By: Miguel Ernesto Yusty

TOP GUN: MAVERIK, a film directed by Joseph Kosinski and released in mid-2022, is the sequel to TOP GUN, the 1986 film directed by Tony Scott. The original became a box office hit and a landmark in war films, as well as a prime example of Scott's distinctive style. More than two decades later, the sequel has once again become a favorite with audiences and critics alike, receiving an unprecedented number of award nominations at events of all kinds. What is the significance of this film?

Top Gun, the first film, was Tom Cruise's opportunity to establish himself as a mass idol. The film exalted military heroism with more finesse than the Rambo films of that same period. Tony Scott, who took his own life in 2012, had trained as a painter and believed in the grandeur that cinema needed to attract viewers. Orange hues were frequent in his film's skies, regardless of whether they were natural or the result of filters applied to the camera lenses, because the aim was to establish the aesthetic norms for cinematic storytelling. Thus, each element fit into its universe, with the certainty that in the real world such things would be absurd or impossible. Such was the coherence of the concept that in the 1980s, audiences flocked to see the film. However, Top Gun is not a film that will change the history of cinema, although the second installment may have a bit more significance.

TOP GUN MAVERIK proves that the context in which a film is released influences its audience reception. The film was originally slated for release in 2019, but was postponed to 2020, the year in which COVID-19 lockdowns kept moviegoers away from theaters. When a release is delayed too long, the money invested in its production isn't recouped, and the film risks becoming outdated. But the conviction of figures like Tom Cruise regarding the importance of experiencing cinema on the big screen meant the film waited, without being released, until the right moment. Therefore, the success of TOP GUN MAVERIK is a triumph of cinema as cinema, not television. Beyond the film's cinematic qualities, its importance lies in the fact that the creative team prioritized the quality of the exhibition over a quick return on investment. In this way, the world has finally become convinced that cinema is made for cinema and that the small screen is a secondary matter.

By Miguel Ernesto Yusty