Top Gun: Maverick

Collector Freaks Forum

Help Support Collector Freaks Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
Yeah dude as much as I give the ST a pass, I will never speak ill of Han, Luke and Leia, I am jealous they didn’t get this level of treatment.

I did stay away from trailers!

I also appreciated that as cool as the Tomcat was it wasn’t going to survive a modern engagement.

I like it that it kept things real.
Yep as warm and fuzzy as it was to see them in a Tomcat I like that they didn't just get silly and have it match modern fighters which kept you rooting for him to the very end.
Yup those were sooooo Iranian fighters lol

Would’ve been crazy had they made Russia the enemy:horror

Hey Top Gun 1 came out during the cold war so why not.
:lol

Hell I even got nostalgic when the Hind Gunship showed up because I don't think we've seen those on screen since the original Red Dawn and Rambo: First Blood Part II, lol.
 
I did keep smiling at how similar the mission in this is to the ANH Death Star mission. I was waiting for someone to mention how it'll be like shooting rats in the swamp back home in Florida. :lol
:lol

Like jye I love the ST but am fully aware that space battles are not its strong suit and TGM blew it away in that regard. Heck they pretty much showed us how awesome the attack on Starkiller Base (ANH trench run + snowy mountains, lol) could have been if they actually put some effort into it.
The mission was fun as hell but it felt less real world and more like writers saying "how can we jam the coolest flying **** you've ever seen into a mission .... narrow canyons, tiny target needing TWO runs of bombs, vertical climb, mega-g-force blackout moment, killzone of missiles, shootdown sequence, man-vs-gunship face off...."
Ha ha totally and even my kids were kind of chuckling on the way home wondering if such an elaborate mission was necessary in an age of drones, satellite targeting, stealth bombers and what not but we didn't care because it was done so awesomely, lol. :yess:
Yet the movie pulls even this aspect off brilliantly - it's a fascinating example of a movie having a contract with the audience to deliver the goods.
Definitely.
 
:lol

Like jye I love the ST but am fully aware that space battles are not its strong suit and TGM blew it away in that regard. Heck they pretty much showed us how awesome the attack on Starkiller Base (ANH trench run + snowy mountains, lol) could have been if they actually put some effort into it.

Ha ha totally and even my kids were kind of chuckling on the way home wondering if such an elaborate mission was necessary in an age of drones, satellite targeting, stealth bombers and what not but we didn't care because it was done so awesomely, lol. :yess:

Definitely.
:lol

"Let's blow this thing (with a single Tora-Bora bunker buster dropped from 80,000ft) and go home!"
 
Yep as warm and fuzzy as it was to see them in a Tomcat I like that they didn't just get silly and have it match modern fighters which kept you rooting for him to the very end.

:lol

Hell I even got nostalgic when the Hind Gunship showed up because I don't think we've seen those on screen since the original Red Dawn and Rambo: First Blood Part II, lol.
omg, I felt the nostalgic surge in that moment but the Rambo-Red Dawn connection didn't even register - duh.:slap
:rotfl

How funny that the Red Dawn remake tried to use an actual nation as enemy then CGI'ed them out (at massive expense) to create generic enemies... obviously a lesson the TMG producers learned from.
 
omg, I felt the nostalgic surge in that moment but the Rambo-Red Dawn connection didn't even register - duh.:slap
:rotfl

How funny that the Red Dawn remake tried to use an actual nation as enemy then CGI'ed them out (at massive expense) to create generic enemies... obviously a lesson the TMG producers learned from.
They probably didn't want the Tehran putting out a hit on the actual filmmakers so maybe it was wise to be vague on the enemy's country, lol.

But hey they restored the Taiwanese flag onto the back of Maverick's jacket so kudos to them for at least giving China the middle finger. :lol :yess:
 
They probably didn't want the Tehran putting out a hit on the actual filmmakers so maybe it was wise to be vague on the enemy's country, lol.

But hey they restored the Taiwanese flag onto the back of Maverick's jacket so kudos to them for at least giving China the middle finger. :lol :yess:
Yeah wow what a funny turnaround that was. But remember TGM was probably filmed in late 2018 thru mid 2019 or so, and back then China was still frenemy, not more overt enemy like now.

That brings up an interesting question (realted to TG1): You have to wonder how soon it will be before China emerges as a film bad-guy.

A decision like that has all kinds of implications in terms of exhibition, national trade, "punching up/down" + race etc and doesn't even have the "twisted interpretations of..." caveat Islamist terrorists can have in movies (ie they don't rep the majority)

But China as actual enemy is also a reality now, and movies are "supposed" to reflect reality (like the Soviets in TG1).
 
I do wish they had used the F22 Raptors instead of the less thrilling F18 Hornets.

F22 drifting = bad ***!

My brother is a retired air force fighter pilot he flew those clunky F4 Phantoms and a few others.

The helmet I use in CC was his and he didn’t know I was using it lol
 
Last edited:
Yeah wow what a funny turnaround that was. But remember TGM was probably filmed in late 2018 thru mid 2019 or so, and back then China was still frenemy, not more overt enemy like now.

That brings up an interesting question (realted to TG1): You have to wonder how soon it will be before China emerges as a film bad-guy.

A decision like that has all kinds of implications in terms of exhibition, national trade, "punching up/down" + race etc and doesn't even have the "twisted interpretations of..." caveat Islamist terrorists can have in movies (ie they don't rep the majority)

But China as actual enemy is also a reality now, and movies are "supposed" to reflect reality (like the Soviets in TG1).
I read an interesting article expressing how TGM depicts a fictional United States, one that acts as if all the catastrophic policy decisions over the past 30 years were never made. It's like it takes place in the United States that we all imagined we'd one day be living in back in 1986. Where there is more diversity (specifically with regard to female pilots which movies back then like ALIENS rightly predicted) yet everything is still merit based and regardless of race or color everyone is still American through and through. In that regard TGM offers an alternate fictional future very much in the same vein as ALIENS with its cocky, badass, US flag waving warriors of the future, etc., except for the fact that TGM actually isn't set in the future, lol. It's like someone went back to 1986 and grabbed an Infinity Stone allowing Maverick to continue in the good timeline while we're all stuck in this alternate crap one. :lol

I'm just blown away that this film even exists in its current form. You know if Disney had made this movie then there wouldn't be one female fighter pilot (to more accurately reflect the real world percentage of female pilots at 7%), oh no more than half of them would have been female and Maverick's record of three enemy kills would have long been broken by them. And no way would Ed Harris and Jon Hamm's characters be white males. One or both would be women (probably both) and would take absolute glee in tearing Maverick down for being a toxic dinosaur.

But this movie celebrated its female characters without elevating them above the males. I loved Jennifer Connelly's character and Phoenix was one of my favorite pilots. Imagine that. And I don't know what your crowd was like but in my auditorium there were a lot of women. And none of them seemed to be wishing that a woman put Maverick in his place. In fact they all seemed to be totally rooting for him. And they let out a collective "awww" during moments like when he said that he kept Rooster's mother's wishes a secret so that he wouldn't resent her memory, applauded when it was revealed that he safely ejected, and so on. Why? Because they like strong males! Imagine that.

I just can't say it enough, I'm blown away that this movie even exists and am so glad that it's getting the appreciation we all know it deserves.
 
Last edited:
Yeah wow what a funny turnaround that was. But remember TGM was probably filmed in late 2018 thru mid 2019 or so, and back then China was still frenemy, not more overt enemy like now.

That brings up an interesting question (realted to TG1): You have to wonder how soon it will be before China emerges as a film bad-guy.

A decision like that has all kinds of implications in terms of exhibition, national trade, "punching up/down" + race etc and doesn't even have the "twisted interpretations of..." caveat Islamist terrorists can have in movies (ie they don't rep the majority)

But China as actual enemy is also a reality now, and movies are "supposed" to reflect reality (like the Soviets in TG1).
Umm Mr. Talibane sir can we please not make the country that is soley responsible for 99.99% of all of our goods enemies in our movies I kindly need my medicine and bathroom wet wipes lol
 
I read an interesting article expressing how TGM depicts a fictional United States, one that acts as if all the catastrophic policy decisions over the past 30 years were never made. It's like it takes place in the United States that we all imagined we'd one day be living in back in 1986. Where there is more diversity (specifically with regard to female pilots which movies back then like ALIENS rightly predicted) yet everything is still merit based and regardless of race or color everyone is still American through and through. In that regard TGM offers an alternate fictional future very much in the same vein as ALIENS with its cocky, badass, US flag waving warriors of the future, etc., except for the fact that TGM actually isn't set in the future, lol. It's like someone went back to 1986 and grabbed an Infinity Stone allowing Maverick to continue in the good timeline while we're all stuck in this alternate crap one. :lol

I'm just blown away that this film even exists in its current form. You know if Disney had made this movie then there wouldn't be one female fighter pilot (to more accurately reflect the real world percentage of female pilots at 7%), oh no more than half of them would have been female and Maverick's record of three enemy kills would have long been broken by them. And no way would Ed Harris and Jon Hamm's characters be white males. One or both would be women (probably both) and would take absolute glee in tearing Maverick down for being a toxic dinosaur.

But this movie celebrated its female characters without elevating them above the males. I loved Jennifer Connelly's character and Phoenix was one of my favorite pilots. Imagine that. And I don't know what your crowd was like but in my auditorium there were a lot of women. And none of them seemed to be wishing that a woman put Maverick in his place. In fact they all seemed to be totally rooting for him. And they let out a collective "awww" during moments like when he said that he kept Rooster's mother's wishes a secret so that he wouldn't resent her memory, applauded when it was revealed that he safely ejected, and so on. Why? Because they like strong males! Imagine that.

I just can't say it enough, I'm blown away that this movie even exists and am so glad that it's getting the appreciation we all know it deserves.
I do like how the diversity in this movie provided a more accurate representation of real life. Should there be more female pilots, or software engineers or other careers that have traditionally been male dominated? You bet. But to represent something way off from reality in a movie or tv show can kind of take you out of it. I'm way on the side of creating and celebrating more diversity but in some cases it's become way too predictable. I think that's the challenge with a lot of Star Wars fans that grew up in the male dominated Empire that suddenly has female officers where none previously existed. The rebellion did have strong female characters (Leia, Mothma) so when Jyn Erso was the hero in Rogue One I was like "Ok, that's pretty cool". Honestly, if Disney wanted to make the Empire truly evil it would retain it's lack of diversity from the OT as it would really stand out as a Nazi-esque regime, which I believe was Lucas' intent in the first place.

Anyhoo, Top Gun Maverick is my favorite film of the year, and it's not close (Sorry No Way Home).
 
I do like how the diversity in this movie provided a more accurate representation of real life. Should there be more female pilots, or software engineers or other careers that have traditionally been male dominated? You bet. But to represent something way off from reality in a movie or tv show can kind of take you out of it. I'm way on the side of creating and celebrating more diversity but in some cases it's become way too predictable. I think that's the challenge with a lot of Star Wars fans that grew up in the male dominated Empire that suddenly has female officers where none previously existed. The rebellion did have strong female characters (Leia, Mothma) so when Jyn Erso was the hero in Rogue One I was like "Ok, that's pretty cool". Honestly, if Disney wanted to make the Empire truly evil it would retain it's lack of diversity from the OT as it would really stand out as a Nazi-esque regime, which I believe was Lucas' intent in the first place.

Anyhoo, Top Gun Maverick is my favorite film of the year, and it's not close (Sorry No Way Home).
You'll have to apologize to The Batman since NWH came out in 2021, lol. ;)
 
****, I was in at the opening credits
Oh man just the Top Gun anthem and opening text hit me hard. :lol

It was like it had instantly become its own version of the Star Wars opening crawl but unlike SW it's an opening that has remained absolutely untainted for 36 straight years since we haven't had decades of TG movies opening with stories of F-14 pilots settling trade route disputes and fighting foes from the ashes of the Soviet Empire, lol.
 
You'll have to apologize to The Batman since NWH came out in 2021, lol. ;)
Good point on NWH! I will not apologize to The Batman because it took me three viewing attempts to get through it without falling asleep. I didn't hate it, I just found it kind of "meh". Haven't seen Doctor Strange 2 yet, but doubt it tops Maverick.
 
I read an interesting article expressing how TGM depicts a fictional United States, one that acts as if all the catastrophic policy decisions over the past 30 years were never made. It's like it takes place in the United States that we all imagined we'd one day be living in back in 1986. Where there is more diversity (specifically with regard to female pilots which movies back then like ALIENS rightly predicted) yet everything is still merit based and regardless of race or color everyone is still American through and through. In that regard TGM offers an alternate fictional future very much in the same vein as ALIENS with its cocky, badass, US flag waving warriors of the future, etc., except for the fact that TGM actually isn't set in the future, lol. It's like someone went back to 1986 and grabbed an Infinity Stone allowing Maverick to continue in the good timeline while we're all stuck in this alternate crap one. :lol
I read the same article I think, but it reads more like a right-wing homophobic article criticizing the military for letting in LGBTQ people into service.

I'm just blown away that this film even exists in its current form. You know if Disney had made this movie then there wouldn't be one female fighter pilot (to more accurately reflect the real world percentage of female pilots at 7%), oh no more than half of them would have been female and Maverick's record of three enemy kills would have long been broken by them. And no way would Ed Harris and Jon Hamm's characters be white males. One or both would be women (probably both) and would take absolute glee in tearing Maverick down for being a toxic dinosaur.
I agree with this. An accurate representation did not hurt here.
But this movie celebrated its female characters without elevating them above the males. I loved Jennifer Connelly's character and Phoenix was one of my favorite pilots. Imagine that. And I don't know what your crowd was like but in my auditorium there were a lot of women. And none of them seemed to be wishing that a woman put Maverick in his place. In fact they all seemed to be totally rooting for him. And they let out a collective "awww" during moments like when he said that he kept Rooster's mother's wishes a secret so that he wouldn't resent her memory, applauded when it was revealed that he safely ejected, and so on. Why? Because they like strong males! Imagine that.

I just can't say it enough, I'm blown away that this movie even exists and am so glad that it's getting the appreciation we all know it deserves.
I also like that she was there because she was competent and was chosen for the mission on merit. Overall the film had a good balance with this regard.
 
I'm probably the biggest MCU mark around here, and even I didn't think DS2 was better than Maverick.
I loved them both, but for what it is, Maverick is pretty much perfect.
It is definetly one of the best sequels overall especially when you look at how long between movies. Story felt like a real continuation to the original of the 80's. I wish all movies had the same care but such is life. Maverick will probably be the best overall movie for a couple years to come out.
 
Back
Top