Top Gun (1986)

Directed by Tony Scott. Starring Tom Cruise, Kelly McGillis, Anthony Edwards, Val Kilmer, Tom Skerritt, Michael Ironside, Rick Rossovich, James Tolkan, Meg Ryan, Tim Robbins, John Stockwell. [PG]

Cruise’s reckless but skilled hotshot Navy pilot (call sign: Maverick) is sent to Miramar to attend Naval Fighter Weapons School (a.k.a., “Top Gun”) where he competes to become the best of the best while romancing one of his instructors (McGillis). This slick but soulless Hollywood product delivers as advertised—gleaming visuals, macho posturing, cheesy rock soundtrack, dynamite aerial combat sequences, and the sort of unabashed right-wing militarism that’s even more dangerous than its protagonist—but if approached solely with an arsenal of “never-minds” directed at its rampant clichés and sordid political content, it’s tacky fun. Still, even those willing to fully disengage the critical-thinking portion of their brains will still have to deal with a ridiculous love story low on chemistry, high on silhouetted tongue-play, and the sort of simplistic character dynamics and dialogue that would have felt hoary even in the flyboy pictures of the 1920s and 30s. The comic relief provided by Maverick’s best friend and RIO cohort, Goose (Edwards), helps smooth out some of those embarrassing wrinkles, at least. The kind of movie with enough now-iconic elements to trick most moviegoers into thinking it’s a so-called “classic”, but remember: it is possible to use lighting and airbrushing to make a lump of coal look quite appealing. Oscar winner for Best Original Song: “Take My Breath Away” by Giorgio Moroder and Tom Whitlock, performed by synth-pop/new wave band Berlin. Followed more than thirty-five years later by a sequel (“legacyquel”), Top Gun: Maverick.

50/100