My quick rating - 8,6/10. The first one was a "date" movie for my age group. And it also happened to be a really good movie. I like the nostalgic music to get this one rolling. Very fitting. Does Tom Cruise age? And I am sure glad to see Jennifer Connelly was able to jump off Snowpiercer to join in this epic flick. How they find two people who just don't age like the rest of us for the same movie is beyond me. Also great to see Val Kilmer who has always been a favorite of mine ever since Real Genius (yes, I saw Top Secret AFTER). After watching the Val documentary, I wasn't sure he would but apparently, Cruise wouldn't do the movie without him. In my quick interjections, I have noticed I am very much enjoying how they are incorporating the first movie and its repercussions into this one. Not only the same characters but also the situations and where the events placed everyone after. I can say that in my opinion, they actually surpassed the first one in all aspects. I rarely can say that about a sequel. Sure, it is a given that the flight action and combat were going to look miles better due to money and technology but that was the easy part. And the funny thing is, the dogfights and aerial stunts were actual jets, not all CGI. To get a seamless story involving a character's son from the first one (Goose but I am sure that isn't a spoiler) and to actually make you care about the whole situation was nicely played out. The cast from top to bottom does an excellent job which makes it a feel-good movie for the vast majority of them. Cruise actually balances out the egotistical part of Maverick along with the vulnerable side and then sprinkles in some humor from time to time. The pacing moved along swift for 130 minutes to the point I was unphased in noticing the length at all. If you need gripes, I thought the mission itself and then the behind enemy lines part were a bit rushed. I would've liked a little more with that but I get the point of why it may have been truncated the way it was. It might be more believable in the method they chose as opposed to what I am actually complaining about. The enemy here is anonymous which was smart. I know that is vague, but you know me and spoilers. If you loved the first, don't fret since this one will bring you right back into it flawlessly. Aside from getting those nostalgic feelings, if you haven't seen the first, that would be all you will miss. A few inside jokes and maybe some goosebumps moments. The first flick defined my life growing up, it was one of the first flix where we went back to the theater just to see it again, and again. And it is like now after computers are now really a thing, not some mysterious box as seen in 1986 (for you maybe LOL), 36 years later a chapter was closed that I really hadn't realized was still open. This movie is one of the very few I will say without a doubt deserves to be seen in the theater. If you are my age, maybe you'll get to be 13 again, at least for just one night. After seeing it, I could easily hit the theater and watch it again. Unfortunately, we don't have an IMAX around which would be the way to go. It is in the $20 range if you want to check it out at home though, click the poster below.
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