TOP GUN: MAVERICK

I have to say that the screenwriters here have done a great job of making a sequel which both honours and surpasses the original.

All the elements of the first film are present and correct, but just done that bit better. 

Yet again we’re back at the Top Gun school but this time there are real stakes, because Maverick is preparing ‘the best of the best’ to carry out an actual mission, to destroy a uranium enrichment plant that is in the hands of a rogue state.

Dramatically speaking the only student of interest is Rooster, who happens to be the son of Goose, and who feels a lot of confused anger towards Maverick.

There’s the obligatory love interest for Maverick, this time with single mum Penny. She’s played by Jennifer Connelly, who is a plus in any film. There’s a nice short scene with them both on her yacht, but overall there's not a lot to their relationship.

It's nice that one of the pilots is a woman, but unfortunately neither she nor any of the other students get enough screentime for us to get to know them.  In the case of 'Hangman' this doesn't matter too much because he is played by Glen Powell who has more than enough charisma and star wattage to make up for his paper-thin character. 

It's no surprise of course that Maverick gets to lead the mission, which in the event goes surprisingly smoothly, but really it is just there to set us up for an emotional finale in which Maverick and Rooster end up saving each other's lives, and somehow getting back to base safely.

Hats off to the person who came up with Rooster's line at the end when in response to Maverick's thanks he says "It's what my dad would have done."  Perfect.