A few weeks have passed since Top Gun: Maverick overtook the world and people are still heading to the cinema for their second and third viewing. For a sequel released 36 years after the original, this movie is something of a unicorn: a sequel that has truly surpassed the beloved original.
In its first weekend, it managed to become Tom Cruise’s biggest weekend box office opener further solidifying, not just his career, but Top Gun’s place in pop culture history once again. There’s a lot that can be learned from the unexpected success – both critical and monetary – of this blockbuster hit.
Utilizing Every Technological Opportunity
Joseph Kosinski’s movies have always been visual spectacles so that was already guaranteed for Maverick. The director and Cruise took this one step further by attaching cameras inside the F-18s so that the actors could act while flying, aiming to get the most realistic and practical shots.
Putting this kind of focus on both the pilot and the plane elevates every scene, especially the aerial action sequences. This goes to show that utilizing every technological possibility – and there were a lot after three decades – can be a positive addition to the overall appeal of the movie.
A Romantic Lead Who Isn’t Just A Romantic Lead
One point specific to this series is the role played by Jennifer Connelly a.k.a. Penny Benjamin. Instead of simply recreating a storyline similar to the original, Maverick chooses to bring forth a character who’s already established in Top Gun lore and someone who’s already dealt with Pete enough times to know him inside out, especially as a friend.
However, the most important part of Penny’s character is that she is shown as someone who very much has her own life beyond any relationship she has with Maverick. This is a great way to create a multifaceted love interest – irrespective of gender – in movies in general.
Spending Time On The Story
Cruise is said to have taken his time with, firstly, deciding to come as Pete Mitchell and, secondly, ensuring that the script suitably adds to and betters the lead’s story. This process of contemplation pays off beautifully in Maverick.
Not only is each dialogue in the movie well placed and useful to the story, but each character has been fleshed out and given great substance. The effort made on the script also shines through in the movie’s plot – especially the third act – and Maverick’s character.
Remember Not To Forget The Original
For a movie coming out three decades after its predecessor, nostalgia was expected. However, Maverick’s utilization of this is less superficial and much more layered in a manner that uses nostalgia to propel the story forward instead of staying stuck in the past.
The movie manages to instill a perfect balance – as all things should be – between remembering the original and what it stood for while creating a whole new piece of work that stands tall all on its own. This makes the sequel a rare example of how to develop a new, more nuanced world while tipping its hat in the most respectful way to what already exists.
Not Being Scared Of Adding New Elements To An Iconic Movie
Top Gun is one of the most iconic movies from the 80s and creating its sequel undoubtedly had to be a daunting task. While the pressure of the success of the first one may have weighed on the creators, they managed to reinvent the world of that movie by adding elements that previously weren’t a part of it.
One of the most unexpected – yet seamless – aspects of the movie is the comedy that runs through it. It isn’t forced in the forefront and doesn’t have any desperation to it it’s the opposite. Funny moments and punch lines that work every time are proof that good things can always be made better.
Evolve With The Times
For any sequel to be successful it needs to evolve and Maverick is a perfect example of how to do it right. The movie keeps aspects of the original that were its strong points and chooses to get rid of the ones that wouldn’t work in today’s time and age, and given the long gap between the movies, there are at least a few aspects in the original that face redundancy.
This conscious decision comes through beautifully with characters that have a layered personality and an emotional depth that matches it. Cruise’s Maverick is one of the prime examples of this as he’s a much more mature version of his younger self – creating a great character arc.
Giving The Audience Everything They Expected And Everything They Didn’t
With constant clichés and overused tropes, it isn’t every day that audiences are surprised by what they watch. Maverick breaks this cycle with its third act by adding more to the story than the dog-fighting scenes people expected.
On a rare occasion the movie, after showing its audience everything they knew was coming, adds to its final act by making it longer and it’s well done. While viewers expect the movie to end at a certain point, it goes beyond that and makes what could have simply been a great finish that much more close to being perfect.
Create Characters Worth Remembering
While every sequel tends to focus on characters from the original, this one does so while gifting the audience with a spattering of extremely intriguing side characters. Not only are most of these characters new, but they each bring something to the movie beyond their relationship with Maverick.
The spotlight shines on these characters just long enough for the audience to want more and makes this sequel that much more memorable. Moreover, it shows that sequels can focus on their leads without forgetting the importance of well-written supporting characters, especially when there are so many actors ready to deliver amazing performances.
Developing The Lead’s Character Arc
Pete “Maverick” Mitchell’s audience has grown up and, thankfully, so has he. One of the best things any sequel can do is ensure that its characters, especially the lead, have had some kind of developmental trajectory.
In this sequel, Maverick is shown as emotionally tired from constantly fighting to keep his place as a pilot. While his interactions with his students and superiors further enlighten the audience about his journey, it’s his short interaction with Iceman that shows character development done right.
The True Reason Behind A Sequel
Sequels, more often than not, are a money grab opportunity for studios. This isn’t new information and doesn’t mean that sequels don’t turn out good or that they don’t deserve to be made, however, they start lacking in other aspects like love for one’s creation.
One of the biggest reasons why this sequel is being lauded and seen as a true blockbuster is because of the obvious excitement on Tom Cruise’s face every time he talks about it. His love for the world of flying is what probably pushed him to ensure that the movie was nothing less than what it most obviously is and, at the end of the day, that matters a lot to the audience as well as to the entire team that worked on making Top Gun: Maverick.
