Review of Top Gun (1986) by Kai82 — 20 Jun 2022

This movie has become a cult class for many. Others like me don't see the appeal. To be fair it has great actors and a compelling story but it goes a bit too much in the Navy advertising direction for me.

Also between the highlights I was bored by the movie. Roger Ebert said in his review something like “The good scenes are amazing but the weaker once were unbearable”. It might sound to harsh as the movie is no failure.

I see a lot of things that could win me over like showing weakness and overcoming it or character development. After the introduction scene the movie is about the pilot Pete Mitchell nickname Maverick and other remarkable pilots who enter the United States Navy Strike Fighter Tactics Instructor program that is familiar know as TOPGUN.

This is in short a real life flight school for aerial combat and tactics. It was developed after the failings in air combat during the Vietnam war were investigate as the US pilots did not gain notable advantages and hundreds of aircraft's were lost.

It is about character development, relationships, growth and overcoming hurdles beside flying aircraft's. In this regard it got me hooked but like I said the Navy and military advertisement is to overburdened for me.

Also there are some weaker segments I would fast forward or forget. It is like multiple courses of meal but you dislike some in between. Then there are the actors. This movie has a cast of really famous actors.

Some at the beginning of their careers or not that famous back then. The main actors Tom Cruise and Kelly Mc Gills fully deliver and I praise both of them. The additional cast works also really well with an excellent Val Kilmer to give credit were credit is deserved.

Also Meg Ryan, Anthony Edwards and many others were good. A fine overall performance. The visuals and flight scenes are amazing and I see why it captured so many people. Even I who was not that much into this was impressed.

The soundtrack is legendary and the tracks “Danger Zone” and even more “Take my Breath away” became hits and are played even today in the radio from time to time. Overall this is not my taste and I am not seeing it as cult classic like others do.

However it is a must see movie as others will be shocked if you did not see the movie. Be warned to not criticize it as other take this as insult even when they agree that some parts are weaker.