Top Gun
Year: 1986
Director: Tony Scott
Starring: Tom Cruise, Anthony Edwards, Kelly McGill & Val Kilmer
Runtime: 110 mins
BBFC: 12
Published: 17/06/22
Director: Tony Scott
Starring: Tom Cruise, Anthony Edwards, Kelly McGill & Val Kilmer
Runtime: 110 mins
BBFC: 12
Published: 17/06/22
Despite my extensive viewing history there are always some notable classic and iconic films that I’ve failed to watch throughout the years. One such film that surprises people when I say I haven’t seen it is 1986’s Top Gun. Despite releasing to a mixed critical reception, Top Gun went on to become one of the biggest box office successes of 1986 and has had a hugely successful life on the home video market. With the release of Top Gun: Maverick I decided that now was as good a time as any to check out what is considered by many to be Tom Cruise’s best action film.
Considered one of the best new U.S. Navy fighter pilots, Pete ‘Maverick’ Mitchell (Tom Cruise) and his co-pilot Nick ‘Goose’ Bradshaw (Anthony Edwards) are inducted into the elite Naval Fighter Weapons School, nicknamed TOPGUN. Whilst there, Maverick and Goose compete to win the TOPGUN trophy against their fellow students and come to blows with Tom ‘Iceman’ Kazansky (Val Kilmer). Despite his skill, Maverick is a reckless pilot and is regularly reprimanded for his dangerous flying; meanwhile instructor Charlotte ‘Charlie’ Blackwood (Kelly McGills) finds herself falling for Maverick and struggles to remain professional when in his company.
Considered one of the best new U.S. Navy fighter pilots, Pete ‘Maverick’ Mitchell (Tom Cruise) and his co-pilot Nick ‘Goose’ Bradshaw (Anthony Edwards) are inducted into the elite Naval Fighter Weapons School, nicknamed TOPGUN. Whilst there, Maverick and Goose compete to win the TOPGUN trophy against their fellow students and come to blows with Tom ‘Iceman’ Kazansky (Val Kilmer). Despite his skill, Maverick is a reckless pilot and is regularly reprimanded for his dangerous flying; meanwhile instructor Charlotte ‘Charlie’ Blackwood (Kelly McGills) finds herself falling for Maverick and struggles to remain professional when in his company.
Legendary film critic Roger Ebert said in his review of Top Gun back in 1986 that the good parts are so good, but the bad parts are so relentless…and you know what I completely agree with him. Top Gun is little more than a testosterone fuelled measuring contest between men that have no character and only stereotypes. The aerial combat sequences are highly complex and beautifully shot with zero reliance on computerised special effects, but the moment people start speaking the film simply starts to fall apart before your very eyes with dialogue that often makes little sense because of its over-reliance on technical jargon, or its painfully cheesy ‘romance’ which feels like it’s been written by a teenage boy.
The plot, what little there is, doesn’t feel like it’s ever working towards something. Sure, Maverick wants to graduate TOPGUN at the top of his class, but that’s his only motivation for the whole film and there’s no other character trait that can be attributed to him. He doesn’t even seem particularly motivated to reach that goal either as he regularly defies orders and breaches mission parameters, yet somehow, he maintains a nail bitingly close second place position behind Iceman. The romance between Maverick and Charlie is laughably bad. McGill’s character is an insultingly stupid portrayal of a woman as she’s ready to risk her entire career and respect within the military because she think’s Tom Cruise is pretty, and despite his constant neglect of her throughout the film she just falls harder and harder for him.
The plot, what little there is, doesn’t feel like it’s ever working towards something. Sure, Maverick wants to graduate TOPGUN at the top of his class, but that’s his only motivation for the whole film and there’s no other character trait that can be attributed to him. He doesn’t even seem particularly motivated to reach that goal either as he regularly defies orders and breaches mission parameters, yet somehow, he maintains a nail bitingly close second place position behind Iceman. The romance between Maverick and Charlie is laughably bad. McGill’s character is an insultingly stupid portrayal of a woman as she’s ready to risk her entire career and respect within the military because she think’s Tom Cruise is pretty, and despite his constant neglect of her throughout the film she just falls harder and harder for him.
Top Gun also portrays war in such an unrealistic and horrendously patriotic way that the film basically becomes a Navy propaganda film. During the films climax, Maverick essentially starts World War III and it’s not acknowledged, instead he is cheered and hailed as a hero once he lands the plane. It also repeatedly makes excuses for toxic masculine behaviour under the guise of military bravado. The films homoeroticism is so outlandishly striking, with male characters constantly drenched in sweat and usually spending as little time in t-shirts as possible. Plus, there’s that wholly unsatisfying and awkward sex scene which was clearly implemented to ‘appeal to women’ as per the request of an entirely male production team; but considering how much my girlfriend was cringing and laughing is a clear indication that no women were consulted in how to make that kind of scene appealing to them.
The film’s biggest saving grace is its phenomenal soundtrack. Rarely do you see films with this many smash hits lined up back-to-back, and especially when paired with the fantastic aerial combat sequences this is where Top Gun gets things right. Unfortunately, it’s absolutely too little too late in a film that’s overwhelmingly disappointing.
I struggle to see how Top Gun has garnered such mass appeal over the years. Whilst the combat sequences are impressive and unlike anything else I’ve ever seen, and the soundtrack is awesome; the rest of the film is so unbearably low quality that I honestly wonder whether it was even worth bothering to watch it in the first place. The one benefit is that it’s laughably bad, knock back a few beers and Top Gun will magically transform from a badly written action film into a pulpy and overly camp homoerotic military porno. Despite Maverick’s best efforts to be top of his class, I’m not even sure I can give him a passing grade.
The film’s biggest saving grace is its phenomenal soundtrack. Rarely do you see films with this many smash hits lined up back-to-back, and especially when paired with the fantastic aerial combat sequences this is where Top Gun gets things right. Unfortunately, it’s absolutely too little too late in a film that’s overwhelmingly disappointing.
I struggle to see how Top Gun has garnered such mass appeal over the years. Whilst the combat sequences are impressive and unlike anything else I’ve ever seen, and the soundtrack is awesome; the rest of the film is so unbearably low quality that I honestly wonder whether it was even worth bothering to watch it in the first place. The one benefit is that it’s laughably bad, knock back a few beers and Top Gun will magically transform from a badly written action film into a pulpy and overly camp homoerotic military porno. Despite Maverick’s best efforts to be top of his class, I’m not even sure I can give him a passing grade.