Top Gun: Maverick  ★★★★

EVERY time I realise that Tom cruise is my age I have a moment of self-reflection.

No doubt I’m not the only one who thinks “what the hell are you doing with your life while he’s jumping out of planes and leaping across buildings?”

I guess it does help that Cruise thinks he’s immortal and descended from a race of alien architects of Earth.

Top Gun: Maverick is his latest film and the Cruise approach has extended to the bunch of younger co-stars who were put through a three-month boot camp before flying alongside real air combat pilots in G-force straining manouevers.

The results of all this effort are pretty sensational with the actors looking like they really are flying these frighteningly powerful machines at breakneck speed.

This sequel to Tony Scott’s 1986 original Top Gun provides almost everything you want to see in a nostalgic update.

The dialogue is just the right amount of cheese, the young cast are enthusiastic, the action and visuals are spectacular and the nods to the original are carefully chosen.

And of course there is Cruise, one of cinema’s last great movie stars, who always seems able to deliver the big-screen thrills.

If you liked the original film, you appreciate Cruise’ talent and bravado or you just like big, loud and fun movies, this one delivers.