What an excellent sequel - I, in fact, like it more than its predecessor.

FULL SPOILER-FREE REVIEW @ https://www.msbreviews.com/movie-reviews/top-gun-maverick-spoiler-free-review

A lot of things in this movie do not make sense, like "why not use F-35?", "why didn't cruise missiles target enemy air defence and planes in hangars?" to name a few.

It seems like I have been watching the trailers for this film for years now - and you know what? Yes - it was worth the wait. The film is all about some truly exhilarating aerial photography that culminates in some super dogfighting and a good old dose of nostalgia. Tom Cruise is very much in his element as the ageing - and frequently not afraid to look it - eponymous "Top Gun" pilot drafted in by a rather sceptical admiral to train up a new squad for a very perilous mission to destroy an underground uranium enrichment facility. The team arrive - full of hormones - and he must whip them into shape, a task made more difficult by the presence of "Rooster" (Miles Teller) who is the son of his old mate "Goose" who came to a sticky end last time out in 1986. He also gets to rekindle his romance with bar owner "Penny" (Jennifer Connelly) whilst all under the protection of his former wingman, now the poorly retired admiral "Kazansky" (Val Kilmer). To be honest, the story isn't really up to much - there are some twists and turns, the script is not without some humour but there is no jeopardy really. We all know what is going to happen in the end. That said, though, everyone is on good form; the pace (aside from the interludes with Connelly which do rather abruptly slow things down a bit) is consistently action packed and the imagery from both inside and outside of these amazing pieces of machinery is not at all repetitive and is compelling to watch. Even the usual gung-ho, ye-ha stuff is kept to a minimum - this is a superior film depicting the US military at it's most competitive, but also at it's most intelligent - and I really quite enjoyed it. Big screen photography - don't wait til it is on the telly.