"Tom Cruise Best": 'Top Gun: Maverick' Flies High Following Early Reviews
It looks like there is some magic in old-school Hollywood action movies after all.
'Top Gun: Maverick' has stolen the hearts of critics, judging by the 75 early reviews that scored an unprecedented 96% on the movie's page on Rotten Tomatoes.
The action movie starring Tom Cruise as the legendary Navy aviator has a little over a week before it hits screens in the US, and critics have already touted it as "the most satisfying summer action movie since 'Mission: Impossible – Fallout '.
According to Time Magazine's Stephanie Zacharek, 'Top Gun: Maverick' is also "way better" than the original movie – which is a rare accolade for the sequels. New York Post's Johnny Oleksinski echoed the sentiment, describing the movie as "a worthy, often exemplary follow-up to the 1986 classic."
"It's not just "a movie I liked," it's now one of my favorite movies ever. One of the best theatrical experiences I've ever had," wrote Uproxx's Mike Ryan.
Among those less impressed with the Top Gun sequel was The Guardian's Peter Bradshaw.
He criticized the movie for having "weirdly none of the homoerotic tension that back in the day had guys queueing up at the Navy recruitment booths set up in cinema foyers."
Besides, he reckoned that the sequel turned out to be "less progressive on gender issues than the original film" made in 1986.
'Top Gun: Maverick' premieres in the US on May 24, with Tom Cruise portraying Navy's top aviator Pete "Maverick" Mitchell.