Top Gun: Maverick poster
Top Gun: Maverick

What’s Aged the Best?

Jennifer Connelly, practical flying and measured callbacks

The panel is imagining how this might look in the future.

In the discussion (15)
Approx. transcript time · 00:41:07Read transcript
  • Connelly is both hosts’ first choice
  • The romance is praised as age-appropriate, warm and unusually convincing for later Cruise
  • Making Penny the briefly mentioned woman from the first film is considered smart
  • Teller’s resemblance to Anthony Edwards works
  • The casting competition is echoed by Maverick choosing Rooster
  • The score reuses familiar themes effectively
  • The hosts praise the feeling of actors experiencing real flight
  • The opening credits recall the original without making the whole film a remake
  • Coyote’s G-lock scene is praised
  • The trophy, Goose mannerisms, beach yell and carrier reunion are effective callbacks
  • Bob’s simple call sign is funny
  • Maverick tossing the manual away is appreciated
  • Maverick and Iceman texting with punctuation is a good age detail
  • An unnamed enemy allows streamlined action
  • Jeans, leather jackets, Hawaiian shirts and aviators lend a timeless look