentary. Hell, one of my good friends is a former Striker Eagle & A-10 driver and despite some of its inaccuracies said it was a really fun movie and enjoyed his return to the theater.

Armageddon? Over the top none-sense, but it's one of my favorite pop-corn flicks.

To each his/her own, though.

I have trouble with unrealistic movies (at least ones set in the normal universe and not one's with wizards or super heros etc.) and I'm not sitting here looking everything up but if I as a layman can watch the movie and know it's unrealistic without even looking it up I just lose all of my suspension of disbelief.

It's worse when it gets to movies on historical events or historical fiction where I actually know something about the time period. I then become extremely picky.
 
I have trouble with unrealistic movies (at least ones set in the normal universe and not one's with wizards or super heros etc.) and I'm not sitting here looking everything up but if I as a layman can watch the movie and know it's unrealistic without even looking it up I just lose all of my suspension of disbelief.

It's worse when it gets to movies on historical events or historical fiction where I actually know something about the time period. I then become extremely picky.
I used to get that way, especially regarding how the military is depicted in movies/TV. But these days, I'm less critical...just entertain me. Fast and the Furious? I want to see the ridiculous. Show me cars doing crazy car stuff...if I want reality, I'll go drive Loop 410 and sit in traffic. ;)

gladiator-russell-crowe.gif
 
Somebody woke up on the wrong side of the broomstick.
Meh, I just don't get it. Say it was "fun" or that it "looked great" but "great story"? Come on now. It was eye candy for men pasted over a thinly reworked star wars plot.
That's fine for a summer fun movie, but let's not jerk one another off saying what a masterpiece it was.
The original at least had some realism to it. For a hollywood movie anyway.
 
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I used to get that way, especially regarding how the military is depicted in movies/TV. But these days, I'm less critical...just entertain me. Fast and the Furious? I want to see the ridiculous. Show me cars doing crazy car stuff...if I want reality, I'll go drive Loop 410 and sit in traffic. ;)

gladiator-russell-crowe.gif

Russell Crowe reminds me that Master and Commander: The Far side of the world is one of my favorite films. Precisely because they paid attention to historical accuracy.
 
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Meh, I just don't get it. Say it was "fun" or that it "looked great" but "great story"? Come on now. It was eye candy for men pasted over a thinly reworked star wars plot.
That's fine for a summer fun movie, but let's not jerk one another off saying what a masterpiece it was.
The original at least had some realism to it. For a hollywood movie anyway.

Well it's 5th all time in the domestic box office, got a 97% on Rotten Tomatoes, and also set the record for digital downloads. I would think that meets the definition of masterpiece
 
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Well it's 5th all time in the domestic box office, got a 97% on Rotten Tomatoes, and also set the record for digital downloads. I would think that meets the definition of masterpiece
lol, no. Popular doesn't equal quality. If it did that would mean that The Bachelor and Jersey Shore were masterpieces. They are not.
It was summer fluff that appealed to the masses. Nothing wrong with that, just stop making it out to be more than it was.
 
lol, no. Popular doesn't equal quality. If it did that would mean that The Bachelor and Jersey Shore were masterpieces. They are not.
It was summer fluff that appealed to the masses. Nothing wrong with that, just stop making it out to be more than it was.
If you didn't stand up and start a slow clap at the end then you hate America.
 
I have trouble with unrealistic movies (at least ones set in the normal universe and not one's with wizards or super heros etc.) and I'm not sitting here looking everything up but if I as a layman can watch the movie and know it's unrealistic without even looking it up I just lose all of my suspension of disbelief.

It's worse when it gets to movies on historical events or historical fiction where I actually know something about the time period. I then become extremely picky.
Do you even like movies then? Because you just described about 98% of them.
 
lol, no. Popular doesn't equal quality. If it did that would mean that The Bachelor and Jersey Shore were masterpieces. They are not.
It was summer fluff that appealed to the masses. Nothing wrong with that, just stop making it out to be more than it was.

I see you skipped over the RT score. Both audiences and critics loved it. But I guess they're all just wrong
 
I see you skipped over the RT score. Both audiences and critics loved it. But I guess they're all just wrong
I didn't skip over it. I acknowledged that it was popular. I also pointed out that popularity is a poor indicator of whether or not an item is a "masterpiece."
 
I didn't skip over it. I acknowledged that it was popular. I also pointed out that popularity is a poor indicator of whether or not an item is a "masterpiece."

But RT doesn't rate popularity. Also, reality TV shows such as The Bachelor and Jersey Shore are completely different than movies. It's ok not to like it, but the numbers show it's more than a "summer fun movie'
 
But RT doesn't rate popularity. Also, reality TV shows such as The Bachelor and Jersey Shore are completely different than movies. It's ok not to like it, but the numbers show it's more than a "summer fun movie'
Come on now. I think Thor Ragnorok was a fun summer movie. Blast to watch. Has a 93% critics review on RT. That doesn't mean it was a 'masterpiece.' No one will study this in film school. It was a fun movie that earned a shit-ton of cash. It was great for what it was. But what it was was a summer comic-book movie. And hell, even at that it had more of a plot than TG2. Still, not a masterpiece.
 
Come on now. I think Thor Ragnorok was a fun summer movie. Blast to watch. Has a 93% critics review on RT. That doesn't mean it was a 'masterpiece.' No one will study this in film school. It was a fun movie that earned a shit-ton of cash. It was great for what it was. But what it was was a summer comic-book movie. And hell, even at that it had more of a plot than TG2. Still, not a masterpiece.

Top Gun Maverick has almost doubled what Thor Ragnarok did at the box office despite not being shown in China.
 
It showed Air Weapons School Training. The drama there was nonsense and all the mavericky stuff would have been squashed, but the training was fairly standard. Then the incident on the carrier wasn't too ridiculous. Stretching the limits yes, but possible in the gulf at the time. Not like TG2.
 
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