Top Gun: Maverick Review - 8 Ups & 2 Downs

5. The Excellent Supporting Cast

The casting is just top notch from top to bottom here. Most notably, Miles Teller is the spitting image of his screen father Anthony Edwards and gives an intense performance as Rooster while standing toe-to-toe with Cruise, and Glen Powell is a ton of fun as the cocky, charming trainee pilot Hangman.

Other standouts include Monica Barbaro as Phoenix, the fiery female member of the team, Lewis Pullman as the nerdy pilot Bob, and Jon Hamm as the stern-but-fair Vice Admiral Simpson.

Val Kilmer is also well represented here in a touching sequence that refuses to shy away from the actor's real-life voice loss due to throat cancer, instead incorporating it into the Iceman character in a respectful and meaningful way.

Even the smaller, less-significant parts are well-cast across the board, ensuring Maverick touts one of the year's most likeable ensembles so far.