Burnished 1980s blockbuster nostalgia as Tom Cruise and producer Jerry Bruckheimer prove they can still make ’em like they used to. Strap in for the thrillingly real aerial dog fights.

... A summer blockbuster of the old school, with rust-bucket F-14s duking it out with young pups in F-18s, all shot on celluloid rather than sketched in by computers, at the behest of a star who refuses to quit.

Brings Maverick’s story full circle in a satisfying manner that adds depth and dimension to its predecessor, but still tells a story that’s all its own.

It is a joyous return rather than a new start. But the reunion of Cruise and Kilmer is a high point.