'Top Gun: Maverick' Already in the Political Crosshairs

As it does in Hollywood, movies involving the military tend to get the political shine from one side of the proverbial aisle or the other.

And while we have been waiting and waiting (and waiting) for something to happen with the much ballyhooed sequel of the later ’80s smash Top Gun, a flare has finally been fired and well…everyone wants to talk to Goose.

It was inevitable. Name your military movie and people tried to make it about politics. From Platoon to Full Metal Jacket, Apocalypse Now to Saving Private Ryan, people can’t help themselves.

Maybe because there is no football on. Perhaps everyone had to focus on the Mueller Report, so suddenly everyone is an expert. Possibly Trump tweeted about it (checking…checking…and no, the one thing he did not tweet).

Enter into the fray Top Gun: Maverick. Here’s the trailer, and if you are a child of the ’80s, try not acting like this didn’t make your butt pucker and made you want to jam to “Danger Zone” by Kenny Loggins.

Feel the need for speed?

Please! Of course you do.

Well, except for the alt-right, overly sensitive politicos, and even members of the U.S. Senate who are pretty uptight about Tom Cruise’s latest project.

So, notice anything? Val “Iceman” Kilmer? No, he will be in the movie but he’s probably still on the treadmill. Goose’s son Miles Teller? No, he’s coming too but probably in the gym (and arguably next to Kilmer). Ed Harris? Yeah, he’s new and back to The Rock, that man is solid as military anything. Thought the opening scene looked like the Star Wars trailer? I noticed that too.

Once you are done with all the feels with the tweaks to Harold Faltermeyer’s old opening theme, rewind the trailer to 1:16.

See it now? Of course not, because, you know, you have a life. But if you are hyper-prone to calling out the “other side” (whatever side you are on) in politics, you saw Maverick’s famous flight jacket.

There’s a new Top Gun movie coming out. And Maverick is wearing the same leather jacket – only this time it’s Communist Party of China-approved, so the Japanese and Taiwanese flag patches are gone (screenshot on right is from the new trailer)… pic.twitter.com/gUxFNFNUKX

— Mark MacKinnon (@markmackinnon) July 19, 2019

Well, shots fired!

The senior international correspondent of Canada’s The Globe and Mail is a particularly eagle-eyed report. It was his tweet that caused this firestorm. Look at the bottom row of the big patch on his back. See the two new flags?

OH! (I know, right?)

Think Washington D.C. dolts didn’t think this was a reason to find a TV camera and stump against this omission? Think again. Hit it U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham.

Really dude? “The power of Chinese money in the modern world?” We’re making this a tariff and import issue? I suppose as the Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, the guy needs to take a stand for ‘Murica when he can, but against Top Gun?

Sorry, Mark MacKinnon tweeted again. He’d like a word:

“Mystery” solved. China’s Tencent Pictures is one of the main producers of Top Gun Maverick: pic.twitter.com/FE4Xq5qKwN

— Mark MacKinnon (@markmackinnon) July 19, 2019