Top Gun - Tony Scott
The film follows recruits of the Top Gun program as they earn their wings. The major premise of the film is the idea that instinct is just as important as following the rules.
We follow Maverick, played by Tom Cruise (The Last Samurai & Minority Report), who represents instinct. Top Gun is the top fighter training school in the U.S.
Maverick wasn’t even supposed to be going, but the best pilot in his assignment pulls out, leaving him and his wingman, Goose, to take the spot.
On the other side of the unity-of-opposites is Iceman, Val Kilmer (Kiss Kiss Bang Bang & Heat). His call sign is because he always follows the playbook and is cool and calm about it.
Unsurprisingly, his hot-headed nature is not just for flying. Maverick hits on our female lead without any hesitation.
She is up for the challenge, and the ensuing conversation is hilarious as she shoots him down. It becomes even funnier the next day when we learn that she is the civilian oversight for their training group.
This doesn’t stop Maverick, and he continues to pursue her. They end up having a great relationship.
While Maverick is a Hot-Head and focuses much more on instinct than on the rules, he is a brilliant pilot. Just amazing in the cockpit.
His relationship with his wingman is fantastic as well. Goose and Maverick can talk seriously about their feelings, and there is great mutual respect.
Then the fateful crash happens. We all knew it was coming; it was just a question of when. Iceman and Maverick are on a training mission together.
Iceman is in the lead, covered by Maverick and they both have the enemy plane in their sights. Iceman just can’t get a lock.
There has been a good lead-up to this, and we know Maverick is going to stay with IceMan. Maverick is frustrated because he clearly would get a lock on if Iceman were not in the way.
Iceman does get out of the way to allow Maverick the shot, but as he does, Maverick and Goose’s plan gets caught in the jet stream, and they crash. Goose dies.
He is beaten up about this and is looking at quitting the program, even though he is absolved of any responsibility.
His past saves him here. He has been torn up about his dad, also a fighter pilot who died in combat, but Maverick has never heard any details about his death.
It turns out that his dad gave his life so that heaps of other pilots could get out of a terrible situation.
The government could never say anything because they were not supposed to be where they were. With the doubt about his father and his own role in Goose’s death gone, he returns to graduate, and he is immediately deployed.
Iceman and Maverick are in the same flight crew, and Iceman is in a bad way. Maverick does some of the best flying we have seen and saves the day.
The reason I like this film so much is that it is nothing like it is portrayed to be: Hot-headed fighter pilots being idiots. This film is nuanced and uses its cast superbly. We see what friendship can be with Goose and Maverick.
We see healthy rivalry between Maverick and Iceman, two pilots at the top of their game. After the awful misogynistic beginning of the relationship between Maverick and Charlie, Kelly McGillis (Witness & The Accused), we see a thoughtful and tender side of Maverick.
Maverick’s doubt in himself and his dad is well done as well.
Then there is the flying, there is a lot of flying. And it is spectacular. Scott really captures what it is like to be in a fighter jet.
