all reality and embrace it as a Star Wars type fantasy film about 10 minutes in when they asked me to believe Maverick has Super Hero powers.

The moment his hypersonic aircraft disintegrated at Mach 10.3 (>7,600 MPH) and he managed to parachute to safety....well, this movie was finished as to anything remotely physically/humanly possible or relating to reality. So, Top Gun fighter school it is not, X-Men fantasy it is. Ok  I can do that 

The rest of the movie is as unbelievable as the opening Mach 10 "hook".

Nothing, and I mean nothing in this movie is based in reality. Not the F-18 training, not the stupid location and absurd defenses of the "Target", not the unnamed foe with the fancy new fifth-Gen fighters, not the stealing of an old F-14, and certainly not taking out two fifth-gen fighters with it.

so, pure unadulterated fantasy it is. And in that light, sure, it's a winner.

I think if loved John Wick you probably loved Maverick. Both absurd in the real world, but work when you just enjoy the fantasy.