" Citations. Only man to shoot down three enemy planes in the last 40 years. Yet you can't get a promotion, you won't retire, and despite your best efforts, you refuse to die. You should be at least a two-star Admiral by now, yet here you are. "
* Minor Spoiler warning *
My first impressions of this movie after walking out of the theater are just one word. Wow. That's all I can really muster myself to say after a full two years of waiting for this film to release. Not only is this new movie a perfect balance of comedy, tragedy, love, nostalgia, and trust but it's also a great way to show how many years have passed in filmmaking while still paying perfect homage to the OG and masterfully created original film.
From the very beginning of the film ( Original intro with the song ' danger zone' ) it's clear that this movie was not created to cover up the original as some films do, it was merely made to add to Maverick's legacy he left on everyone back in the originals.
Not only do some of the beloved piolets such as Warlock, Ice, and Mav return but along with them comes a new batch, a brand new generation of fighter piolets that are just as wonderful as the cast in the old film. It's nice to see new faces, new call sighs, and new challenges with navigating the world of teaching which is very foreign to a now much older and still respected Maverick.
Not only is there a good amount of inclusion with POC, and women ( Go Phenoix! ) but this movie helps to show how much we as a society have come since the 80's when the first movie was released.
I think one of the most important things about this film is its emotional outreach. It shows Mav's struggle with letting go of Goose's death as well as earning Brad's ( Goose's son) trust back after things happened in the past. I can tell you right now half of the theater was crying about every ten minutes!
Overall this film is 10/10 and I would give it 100 stars if I could. It helps to bring back some of the classic favorites as well as passing the torch and teaching less about being able to let go. Thank you so much to everyone who worked on this movie, it's nothing short of an absolute masterpiece!
R.I.P Iceman