I admit I was never a big fan of Top Gun. As a teen I enjoyed the video games but I didn't connect with those bragging brats. I had already discovered cinema through dozens of more substantial movies by then and I was not easily impressed by this Walt Disney actioneer for gen-X teens and late boomers.

The sequel has much less bragging and smile-flashing, but all these moments are referenced in a continuous melancholy. Maverick is basically a teen that did not want to grow up, a big creative bias that cashes in on demagogy big time. No, he is not a loser, he is just a nice little bright soldier who stood his ground and did not want to assume bigger responsibilities, let alone become a politician.

While the loser approach might have been interesting it is certainly not what people would have welcomed, whereas pure nostalgia of teenage years, with barely a couple of bad memories to put to bed, that is the easy way. As a result Capt. "Maverick" Mitchell is just a veteran teen who happens to still be nice and candid about everything well passed 50y.

Bottom line: a sugary nostalgia designed for those with a sweet tooth; otherwise it is a boring actioneer replete with heavy references taking our breaths away for a very long exposition.