Top Gun: Maverick 2022

More than three decades after his graduation from Top Gun, United States Navy Captain Pete “Maverick” Mitchell (Tom Cruise) has established himself as a test pilot. Despite a host of accomplishments, his tendency for repeated insubordination has kept him away from securing a flag rank. Frequently, his old rival and dear friend, Admiral Tom “Iceman” Kazansky (Val Kilmer), who currently leads the U.S. Pacific Fleet, intervenes to shield Maverick from disciplinary actions. However, the looming threat from Rear Admiral Chester “Hammer” Cain endangers Maverick’s latest hypersonic project, known as the “Darkstar,” as he plans to replace it with unmanned drones.

In a daring move to save his program, Maverick modifies the target speed for the day’s test from Mach 9 to a final target of Mach 10. Nevertheless, during this test, the prototype is lost when he instinctively pushes beyond intended limits. This results in Iceman once again rescuing Maverick’s career by assigning him to NAVY’s prestigious Top Gun school at NAS North Island, despite the insistence from Cain that piloted aircraft are becoming obsolete.

The Navy faces a mission: to annihilate an unauthorized uranium enrichment site situated in an underground bunker nestled at the canyon’s end, which is fortified with surface-to-air missiles (SAMs), GPS jammers, and state-of-the-art Su-57 fighters, in addition to classic F-14 Tomcats. Maverick formulates a strategy that employs pairs of F/A-18E/F Super Hornets equipped with laser-guided bombs, but instead of participating in this dangerous operation himself, he is tasked to train an elite group of Top Gun graduates under the supervision of Air Boss Vice Admiral Beau “Cyclone” Simpson (Jon Hamm).

Throughout this training, Maverick engages in dogfights against his initially skeptical students, ultimately earning their respect by triumphing in every duel. Tensions arise between Lieutenant Jake “Hangman” Seresin (Glen Powell) and Lieutenant Bradley “Rooster” Bradshaw (Miles Teller), who is also the son of Maverick’s deceased best friend Nick “Goose” Bradshaw. Rooster despises Hangman’s reckless behavior, while Hangman derides Rooster’s overly cautious flying style. Additionally, Maverick rekindles his romance with his former girlfriend Penny Benjamin (Jennifer Connelly), where he reveals to her a promise he made to Rooster’s dying mother—that Rooster wouldn’t follow in his father’s footsteps as a pilot. Unbeknownst to Rooster, he harbors deep resentment towards Maverick, blaming him for derailing his Naval Academy application and, ultimately, for his father’s tragic death.

As Maverick seeks to navigate this delicate situation, he confides in Iceman, who is battling terminal throat cancer. Iceman offers sage advice, stating, > “It’s time to let go,” reassuring Maverick that both the Navy and Rooster require his guidance. After Iceman’s demise, Cyclone dismisses Maverick from his instructor role following a training misfortune where an F/A-18F is lost. Cyclone amends the mission parameters to render them somewhat easier but considerably more perilous for the pilots in recovery.

In a bold act of defiance, Maverick undertakes an unauthorized flight through the course under his original parameters, demonstrating their feasibility. Reluctantly, Cyclone appoints Maverick as the team leader for their impending mission.

Leading the way in the F/A-18E, Maverick is joined by Lieutenant Natasha “Phoenix” Trace (Monica Barbaro) and WSO Lieutenant Robert “Bob” Floyd (Lewis Pullman). Rooster commands the second strike element, supported by Lieutenant Reuben “Payback” Fitch (Jay Ellis) and WSO Lieutenant Mickey “Fanboy” Garcia (Danny Ramirez). As they launch from their aircraft carrier, Tomahawk cruise missiles obliterate the enemy air base, and they target the uranium facility. However, as anticipated, the SAMs respond vigorously during their retreat; amidst this chaos, Rooster exhausts his countermeasures, leading Maverick to sacrifice his own jet to shield him.

Believing Maverick to be lost, the rest of the team receives orders to return to the carrier; however, Rooster defies those orders, discovering Maverick has ejected and is in danger from a Mi-24 attack helicopter. After successfully neutralizing the gunship, Rooster faces his own downfall when a SAM shoots him down, resulting in an urgent ejection. The two manage to reunite and make off with an F-14 from the damaged airfield. As they navigate the skies, they successfully take down two attacking Su-57s, but as they run out of ammunition and countermeasures, a third Su-57 appears, only for Hangman to swoop in at the last moment to destroy it. Together, they return to safety, their teamwork undeniably solidified.

In the aftermath, Rooster aids Maverick in repairing his cherished P-51 Mustang. Together, they take a moment to reflect, looking at a photograph celebrating their successful mission alongside a cherished image capturing Rooster’s late father with a young Maverick, while Penny and Maverick share a nostalgic flight in the P-51, embracing both memories and future adventures.