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Tom Cruise unveils 'Top Gun' sequel with mid-air stunt

22 Comments
By Andrew MARSZAL

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Years ago, we’d say “It’s ‘a movie’ so, a certain degree of disbelief needs to be suspended” for, at least, a couple of hours. “Eat your popcorn an enjoy it for what it is.”

Or, just don’t buy a ticket.

5 ( +9 / -4 )

Hollywood movie criticised for not being realistic by commenters shocker. Lets just forget that a lot of films are there just for entertainment purposes and require a suspension of belief.

Next up, The Matrix doesn't do VR right and Star Wars is incorrect about how space flight works.

4 ( +6 / -2 )

oyatoiToday  11:46 am JST

“Flyboys” = glorified truck drivers.

I'd like to see you land a fighter on a pitching carrier deck.

2 ( +10 / -8 )

I was in the navy in San Diego when they filmed the original. We were all young then. Val Kilmer has aged badly but Tom Cruise still looks good. Still, maybe it's (way) too late for this sequel and a better title might be - Top Gun: Grandpa Maverick's Viagra and Rogaine Edition.

I'll wait until it comes out on my Wowow or Movie Plus channels

2 ( +7 / -5 )

‘Suspending disbelief’ nowadays shouldn’t be so hard for the younger audiences, especially with the unrealistic way Hollywood’s been grooming kids lately that they can be and do anything IF they really want it enough.

2 ( +7 / -5 )

Looking forward to Tom’s comedic return with the Les Grossman movie. Temporarily suspended after “Me, Too!” righteous convictions of Weinstein and Cosby (and, unfortunately, some additional, perhaps unjustifiable & unfair, witch-hunts),

the followup to Tropic Thunder (2008) may now resume production after the wokewake subsides a little more.

2 ( +7 / -5 )

Wore out my tape of the soundtrack back in'86.Made me join Air Cadets and Flight Selection.

If you're bored,what DO you like?Enlighten usall!

2 ( +4 / -2 )

"As you can see, we are filming the latest installment of 'Mission: Impossible.'"

I actually enjoyed some of the movies in this series, but nothing compares to the original with Peter Graves.

1 ( +5 / -4 )

The oldest USN pilot was 54. He flew F/A-18s and retired in 2015.

I'm good with suspension of reality in many movies and I generally enjoy Tom Cruise's work even where the character he plays is so very different from the character it is based on - like Jack Reacher. The physical aspects of Reacher are fairly explicit and do not describe Mr. Cruise.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

Doesn't the navy throw you out after 30 yrs if you don't make admiral?

The USAF does if you don't make General. Plus, service starts when you enter a military academy, so you can do 30 yrs and be forced out in your early 50s.

0 ( +4 / -4 )

theFuToday  01:53 pm JST

Doesn't the navy throw you out after 30 yrs if you don't make admiral?

The USAF does if you don't make General. Plus, service starts when you enter a military academy, so you can do 30 yrs and be forced out in your early 50s.

You're absolutely correct. When the original film came out, they say there were navy recruiters awaiting. Just like the 1986 air and sea war with Libya, my unit's PSD had a few teens 'come in' wanting to join up and 'fly'.

Have a happy 5-6 years, fellas. In the Navy, air pilots are junior officers - ensigns and LTJGs. And to be a Navy officer you must have a college degree. Then if you want to fly, you can go the 'Topgun' academy if you qualify.

A big word, 'IF'. Besides, there are several other elements in the story that are predictable and unreal in the first place, but I won't list them here.

 a suspension of belief.

At the same time in 1986, RUSH had a hit mentioning that - 'Mystic Rhythms'.

piskianToday  04:47 pm JST

Wore out my tape of the soundtrack back in'86.Made me join Air Cadets and Flight Selection.

Nothing wrong with a film inspiring you or anyone else into joining the Air Cadets youth corps. But if it gives people a fantasy story about a decision that could influence their entire life (and military service does, one way or another) then they need to think twice. Just like the real 'Miami Vice' is nothing like the TV show I enjoyed so much in the 80s. I knew better than to think that police work was that much 'fun'.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

It would be really amazing if even Kelly McGillis were in the movie.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Tom Cruise unveiled the world-first screening of "Top Gun: Maverick" at CinemaCon in Las Vegas Thursday -- introducing the long-awaited sequel while balanced atop a flying bi-plane.

"Danger Zone" intensifies.

-2 ( +3 / -5 )

 Still, maybe it's (way) too late for this sequel and a better title might be - Top Gun: Grandpa Maverick's Viagra and Rogaine Edition.

I'll wait until it comes out on my Wowow or Movie Plus channels

The original wasn't terrible, but it was unrealistic and predictable. It got all those armchair generals salivating, and they got more thrills with Desert Storm 24/7. As a Navy veteran I can tell you the film is not true to life. And many people I knew on the 'Big E' (Enterprise) told me that Cruise acted like a total egotistical ass.

And yes this new film is way too late. Cruise has ruined his rep with this Scientology crap and his commotions with that Katie Holmes. And he's got a mouth to feed by her. I guess this junk is what you fall back on when that happens.

Nobody has a 36 year military career, let alone being a pilot. I'll pass. Let the geeky armchair warriors who never served get their kicks.

-2 ( +6 / -8 )

Is his hair gonna win another award?

-2 ( +3 / -5 )

Does make me chuckle some of the bitter comments above! Some movies are just meant to take you out of reality for a few hours.

Honestly if you have no interest then why comment. As for Tom Cruise, then, yes, I find him a bit weird along with Scientology. But there are probably a lot more weird people on this very website, who have been nowhere, done nothing and achieved nothing. Remember 'acting' is a job. It's just what you want out of it and make from it.

-2 ( +2 / -4 )

A military recruitment commercial based on naïve male fantasy isn't 'realistic' enough is an interesting criticism... having been an extra on a movie set, I discovered that 'acting' is waiting, acting briefly, waiting, do the same thing again, waiting, do the same thing again, waiting, ad infinitum...and completely dispelled any desire to 'be an actor'. It appeared to be hard, boring work and, besides the considerable monetary rewards if you're attractive enough, has little in the way of reward. Stitching it all together seems to be as important a part as the 'convincingness' of the players but perhaps just as excruciating. But, as audience, sitting in the cockpit (surprisingly apt description in warplanes) of a multiMach air sled and vicariously feeling eight Gs crush you in a turn or soar with instantaneous reflex through a canyon with hostility hot behind you does trick the adrenals into activity which we seem to so desperately need we pay a fair price to experience it. Cruise, whatever else may be said about him, IS a convincing actor for this sort of testosteronized fare. But, it's a fantasy. That it may ignore the more mundane requirements of military realities ALL THE BETTER. What good are fantasies required to fit realities? Like hanging on to the side of a transport on takeoff or playing gecko on the glass sides of the Burj Khalifa or repeatedly returning to the same day after death by alien, if we NEED 'reality', why are we there?

-3 ( +0 / -3 )

Spot on Matthew... Defintely one to get to the Cinema for however. Unless you have a really good home theater even the original isn't the same on TV.

-4 ( +3 / -7 )

I'll pass, thanks.

-4 ( +0 / -4 )

Boooooored!!!...

-11 ( +2 / -13 )

“Flyboys” = glorified truck drivers.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ocTKTk7oExk

-13 ( +3 / -16 )

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