Tom Cruise Shares First Look Photo as ‘Top Gun 2’ Begins Production

variety.com ^ | 5/31/2018 | robert mitchell

[Rummyfan]

I think Jerry Maguire is one of his best flicks.

[Red Steel]

He keeps in shape. I’m sure Cruise has a hell of a home gym.

[Red Steel]

It’s not unheard of for general officers to keep their flying status up to date. For example, (since I recall it) of a crash incident from 30 years ago where the 16th AF Commander Maj. Gen. Winfield Harpe’s F-16 goes down. He was 53 years old.

https://www.nytimes.com/1988/12/06/world/us-general-dies-in-jet-crash.html

[Cecily]

Tom has done well in many movies, even if he is a Scientology lunatic.

Rain Man
The Firm
Born on the Fourth of July
The Color of Money
Tropic Thunder
Vanilla Sky (showed his acting range)
Interview with the Vampire
Valkyrie

[Tony in Hawaii]

To be fair, Tom “Viper” Skerritt was 53 years old in 1986 when the original movie came out.

[rktman]

I always liked Skerrit’s acting.

[Old Teufel Hunden]

I’m sure the Admirals/Generals who are pilots may keep the flying status up to date (probably to get flight pay right?), however that’s probably once a month or whatever it takes to keep the flying status up to date and it’s strictly training and not in a real life combat environment like I’m sure will take place in the movie.

I just saw in an article that in the movie he is a captain. The first movie was 32 years ago and he was a Lt then. Figure he had been in the Navy about 4 years at that point so he’s a 36 year captain. Pretty slow advancement if you ask me and I doubt that there are any 36 year service captains out there. I’m guessing they keep him a captain so he can be doing operational flights because they believe even the public might have a hard time swallowing an Admiral out there flying into combat. Oh well, a little Hollywood suspension of belief. Just like their politics, it only has to be somewhat based in reality.

[Old Teufel Hunden]

"To be fair, Tom “Viper” Skerritt was 53 years old in 1986 when the original movie came out."

But he wasn't playing a 53 year old in the movie. He was most likely supposed to be in his early 40s which would be fine for a Commander. That's what he played in the movie. Because the first movie came out in 1986, they can't get around the fact of Cruises age.

[Tony in Hawaii]

You’re assuming that moviegoers can do math.

[Old Teufel Hunden]

"You’re assuming that moviegoers can do math."

Seeing how our kids are doing in STEM subjects, you're right. It may be a bridge too far for today's moviegoers to do basic math....