As far as summer blockbusters go, Top Gun is almost quaint by today’s standards: the travails of a Navy pilot flying simulated missions in training school? Even a Navy pilot engaged in real warfare would be small scale for most studios today, unless the war was being waged against giant robots or malevolent aliens. But Top Gun was a surefire ’80s hit that appealed to both male and female audiences; a boy-meets-girl romance crossed with an action movie about aerial dogfighting that’s actually just about a bunch of hot dudes falling in love with each other – there’s something for everyone!
The script reminds one of the theory that, given enough time, a monkey hitting random keys on a typewriter would eventually produce the works of Shakespeare. Unfortunately, Top Gun is more like what they’d come up with on their second or third try. Director Tony Scott does what he can to punch up a generic (if occasionally bizarre) effort with his trademark stylized visuals and iconic (and often iconically awful) use of music. Tom Cruise plays the lead role with his usual conviction, Val Kilmer is …odd in a supporting role. There’s some terrific aerial photography, but the sky-fighting scenes, although aesthetically interesting, quickly grew tedious for me.
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