Top Gun: Maverick

AMKC · 25-05-2022 11:00pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119114805#Comment_119114805

I did get a rewatch of the original a few days ago before going in and it was certainly a benefit.

AMKC · 25-05-2022 11:02pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119114800#Comment_119114800

Yep that's what I was thinking too.

johnny_ultimate · 25-05-2022 11:07pm

A damn good time. I don’t really care for the original, and honestly this is a significantly superior film. And yet the core is still broadly similar - it’s just tighter, better made and with a much more compelling narrative through-line. The central tension of the planning and eventual payoff of the big mission adds an energy that makes this work so much better. Even the hilariously non-specific nature of the ‘enemy’ here makes the inherently icky nature of a modern U.S. military tale go down quite a bit easier.

The technology has also come along a lot and allowed for more intense flight sequences than Tony Scott and co could manage. The creep of technology has made so many sequels look worse than their much older predecessors, so it’s a relief to say this is one of the few that looks quite a bit better than what came before. Yes there’s some CGI and whatnot, but the aerial thrill ride is convincing throughout.

It might not be quite at the upper echelon of the modern action film, but there’s an old-school blockbuster vibe to it that I found endearing and thoroughly enjoyable. It’s a straight-down-the-middle, no-nonsense spectacle: a sort of ‘comfort food’ good time that really feels like it could have dropped out of the 80s and 90s if it weren’t for the occasional smartphone reference and Tom Cruise and Jennifer Connolly having both visibly aged like fine wine.

AMKC · 25-05-2022 11:09pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119114800#Comment_119114800

Last note on the business side of things.. if my audience was anything to go by.. skewing older and not a hugely filled cinema.. I'm not sure this film is gonna make bank.

There is the June Bank Holiday Weekend coming up. I would say it will be packed out then.

Will get an idea anyway after this weekend if it's doing OK or not. I hope it's not aflop be sad to see especially with Tom Cruise promoting it but it had been delayed 2 or 3 times so that would not help. People get annoyed or bored of waiting after a while I suppose but the beginning alone is worth the wait.

My cinema had including me 3 or maybe 4 in it even do the booking seemed so suggest more people had booked. I think it was just the day and time. Suits me. I would have stayed for all the credits too except the cleaning team were in straight away as soon as they started to roll.

Slydice · 26-05-2022 9:39pm

Hadn't considered the bank holiday. I assume the good reviews will factor in heavily over in the USA too for the weekend that is in it over there.

silverharp · 27-05-2022 2:34pm

By the sounds of it Hollywood is starting to stand up to china if you know what I mean

speedboatchase · 27-05-2022 3:12pm

Early tracking indicates this will be the biggest US opening weekend of Cruise’s career.

Markus Antonius · 27-05-2022 3:25pm

Does this thread presume that people have seen it? I'll put this under a spoiler barrier anyway:

I saw it in the Galactic screen in IMC Galway. The sound was terrible. I could literally hear people whispering 5 rows back during the loudest scenes. Even if the sound was good, I don't think there would have been much to listen to, the music was really bad compared to the original.

There was too much Maverick in it from the start in my opinion - too much time watching him perving in that stupid bar. I think the story would have been better if they followed Rooster from the beginning and then leave lots of mystery and intrigue around Maverick much in the same way they did with Viper in the first one. Viper was cool, Maverick was not cool at all in this.

The last half of the film I thought was very good, it's just a pity it was all rushed to the finish - they could have milked the scenes after they crashed a bit more especially with that attack helicopter (make it more like Behind Enemy Lines). The first Top Gun was all about the MIG and how intimidating it was. The enemy in TG:Maverick was what or who exactly? That cliff face? The enemy was too faceless and unknown.

Jon Hamm was terrible, I thought.

27-05-2022 3:50pm

That was fu(king terrible...

I loved every minute

27-05-2022 3:52pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119114881#Comment_119114881

I saw it at a 12:30 showing, yesterday afternoon, in Cork.

I expected it to be a near private screening but the cinema was over 1/3 full. MUCH more than I've seen recently at the time slot

santana75 · 27-05-2022 9:07pm

I cant recall enjoying a film this much, it is absolutely brilliant. I was never a fan of the original and I think this outstrips that movie by some distance. It gets right into the action and does not let up for even a second, I was never bored. The only negative thing I can say is that there is zero chemistry between Tom Cruise and jennifer Connolly. They could've cut that entire relationship out and the film would still have been a belter. I hope it does well at the box office because its a genuinely great action film.

Big Gerry · 27-05-2022 9:47pm

The critical drinker recommends it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KEwCne2vnFc

Murt10 · 27-05-2022 10:05pm

I wonder how much Kawasaki paid for their product placement at the start and Porche at the end.

mr_edge_to_you · 27-05-2022 10:43pm

Dad, Mam and 2 kids here (10 & 7). Fair to say everyone enjoyed it immensely. 2 hours of pure fun.

Feels like a breath of fresh air - no ridiculous multiverse cris-crosing storylines. Lovely touches of nostalgia. Take it as it is, don't overthink it, just go and see it and park the stresses of 2022 for a little while.

silverharp · 28-05-2022 10:13am

Mad good RT score 97% and 99%

pixelburp · 28-05-2022 10:18am

Give the audience genuine, tangible thrills, worth seeing in a cinema, and both they and the critics will say "yes please". It's not rocket science but Hollywood has drifted so far into Four Quadrant, CGI driven mush everyone's acting surprised a moderately competent action film is winning hearts and minds.

Dr Kermode loved it, unironicallly.

https://youtu.be/C7CWr3hyI9g

gmisk · 28-05-2022 12:24pm

Two words.

F#cking class

furiousox · 28-05-2022 11:45pm

Went to the original in 1986 with my girlfriend.

Went to TG2 today with the same girl (now my wife)

We both loved it, some of the dialogue is a bit cheesy and jon hamm is a bit hammy but its just great fun. The aerial scenes are amazing!

Just give in to it, buy the popcorn and enjoy, its a great night out!

MisterAnarchy · 29-05-2022 12:15am

150m dollar projected Opening Weekend in the US. 🤑

JP Liz V1 · 29-05-2022 12:18am

Looks like a critical and box office success

Vertigo100 · 29-05-2022 5:22pm

C’mon Mav, do some of that pilot ****!

29-05-2022 10:28pm

Fantastic visuals and cinema experience, I felt some of the G force sitting there.

The story has none of the heat or real feeling the original was able to capture and suffers as a result. Love interest seemed a cut and paste. All very predictable. Needed that bit of Tony Scott magic.

Dav010 · 29-05-2022 10:33pm

Fantastic film, really enjoyed it. One of those films which has to be seen in the cinema.

alchemist33 · 29-05-2022 11:08pm

Took a while to get going and cut through the mandatory testosterone amd chest thumping but after that it was a great thrill ride. You could almost feel the g forces and there was real tension for the mission. My only gripe was the tacked on love story which felt unnecessary.

And I was glad to see the room more than half full. It felt like the olden times.

Exclamation Marc · 30-05-2022 12:04am

Well I absolutely loved it. It was the epitome of a proper blockbuster film. Entertaining throughout, a great story that never felt contrived, stunning cinematography, fantastic acting, and utterly mesmerising action scenes. Plenty of heart in mouth moments and genuine threat that kept me on the edge of my seat.

I heard Tom say that making the sequel was liking hitting a bullet with a bullet and it's clear that they absolutely hit it.

I can't wait to go to see it again.

KilOit · 30-05-2022 12:09am

Dull macho stuff around the beginning but towards the middle to end scenes was heart-pounding, seriously intense action that made it worth it

Topgear on Dave · 30-05-2022 12:17am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119128712#Comment_119128712

It's memorial day weekend over here so everything military is glorious and they've done quite a but of marketing for it.

I walked into an Applebee's the other night and a life-size Tom Cruise cutout greeted me inside the door.

Muppet Man · 30-05-2022 3:42am

I watched here in a small town in up state new York. Not many in the cinema... but they do have it on ever 30 mins.

I remember watching the original in the cinema and was blown away by it then. This was a Solid 8 out of 10 for me. Not sure how it could have been better.... although... too much "talk to me goose" for my liking.

Muppet man

Frank Bullitt · 30-05-2022 4:39am

God damn I loved that, people applauded Tom Cruises message at the start (nice touch as well).

I loved it, it was a great break from CGI balls and had real planes with all the bells and whistles. Some nice laughs and Tom Cruise nailed it. Proper great summer blockbuster movie, I’ll probably go to it again.

Frank Bullitt · 30-05-2022 6:44am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119114881#Comment_119114881

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119122394#Comment_119122394

This is pretty funny…

Top Gun: Maverick

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