UHD Review A Few Words About A few words about...™ Top Gun Maverick -- in 4k UHD Blu-ray (1 Viewer)

[Robert Harris]

I've never piloted an aircraft, but have gone more than twice the speed of sound, and it's an interesting phenomenon.

While there are moments in Joseph Kosinski's Top Gun Maverick that harken back to the breaking the sound barrier flight in The Right Stuff, it's very much it's own film, based on the ethos of the original Top Gun. Of course, we can also look back to that Lean film.

From the first moment to the last, it doesn't take a film scholar to know that this is a typical Simpson / Bruckheimer production, with all of the quick cutting - the cinematography and editing are both beautifully done - full proscenium of sound - here via Dolby Atmos - and a generally high testosterone vibe.

Tom Cruise is very Tom Cruise throughout and that's a good thing.

But the film also shines from Paramount's stellar presentation in 4k and Dolby Atmos, and it's a true 4k presentation that I'd call Reference Quality.

Great entertainment value and a glorious 4k release by Paramount.

Image – 5 (Dolby Vision)

Audio – 5 (Dolby Atmos)

Pass / Fail – Pass

Plays nicely with projectors - Yes

Makes use of and works well in 4k - 5

Highly Recommended

RAH

 

[Robert Crawford]

There was little doubt this 4K release would be a reference disc.

 

[yamato72]

Pre-ordered the two-movie set from Best Buy. Really excited to give this movie a spin next week.

 

[owen35]

Reference disc, absolutely! But I cannot bear the schmaltz which was a staple of the first film. The bloke who directed The Sound Barrier/Breaking The Sound Barrier would have a few opinions as well.

 

[sbjork]

I'm looking forward to seeing it with the variable AR. Since the only true IMAX screen in the Twin Cities closed a few years ago, and all of the remaining faux-IMAX theatres that remain have 2K projectors, I went with seeing it on a Marcus Ultrascreen in 4K. At 70ft wide, that one's also bigger than the any of the remaining IMAX screens, but it can't do the varying ratios. Still glad that I saw it that way, as it looked great, and it also sounded fantastic since they have a nicely calibrated Atmos system. On the other hand, I have a pretty damned fine Atmos system in the Casa Bjork Home Theatre, and I don't do CIH, so I'll be able to have the full experience.

And I'm not even a Top Gun fan. I never saw the first one until a few months before Maverick came out. I was 100% interested in the spectacle for the sequel, not the story, and it delivered that in spades.

 

[Angelo Colombus]

Have placed a hold at my local library and hope to check out the 4K disc soon.

 

[Robert Harris]

Reference disc, absolutely! But I cannot bear the schmaltz which was a staple of the first film. The bloke who directed The Sound Barrier/Breaking The Sound Barrier would have a few opinions as well.

Ya think. He started as an editor.

 

[Dave Moritz]

Buying this film then doing a double feature both from 4K blu-ray.

 

[B-ROLL]

I believe the original VHS release of the original movie/film had a Pepsi commercial - but even so that was an excellent film to set up your Dolby Stereo system ...

 

[davidmatychuk]

I saw “Top Gun Maverick” in ScreenX, and it was very impressive. We guessed right about where to sit to optimize the peripheral vision engagement, despite the fact that there were no extra screens set up on both sides of the regular screen in the theatre. They just projected the ScreenX footage right onto the brown walls without even turning off the exit signs, but it worked great. I’m sure the 4K will be very exciting when I see it next week, but I kind of hoped that the video might somehow get rendered in Smilebox.

 

[Keith Cobby]

I'm looking forward to seeing it with the variable AR. Since the only true IMAX screen in the Twin Cities closed a few years ago, and all of the remaining faux-IMAX theatres that remain have 2K projectors, I went with seeing it on a Marcus Ultrascreen in 4K. At 70ft wide, that one's also bigger than the any of the remaining IMAX screens, but it can't do the varying ratios. Still glad that I saw it that way, as it looked great, and it also sounded fantastic since they have a nicely calibrated Atmos system. On the other hand, I have a pretty damned fine Atmos system in the Casa Bjork Home Theatre, and I don't do CIH, so I'll be able to have the full experience.

And I'm not even a Top Gun fan. I never saw the first one until a few months before Maverick came out. I was 100% interested in the spectacle for the sequel, not the story, and it delivered that in spades.

Same here, I watched the first one a few weeks before seeing the second theatrically. I'm not a huge fan of either, and also watched the second for the spectacle, which it delivered. Will be buying Maverick on 4k (though may wait for a sale) to add to my collection of IMAX 4k titles.

 

[sbjork]

Same here, I watched the first one a few weeks before seeing the second theatrically. I'm not a huge fan of either, and also watched the second for the spectacle, which it delivered. Will be buying Maverick on 4k (though may wait for a sale) to add to my collection of IMAX 4k titles.

If they hadn't have made Maverick, I might have happily gone to my grave without ever seeing the first film. But the reality is that you really don't need to see the first one at all to appreciate Maverick. The callbacks are emotional for big fans of the original, but they're not going to affect you if you're not, so you can miss them and lose nothing.

 

[Michael Osadciw]

In the Cold War of the 1980s, Top Gun defined the Russians as "the enemy". In this movie, the enemy is just called "the enemy".

Who is "the enemy"? Sending planes off an aircraft carrier from a large body of water into northern terrain where there is english written within "the eneny's" territory, I can conclude "the enemy" is Canada

I wonder what we Canadian's did wrong to deserve this fight? Must have been Trudeau's fault. His colourful socks make him an easy target. An easy fight it would be though, since finding money for upkeeping our 1960s military equipment is less important than spending $25,000 for planting 100 trees in St. John's, Newfoundland. Surely one could have just walked into the forest and taken a few saplings?

As a Canadian of Ukrainian descent, Top Gun: Maverick would have pleased me far more if countless Russian planes were being blasted out of the airspace. Russian leaders and their military remain the enemy.

 

[Robert Harris]

In the Cold War of the 1980s, Top Gun defined the Russians as "the enemy". In this movie, the enemy is just called "the enemy".

Who is "the enemy"? Sending planes off an aircraft carrier from a large body of water into northern terrain where there is english written within "the eneny's" territory, I can conclude "the enemy" is Canada

I wonder what we Canadian's did wrong to deserve this fight? Must have been Trudeau's fault. His colourful socks make him an easy target. An easy fight it would be though, since finding money for upkeeping our 1960s military equipment is less important than spending $25,000 for planting 100 trees in St. John's, Newfoundland. Surely one could have just walked into the forest and taken a few saplings?

As a Canadian of Ukrainian descent, Top Gun: Maverick would have pleased me far more if countless Russian planes were being blasted out of the airspace. Russian leaders and their military remain the enemy.

Canadians are the enemy because they constantly send actors and directors across the border to take the jobs of hard working Americans.

 

[JimJasper]

Reference disc, absolutely! But I cannot bear the schmaltz which was a staple of the first film. The bloke who directed The Sound Barrier/Breaking The Sound Barrier would have a few opinions as well.

"Schmaltz"...? You're right, Owen35, but Top Gun is a crowd-pleaser, so schmaltz is a given. ......I saw it in the theater, and generally enjoyed it.... Biggest hole is the lack of defined "enemy" [again], but this is too politically incorrect (!!!!!) to pin on a country I guess, so they flaked. Still, with suspension of disbelief (to quote Catherine Tramell), it was fun. Nice that it's a high-profile film as reference quality for 4K, per Harris' review, to help faintly boost the medium; I was in Walmart today, and they had only 3 films in 4K

 

[Michael Osadciw]

Canadians are the enemy because they constantly send actors and directors across the border to take the jobs of hard working Americans.

Yes we do Here, we call it "brain drain" because our industries are subject to high regulation, and the arts by the CRTC. The best of us go south. Hmmm I guess I didn't make the final cut

 

[B-ROLL]

I wonder what we Canadian's did wrong to deserve this fight? Must have been Trudeau's fault

...wrong Justin ...

...

 

[Lee Sandersen]

Where does Tommy Boy put his walker when in flight? Isn't he a tad bit old to be playing these parts?

 

[Tino]

Where does Tommy Boy put his walker when in flight? Isn't he a tad bit old to be playing these parts?

Judging by the audiences reaction to this film, apparently not.

Tom Cruise is in great shape for his age. One of the last true movie stars that can still “open” a film. Show him some respect!

 

[YANG]

Canadians are the enemy because they constantly send actors and directors across the border to take the jobs of hard working Americans.

Brits and Aussies can be added to the list as well... the population of Brits and Aussies artists are much higher than Europeans.