On Tuesday I went to the theater and watched "Top Gun: Maverick," and found it to be as awesome as I had hoped for. A great movie, like an excellent concert, can lift your spirits and keep you firm in the knowledge your time and money were well-spent.
The special effects were incredible; one's appreciation for military technology and the sacrifices of those who serve is bolstered by this film. Indeed, the G-forces of flying a fighter jet at thousands of mph take a ravaging toll on the human body.
There were many stellar character portrayals, led by, of course, Tom Cruise as Capt. Pete "Maverick" Mitchell. Miles Teller was also impressive as Lt. Bradley "Rooster" Bradshaw, the son of Maverick's deceased friend Nick "Goose" Bradshaw, who died during flight training several decades earlier.
Two other actors who may be overshadowed come awards time are John Hamm (of "Madmen" fame), who played the stern, no-nonsense Vice Admiral Beau "Cyclone" Simpson and Bashir Salahuddin, who played Warrant Officer Bernie Coleman, a respected, steady hand who kept the young pilots in line.
Maverick's memories and occasional insecurities take the form of flashbacks, featuring black-and-white still shots of him and other characters from the original "Top Gun." His relationship with Rooster is fraught because he still feels some guilt for the death of his former wingman Goose even though an investigation cleared him of any wrongdoing. Painful memories and a lack of confidence in a new and unfamiliar situation are certainly emotions most of us can relate to.
I did not serve in the military, but I am well aware of the severe penalties for those who engage in insubordination. Maverick already had a reputation for bending, if not breaking, the rules while he was in flight school (hence his nickname), and this made Adm. Simpson leery of appointing him to a teaching position. Yes, Maverick had disobeyed orders on more than one occasion, but he also boasted impressive results to justify his headstrong ways.
As an instructor, Maverick continued to push the envelope on defying authority and, as one would expect in a Hollywood movie, it paid off (SPOILER ALERT!) with Maverick becoming a hero after leading a successful mission with no casualties.
In real life, there have been examples of enlisted service people disobeying orders, yet their subsequent actions resulted in positive results. Perhaps the most famous involved Maj. Gen. Daniel Sickles at Gettysburg in 1863. Union Gen. George Meade had ordered Sickles to move his men to Little Round Top, but instead Sickles moved them to Peach Orchard. Confederate Gen. James Longstreet attacked Peach Orchard, but after doing so, Union forces were able to flank the Rebels in a counteroffensive, routing them, winning Gettysburg for the Union and ending Gen. Robert E. Lee's invasion of the north.
Something to keep in mind: Troops take an oath to "support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic..." I would imagine that court martial judges may exercise a certain amount of discretion, but I digress. "Top Gun: Maverick" never delved into details of what, if any military discipline Maverick received during his career.
As I mentioned the other day, I believe this movie is just what the doctor ordered to boost the spirits of discouraged, demoralized Americans. I certainly hope it does boost morale, because Lord knows we need it. Badly.
On an unrelated note, I didn't know until recently that two Michigan natives and alumni of my alma mater, Michigan State University, wrote the screenplay for the original Top Gun. Professor Jim Cash and a student, Jack Epps Jr., teamed up to write the script, which was based on a magazine article titled "Top Guns" and published several years earlier in California magazine.
I know that Hollywood's legions of secular progressives aren't crazy about Cruise because of his membership in the Church of Scientology. It's also possible they resent him for starring in patriotic movies. So we shall see what kind of recognition he and this movie receive from the nihilists in La La Land.
QUICK BITES - A year ago, I chastised the Biden administration for not acknowledging D-Day -- not even with a simple tweet. I believe it was another "spit in your face" action taken against everyday Americans. This year, Biden sent out a tweet acknowledging the sacrifices of D-Day veterans at 8:45 p.m. Monday. Better late than never, but I suspect he wasn't planning on sending out anything at all until fierce pressure on the White House brought about a face-saving change of heart. (That is, perhaps they realized there's been enough bad publicity already; why invite more?)
On another note, Michigan's egregious Sen. Debbie Stabenow did her best Marie Antoinette during a recent Senate Finance Committee meeting. She boasted how she had driven her electric vehicle to Washington, D.C., from Michigan and breezed past many a gas station with outrageously high prices and "it didn't matter how high it was." Elitist. Tone deaf. Arrogant. Just downright sickening. This type of garbage is why voters will clean house in a few months (I only wish the clown Stabenow would be one of the cretins to be given the heave-ho.). Keep it up, Democrats. The more you run your mouths, the more of you we'll jettison.
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