It has been 37 years since the original Top Gun movie hit the silver screen with its unique aerial footage of actual Navy fighter jets performing combat maneuvers, a cast of future movie stars, and a music experience perfectly choreographed for the action scenes. The sequel to the film has been rumored for years, and despite the release date being pushed back until next year there remains an interest from both old and young to see what writers, directors, and producers will do to equal or surpass the original. Lead star Tom Cruise has given fans a peek into what is to come, but there are also a number of behind the scenes pics that will keep fans guessing. Though there has been a fair amount of excitement of seeing Cruise reprise his role as Maverick, we have decided to take a pass at watching another go around. Unlike some people who once loved Cruise and have soured on him as a result of many public controversies, we have a more objective set of reasons to move on. So here are 100 reasons we won’t be watching the sequel current named Top Gun: Maverick.
1. The movie might never see the light of day
A setback of a single year does not seem to be that big of a deal, but the unanswered question is why. There have been some reports of initial filming taking place near Death Valley, California but the problem might not be with the aerial shots but with the presence —or absence – of the actors themselves. More on this later.
2. Too many years have gone by
Though he has done amazing physical things with his latest Mission Impossible sequels, Cruise will be turning 57 next year. Anyone who watched his Jack Reacher movies can clearly see that age has caught up with him. Yes, he’s only human. Seeing him sit behind a desk will force other actors into picking up the action slack, and of the names currently connected with the film there is no one notable enough to garner our attention.
3. The sequel will be include drone technology and suggest the end of the era of dogfighting
This according to Variety magazine, which, based on the original movie is nutty. The entire theme that ran through the original was dogfighting. It’s what started the movie and ended the movie. Reducing it to watching drones being controlled from the safety of a bunker may be very 21st century but will hardly be worthy of the original.
4. The music will be all wrong
Jerry Bruckenheimer will be a co-producer of the sequel but he too is 37 years older. It’s not fair to expect him to create the magical mix of video and music that kept our attention, even when bare chested guys were playing volleyball. To attract the youngins it will be necessary to include some versions of modern music, and that likely will include rap or hip hop. This is not Dirty Dancing — yet this is one of our greatest fears.
5. A Maverick-Goose’s Son connection?
In the movie Dances with Wolves one part of the Lakotan culture dictated that it was not polite to talk about the dead. That same rule should be applied here. Even though Goose’s wife played by a very young Meg Ryan had a son in the original, not everyone can just decide to become a Top Gun candidate. Lest we forget, Goose never made it to graduation. The idea of “you can do anything if you put your mind to it” is trendy, but ask the thousands of SEAL candidates who didn’t make it past Hell Week about how that works in reality.
6. Bringing back the idea of the “in-flight” experience
This is a major theme of the sequel, and it only shows how the writers and producer cannot escape the past. Since 1986 there has been YouTube, virtual reality, and a plethora of Xbox games that have given people an in-flight experience personalized to the player’s world. The “cool factor” of multi-camera angles will not be able to hold the film together. This combined with the aforementioned drones will make it a yawner.
7. The inclusion of a female Top Gun pilot will make it seem like G. I. Jane
For those who passed on G. I. Jane it was about a naval officer played by Demi Moore who was selected to go through SEAL training “with the guys.” It was intended to illustrate the possibility of “full integration” of women into the elite military programs. You might like the character but it won’t resonate with reality — even given the fact that it is only a movie. A woman was admitted into and graduated from a real Top Gun class back in 2004, but the current reality is many female Navy aviators say it is very difficult just to get the opportunity to apply, let along be accepted and graduate.
8. Val Kilmer’s participation appears to be limited
One of the likely reasons for the delayed release is that Maverick’s main competitor in the original, Iceman, played by Val Kilmer has throat cancer. Besides being an ugly disease to contend with, it also is something that can return at any time and cause additional complications. With a limited or barely existent Iceman, who is Maverick going to go head to head with? A drone? Fans of the original are not going to want to see some type of interpersonal relationship conflict with Goose’s son. Yet that’s where things seem to be headed.
9. It appears to be aimed at the Geriatric Generation
We will start off this reason by asking, Ed Harris? Really? Harris is a fine actor but trying to assemble pieces of the former cast and add a few other famous older actors will be pandering to the Geriatric Generation. This makes the problem of waiting so long to create a sequel obvious. Kelly McGillis is never again going to be a male heartthrob, and Viper played by Tom Skeritt is 85. Even diehard fans of the original will flee from this upcoming tailspin.
10. It will fail at realism
One of the hallmark traits of the original Top Gun was the actual aerial footage. Asa matter of history, there was about 100,000 feet of video leftover from the first movie that was primed for a Top Gun 2. Of course, that never happened and other than the motorcycle drag racing there wasn’t much to get excited about from an action perspective. Based on the success of the DC and Marvel Universe movies, virtual reality and CGI are doing fine as a replacement for reality. Unless the producers can come up with some unheard of dogfighting reality (no drones, please) Top Gun: Maverick is likely to crash and burn. We’ll stay away and just read the reviews.
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