Top Gun Maverick. A Win For The West.
“If you can make one heap of all your winnings, And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss, And lose, and start again at your beginnings, And never breathe a word about your loss; If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew To serve your turn long after they are gone, And so hold on when there is nothing in you Except the will which says to them: ‘Hold on!’” Excerpt from Rudyard Kipling’s poem, If.
The fact a movie like Top Gun got past the liberal left loony’s veto system and made it to the box office, only to smash box office hits, was nothing short of miraculous. It is indicative that hope lives on for America and by extension the West. Released in the same year Roe v Wade was overturned, the timing is impeccable.
Unsurprisingly, it still attracted its fair share of criticism from the perpetually offended left. Criticized for being too patriarchal, too white, too masculine, and too clean, did not matter as it just felt good to get a few points on the scoreboard again. The year 2022 seems to be one of small victories for conservative Christians.
Whilst Top Gun did not meet all the requirements of the Marxist feminazi purveyors of neo-liberal propaganda, it still met the basic requirements. One could not miss the racial diversity, and gender equality screaming at us through the screen. Most importantly, it ticked all the “right” boxes for the “right” people. It was nostalgically patriotic, with the American flag looming large at every opportunity.
Love him or hate him, Tom Cruise produced a winner in Maverick. An actor not well-known for his depth of character, he exhibited a refreshingly deeper side as an older, more reflective Maverick. Capturing his character well, he gave him the opportunity to shine. One could almost forget he was played by Cruise himself. If this is his last Hollywood film, it would be appropriate. It is by far his best, and he goes out with a bang.
Friendship, loyalty and mentorship were interwoven scarlet threads in a tapestry of truly creative story telling. Connecting past, present and future it built on each main character, adding depth to an otherwise action-packed film about high testosterone men with entertaining jet fighting skills. Maverick taking on the father figure role in Rooster’s life for Goose, was a selfless act at a time when fatherlessness is a growing epidemic. Despite the competitive history between them, Iceman filled the void in Maverick’s life for kinship and loyalty, reflecting the traditional, reciprocal nature of family and community.
Maverick’s love interest Penny was gorgeous and unlike many older female actors, was not botoxed to the eyeballs. Although divorced, she still practiced good dating habits as an example for her own daughter. The love scenes were unusually clean, so no need to worry about cringing through semi-pornographic footage in a cinema full of strangers.
Maverick’s ability to live his career unfazed by his rank as Captain and his reputation for coming in second place, was admirable. Unmotivated by accolades or stifling theoretical textbook maneuvers, he was a true renegade. He did his own thing and was confident in his own experience, and flying abilities. True to himself, he lived an authentic life by refusing the hierarchical ladder and resisting the system’s desire to box him into their idea of success.
Respecting the generational divide, whilst defying the aging process, Maverick courageously led by example. Exercising experience with skill and knowledge, he achieved the almost impossible task, without patronizing his younger counterparts. Despite the setbacks and lack of support, he never gave up. It was difficult for anyone, even his critics, not to respect him.
One could argue his attitude was reflective of the pro-life movement. In a world where murdering babies has become the norm, the group of justices in the highest judiciary defied the culture. Despite intimidation tactics from the opposition, they each risked everything for the sake of their values and beliefs to do what’s right.
Top Gun’s counter-cultural narrative respected the patriot, the patriarchy and the parent. It did not succumb to the usual political correctness which has killed the authenticity of almost every Hollywood movie in the 21st century. Just like the US Supreme Court’s landmark decision, this film was years in the making. Its success gives underdogs worldwide, hope that some things are worth waiting and fighting for. Whilst evil globalists do their best to destroy all that’s good and right and just, light still shines through darkness. Keep holding on!