Top Gun: Maverick Set to Dominate Box Office this Memorial Day Weekend
The perfect circumstances are lining up for Top Gun: Maverick to become this year's Memorial Day weekend blockbuster. People are itching for adventure; we all need an escape from the real-world horrors; and, let's not forget, Tom Cruise.
Cruise, our last real Hollywood star, reportedly insisted that the film, which was filmed in 2019, would not be available for streaming. And boy, was he right! This action-packed spectacle must be viewed on the largest screen possible, with a bucket of popcorn in hand. That's because the gripping aerial stunts are best experienced in high definition, and heck, if that ain't believable, I don't know what is. (Even the dean of the Pittsburgh Aeronautical Institute was seated behind me at our screening, and all he had to say was, "Wow!")
Beyond that, TGM perfectly updates and builds upon the brash, high-stakes style of the previous Top Gun, restoring its heart-pounding action and heroic spirit, while shedding its more controversial elements. The original, a product of its time, was filled with charm and eagerness; the delayed Top Gun: Maverick, on the other hand, skillfully harmonizes the present moment - marked by melancholy, death, and a relentless search for significance and fame - with echoes of the past. It could be the first film since the pandemic to really take us back to the pure joy of experiencing a live theatre event.
Now, I can't remember the last time you saw the original Top Gun from 1986, but pay attention, spoiler alert: Tony Scott's iconic red, white, and blue triumph of the Reagan era features a chiseled hero who lays waste to the Russians. Ladies and gentlemen, this classic film's only subtext? Maverick as the title character. Iceman, portrayed by Val Kilmer, is the calm, stern rival. Anthony Edwards' character, Goose, is your typical partner-in-crime. James Tolkan's is the adversarial boss who rules the roost, meting out punishment to those who challenge his rules.
In a film about a rule-breaker, there are some subtly poignant dialogues:
Iceman: "I don't like you because you're dangerous."
Maverick: "Yes, Iceman. I am dangerous."
Ha ha.
The original Top Gun was also home to some of the (unintentionally?) most homoerotic scenes of the decade. Thanks to its sun-drenched beach volleyball scenes and the male pilots sharing sentences like, "This gets me every time," as they watched Warplane, the film became a cult classic of its decade - and a paradox of sexism.
The sexual innuendo in the movie is abundant, from the decidedly non-graceful way Top Gun recruits Kelly McGillis' Charlie, as he debates security clearances with Maverick, to lines like Iceman's: "The pinch of the bankroll is in here." (the ladies' room.) Majors sight unseen.
Cruise's older, gruffer character appears to have matured and evolved under the direction of Joseph Kosinski (Legacy). Even though we're reminded that he still carries the weight of his pilot's friend's loss, his ability to rise to the challenge has frayed a little bit. The aspirations he hinted at at the end of the first film have proven to be challenging. And love remains just as elusive. It seems that the strategy of gathering an entire bar to get drunk and sing along to the Righteous Brothers may not be as foolproof as it once was.
Top Gun: Maverick manages to distance itself from its problematic origins by embracing a different brand of masculinity. The film explores what it takes to be truly great - and yes, he's still a daredevil in the sky! - and struggles in other areas. One of the film's highlights is the emotionally charged scene between Cruise and Kilmer, who plays Maverick's former rival, now a sick Admiral Tom "Iceman" Kazansky. The connection between these two estranged friends is one of the movie's many moving moments. Jennifer Connelly stars as Pete's old and new love, the barowner Penny Benjamin; if there's one actress who can truly prove she isn't trying too hard, it's Connelly. Penny takes Pete along on an adventure and discovers that, despite being a hardened Marine, he has trouble telling which rope belongs to whom.
The film often refers to Pete by his actual name - both as an intruder and as simply Pete.
But don't be fooled - this film isn't lacking in thrilling action. Iceman recruits unconventional pilots and saddles them with a deadly mission, each of them overeager and slightly reckless. But they don't know the half of it. Glenn Powell's Iceman character is one of the few who understands what's at stake.
The ensemble cast is also more diverse, featuring actors of color and a female pilot (Monica Barbaro) who is never belittled or mistreated by her comrades. Conveniently, the film also spends a lot of time showcasing the challenges of completing such a dangerous mission - the body under extreme pressure, nerves stretched to the breaking point as death looms. Top Gun: Maverick blends nostalgia for action movies with a new coat of paint, tossing out old, outdated stereotypes or, in some cases, even lampooning them.
Sandra Bullock's recent film "Lost City" updates the classic action formula with Channing Tatum's captivating performance as its star. Peacock's underrated "MacGruber" series hits that mark perfectly, with Will Forte's perfect send-up of the '80s tough-guy, rule-breaking action star. (And the most amusing part of the MacGruber film is that it cleverly references the cringeworthy, tongue-twisting sex scene in Top Gun.)
Enrichment Data:
Releasing Top Gun: Maverick in theaters instead of streaming was a smart move, as the film's gripping aerial stunts are best experienced on the largest screen possible in high definition. The film's massive success can be attributed to several factors:
- Box Office Success: With a global box office of nearly $1.5 billion, Top Gun: Maverick broke records and narrowly outpaced the original Top Gun's box office total.
- Rewatchability Factor: An impressive 16% of the audience had seen the film multiple times, and 4% had seen it over four times.
- Cinematic Experience: Top Gun: Maverick's realistic action sequences required actual naval training and using fighter jets, making the theatrical experience even more immersive and set it apart from streaming services.
- Revitalization of the Theatrical Experience: Top Gun: Maverick played a significant role in the revival of the theatrical experience, proving that there was still a place for movie theaters in an increasingly streaming-centric world.
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