The Times Australia
The Times World News

.
The Times Real Estate

.

Maverick is a film obsessed with its former self

  • Written by Erin Harrington, Senior Lecturer in English and Cultural Studies, University of Canterbury
Maverick is a film obsessed with its former self

Legacy films are more than a sequel: they hand franchises down to a new generation of viewers, passing a cultural baton.

At the opening night screening I attended of Top Gun: Maverick, when the lights went down, someone loudly whispered “let’s go!” – a perfect evocation of such films’ sense of expectation and repetition.

Films can’t entirely escape their contexts.

Top Gun (1986), an arena rock concert of a film, paints hot-shot US Navy aviator Lt Pete “Maverick” Mitchell (Tom Cruise) as a charismatic all-American rebel. He doesn’t play by the rules, but knows how to be loyal when it counts.

Maverick and his best friend Lt Nick “Goose” Bradshaw (Anthony Edwards) train at the elite Naval Fighter Weapons School, dubbed TOPGUN, which schools the “best of the best” in aerial dog-fighting.

Accompanied by a hyper-masculine soundtrack of screaming electric guitars and thudding synths, the reckless Maverick must negotiate his grief at Goose’s accidental death, his rivalry with Lt Tom “Iceman” Kazansky (Val Kilmer) and the long shadow of his father’s reputation – before beating out enemy fighters and getting the girl.

In this new film, Maverick, now a test pilot, is reluctantly recalled to TOPGUN to train top graduates in a seemingly impossible mission of global importance – or be grounded forever.

A film obsessed with itself

Like recent legacy hits such as the third Star Wars trilogy, Blade Runner 2049 and The Matrix: Resurrections, Top Gun: Maverick is a film obsessed with its earlier self.

It’s still a competition film with exhilarating action and flight sequences. It matches many of the original film’s narrative and emotional beats. It restages key moments and re-imagines others.

The film revisits old characters, reworks the original score and incorporates earlier footage into flashbacks. It surrounds the characters with photographs of their younger selves. It even rolls its end credits over the same burnt orange skies.

Legacy films always have an implicit relationship with the older films’ ideas and politics, and the conditions of their creation.

Top Gun heralded a new, powerful relationship between Hollywood and the US Department of Defense that persists today. Producers Jerry Bruckheimer and Don Simpson had pitched a film to the Pentagon based on journalist Ehud Yonay’s 1983 article Top Guns[1] well before any screenplay was written.

The US Navy was actively seeking a beneficial project to support. The Navy offered significant practical support and had input into the script, and the film was regarded as a seductive recruitment tool[2].

Read more: Top Gun: Maverick's age shouldn’t stop him as a test and fighter pilot, but his lifestyle might[3]

The TOPGUN program

The TOPGUN program was established by the US Navy in 1969 to train elite pilots in response to aerial combat failures during the Vietnam War. The 1986 film helped rehabilitate[4] the US military’s image in popular culture after Vietnam.

The film expressed vibrantly the jingoistic patriotism of the Reagan era. The Americans are noble good guys who don’t shoot first. The “bogeys” are faceless antagonists, their red star insignia and Soviet MiGs marking them part of a Communist threat.

The geopolitics of Top Gun: Maverick are vague, even chaste. The baddies are an unnamed power that has developed a secret uranium enrichment facility deep within a mountainous region. They are a threat to NATO allies, have superior technology, and anonymous soldiers – and that’s it.

Tom Cruise in his white t-shirt still looks like a present-day James Dean. Skydance Media

This doesn’t affect the action, but the mission is backdrop to a small-scale, human story about bridging intergenerational divides, coming to terms with the past and re-establishing familial bonds.

It is inoffensive enough to cater to Hollywood’s global audience. Beyond mention of contemporary American pilots spending more time dropping bombs from on high than engaging in aerobatic dogfights, and passing references to Iraq and Bosnia, this is a military film largely devoid of war.

It has a pervasive sense of naivete. Tom Cruise in his white t-shirt still looks like a present-day James Dean. It is nostalgic more for images and stories of loyalty and heroism than the murky conditions of conflict.

Read more: Top Gun: How fighter jet pilots withstand high G[5]

What is the conflict?

The thrumming, sexualised, objectophilic tension of the first film centred on the sweaty, muscular white bodies of its cast and similarly muscular images of military technology.

The disciplined, diverse cast of young fighter pilots of Top Gun: Maverick are up against a more insidious foe: skilled human pilots are replaced by unmanned drones.

Maverick, we are told, is a fossil – the last of his kind. We hear time is the pilots’ greatest adversary; Maverick is about to be grounded for good; the future is coming and Maverick isn’t it. But Maverick’s heroism persists in his concern for people, their families and their jobs.

Production image It’s not the plane that matters – it’s the American pilot. Skydance Media

We are repeatedly told superior technology is one thing, but it’s not the plane that’s important. It’s the (American) pilot and their instincts.

Maverick is Tom Cruise, the singular ageing movie star-hero hybrid. The film is a celebration of film itself. This is a proper blockbuster of old that can bring in the punters at cinemas.

In the film’s dynamic climax, Maverick seeks to demonstrate just how powerful the old gear, and the old ways, still are. It’s not subtle.

In Top Gun, the takeaway message was constant vigilance was a means of upholding American exceptionalism. In this film, we hear the end might be coming, but there is still much more in the tank.

That may well be the case for the traditional action blockbuster, which is one of the United States’ greatest global exports. But well after the end of the “American Century”, and at a time of significant domestic and global disruption, this might be a more nuanced and complicated statement than intended.

Read more https://theconversation.com/top-gun-maverick-is-a-film-obsessed-with-its-former-self-179461

The Times Features

Why Staying Safe at Home Is Easier Than You Think

Staying safe at home doesn’t have to be a daunting task. Many people think creating a secure living space is expensive or time-consuming, but that’s far from the truth. By focu...

Lauren’s Journey to a Healthier Life: How Being a Busy Mum and Supportive Wife Helped Her To Lose 51kg with The Lady Shake

For Lauren, the road to better health began with a small and simple but significant decision. As a busy wife and mother, she noticed her husband skipping breakfast and decided ...

How to Manage Debt During Retirement in Australia: Best Practices for Minimising Interest Payments

Managing debt during retirement is a critical step towards ensuring financial stability and peace of mind. Retirees in Australia face unique challenges, such as fixed income st...

hMPV may be spreading in China. Here’s what to know about this virus – and why it’s not cause for alarm

Five years on from the first news of COVID, recent reports[1] of an obscure respiratory virus in China may understandably raise concerns. Chinese authorities first issued warn...

Black Rock is a popular beachside suburb

Black Rock is indeed a popular beachside suburb, located in the southeastern suburbs of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. It’s known for its stunning beaches, particularly Half M...

What factors affect whether or not a person is approved for a property loan

Several factors determine whether a person is approved for a real estate loan. These factors help lenders assess the borrower’s ability to repay the loan and the risk involved...

Times Magazine

Lessons from the Past: Historical Maritime Disasters and Their Influence on Modern Safety Regulations

Maritime history is filled with tales of bravery, innovation, and, unfortunately, tragedy. These historical disasters serve as stark reminders of the challenges posed by the seas and have driven significant advancements in maritime safety regulat...

What workers really think about workplace AI assistants

Imagine starting your workday with an AI assistant that not only helps you write emails[1] but also tracks your productivity[2], suggests breathing exercises[3], monitors your mood and stress levels[4] and summarises meetings[5]. This is not a f...

Aussies, Clear Out Old Phones –Turn Them into Cash Now!

Still, holding onto that old phone in your drawer? You’re not alone. Upgrading to the latest iPhone is exciting, but figuring out what to do with the old one can be a hassle. The good news? Your old iPhone isn’t just sitting there it’s potential ca...

Rain or Shine: Why Promotional Umbrellas Are a Must-Have for Aussie Brands

In Australia, where the weather can swing from scorching sun to sudden downpours, promotional umbrellas are more than just handy—they’re marketing gold. We specialise in providing wholesale custom umbrellas that combine function with branding power. ...

Why Should WACE Students Get a Tutor?

The Western Australian Certificate of Education (WACE) is completed by thousands of students in West Australia every year. Each year, the pressure increases for students to perform. Student anxiety is at an all time high so students are seeking suppo...

What Are the Risks of Hiring a Private Investigator

I’m a private investigator based in Melbourne, Australia. Being a Melbourne Pi always brings interesting clients throughout Melbourne. Many of these clients always ask me what the risks are of hiring a private investigator.  Legal Risks One of the ...

LayBy Shopping