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Tom Cruise plays Capt. Pete "Maverick" Mitchell in Top Gun: Maverick from Paramount Pictures, Skydance and Jerry Bruckheimer Films. |
Do you feel the need. . . the need for speed?
36 years after the original Pete "Maverick" Mitchell is back in action in the new movie Top Gun: Maverick. Many of us in our 30s and 40s remember growing up watching the classic original starring Tom Cruise and, if you're anything like me, you have been eagerly awaiting this sequel. In case you were wondering, Top Gun: Maverick definitely brings back that loving feeling, but is it OK to take your kids to Fighertown, U.S.A.?
Top Gun: Maverick Movie Review
Top Gun: Maverick has Capt. Pete "Maverick" Mitchell (Tom Cruise) returning to Top Gun as an instructor tasked with training a group of the nation's best pilots for a dangerous mission. If you think that time has calmed Maverick's renegade ways, think again. Maverick is still feisty as ever - pushing boundaries and making his own rules. But things get a little sticky for Maverick as one of the 12 pilots in his training group is none other than Goose's son, call sign Rooster. Their relationship has been complicated over the years and working together will not be easy for either of them. Speaking of complicated relationships, we finally meet that "admiral's daughter" that was referenced in the original Top Gun as Jennifer Connelly brings to life Penny Benjamin - an on-again, off-again relationship for Maverick over the years.
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MONICA BARBARO PLAYS "PHOENIX," JAY ELLIS PLAYS "PAYBACK," AND DANNY RAMIREZ PLAYS "FANBOY" IN TOP GUN: MAVERICK FROM PARAMOUNT PICTURES, SKYDANCE AND JERRY BRUCKHEIMER FILMS. |
While you don't have to see the original movie to follow the story of Top Gun: Maverick, it's clear that this film is made for fans of the original. There are flashblack sequences as well as tributes throughout through songs and scenes (here's looking at you shirtless football!). There are even a few cameos - most notably Val Kilmer back as Iceman, now commander of the Pacific Fleet. Both movies also focus on Maverick confronting the ghosts of his past. In the original Top Gun movie has Maverick coming to terms with his father's legacy, and the new film centers on how Goose's death is still impacting Maverick all these years later. The film packs a lot of action into a story that also has a surprising depth when it comes to Maverick's relationships with others - Rooster, Goose, and Penny. It's a must-see movie this summer for sure!
Is Top Gun: Maverick OK for Kids? - Parent's Guide
Top Gun: Maverick is at it's core a military movie so parents can expect a lot of action and "dogfighting" scenes in the air. There is a flashback to Goose's death and there are some moments where planes are being shot at and pilots are in danger. We went to an IMAX theater to watch and these scenes were also incredibly loud. Those action sequences are probably the scariest parts for kids during the film.
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MILES TELLER PLAYS "ROOSTER" IN TOP GUN: MAVERICK FROM PARAMOUNT PICTURES, SKYDANCE AND JERRY BRUCKHEIMER FILMS |
Fighter pilots also have a few "colorful" word choices during the movie, but the most common occurances are relatively minor including sh*t and da*n. There is a one scene where Tom Cruise is in bed with a woman, but it is far less sexual than the love scene in the first film - simply in bed and talking. We took both our 7 year old and 10 year old sons to see Top Gun: Maverick and have no regrets in doing so. They both really enjoyed the movie and I actually feel like it's more kid-friendly than the original.
About Top Gun: Maverick (From Paramount Pictures)
Facing an uncertain future and confronting the ghosts of his past, Maverick is drawn into a confrontation with his own deepest fears, culminating in a mission that demands the ultimate sacrifice from those who will be chosen to fly it.
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