Patriotic TOP GUN: MAVERICK Ranks No. 2 on Deadline’s ‘Most Valuable Blockbuster’ List
By Movieguide® Contributor
Deadline recently reported their Most Valuable Blockbuster tournament posting TOP GUN: MAVERICK at number two.
TOP GUN: MAVERICK profited a total of $391.1 million which was 2022’s highest grossing film until AVATAR: THE WAY OF WATER.
However, TOP GUN: MAVERICK still holds the top spot in the United States as the highest grossing film totaling $718.7 million in revenue.
The film set itself apart as the sequel, having real fighter pilots fly the F18s in the film.
“On the first TOP GUN, there was a push to shoot the actors flying in live jets as well, but “their eyes rolled back in their heads; they couldn’t handle the G force” quips the producer. “The only footage was some of Tom.” Given that experience, it’s why Cruise devised a flight program on the sequel whereby the performers were trained to tolerate the G Force in three different aircrafts before manning the F18s,” Deadline reported.
Despite being the highest-grossing movie in the U.S., TOP GUN: MAVERICK came in second to AVATAR: WAY OF WATER.
Movieguide® recently reviewed the movie as being full of drama and having high morals:
TOP GUN: MAVERICK is a terrific, powerful, exciting movie. It’s full of high drama and impressive, heart-pounding action scenes. This role was made for Tom Cruise, and he gets great support from Miles Teller as Rooster and Jennifer Connelly as Maverick’s romantic interest, Penny. The other actors playing the pilots and officers are excellent as well. In addition, there’s a poignant scene between Cruise and Val Kilmer as Iceman. MAVERICK also has some funny scenes to relieve the dramatic tension. For instance, in a few scenes, someone says to Maverick, “Don’t give me that look,” and he replies, “It’s the only look I’ve got.” Director Joseph Kosinski takes a well-structured script and does a brilliant job weaving together all its parts to deliver one of the most entertaining movies in recent years.
TOP GUN: MAVERICK has a strong moral, Pro-American, patriotic worldview. The movie celebrates American fighter pilots who risk their lives to serve their country. Maverick clearly is committed to train the pilots under his command well. When his CO at the Top Gun school tells the pilots how dangerous their mission is and that some of them might not come back alive, Maverick objects, saying he wants to do whatever he can to ensure that everyone comes back alive. Maverick must show the pilots, however, that the mission plan will be able to do just that. And, he risks his own life twice to do it.
TOP GUN: MAVERICK also tells a strong redemptive story. Maverick still feels guilty for Goose dying. He thinks Goose’s son, Bradley, blames him for Goose’s death, but Bradley resents Maverick for setting his career back for four years by telling the Navy he wasn’t ready to be a Top Gun fighter pilot. Eventually, their conflict is resolved by sacrifice and forgiveness, which lead to reconciliation.
In contrast, AVATAR: THE WAY OF WATER promoted a pagan worldview despite its themes of family and sacrifice.
Read More: AVATAR: The Way of Paganism
Movieguide®’s review reads:
AVATAR: THE WAY OF WATER is James Cameron’s long-awaited sequel to his blockbuster 2009 movie. In the story, Jake must protect his new wife and family on Pandora from a cloned avatar of his nemesis from the first movie. A new army of Earth invaders has ordered the cloned soldier to capture or kill Jake, to stop the native resistance to Earth’s takeover of Pandora. His fight against Jake ranges from the forests of Pandora to a beautiful paradise of ocean atolls.AVATAR: THE WAY OF WATER has lots of action and jeopardy. Also, the ocean and underwater scenes are incredible. Apparently, the actors and crew had to learn how to hold their breath under water to shoot those scenes. The main theme of THE WAY OF WATER is family. Also, Jake repeatedly says a father’s duty is to “protect his family.” However, the movie has a fair amount of foul language, partial nudity, and lots of action violence and combat. AVATAR: THE WAY OF WATER contains false pantheistic theology, references and prayers to “The Great Mother” and some politically correct environmentalism.
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