Overall:
x 24 out of 25.
The opening credits gives a great indicator that the movie you’re about to see will be a fantastic one. Every time I hear that opening number, I can’t wait for those jets to take off and anticipate some slick adrenaline-lined dogfighting. Easily one of the best movies of the ‘80s to hit the big screen. The reason for this relies on the simple blockbuster formula with a sexy cast and awesome toys. A true blockbuster will capture a collective audience attention so it must add a dimension that will attract female moviegoers. Quite simple formula here: Action for guys + love scenes for the ladies = huge box office success. Throw in some expensive and fun toys and you’ll have some serious attention paid to it. Any other way with this formula, you will get a mediocre film or a total flop. Case in point: homosexuality in Alexander by Oliver Stone. Top Gun hits that formula quite well as it delivers a terrific balance for guys to cringe through the lovey-dovey waste-of-film shots while taking in the excellent plot and action sequences. Definitely worth watching at least five times and then go out and buy the collector’s edition with a new 5.1 Dolby system if you don’t have one.
Director:
Tony Scott delivers an exceptional film that is balanced to woo the audience into appreciating the story. When the plot calls for quick, intense sequences, Scott does a terrific job of producing this need. Of course, the director was playing with some big, expensive toys. Apparently he got fired three times during production. I guess the producers (Bruckheimer, no less) were nervous he would blow up a 25 million dollar plane or somebody would be killed during filming (which did happen and the film is dedicated to that man). Fortunately for Tony, the production kept going and his film saw the light of day. Thank God. I don’t know how the ‘80s would’ve come out if it wasn’t for Top Gun with the
Actors:
This is highly regarded as the film that made Tom Cruise a star for obvious reasons. Women wanted to steal his heart while guys salivated to be the idyllic man character portrayed in Top Gun. Tom Cruise does a great job in this movie as a hotshot young fighter pilot. However, any more lines that would simply try to build up the script, this movie would’ve tanked. Top Gun also was the stepping stone towards a successful career for Val Kilmer playing the no-risk, no-mistake honcho with an accurate call sign of Iceman. Maverick has some cheesy lines and some parts were he was sloppy in delivering those lines in the movie, but overall he portrays the man you want to be. Cool, risky, women flock to him like a bee on honey and he flies fast planes that go BOOM.
Actresses:
Kelly McGillis does a great job of filling the role of the Top Gun instructor who maturely slides herself into Maverick’s lap. Guys, you’re going to love her subtle come-ons and mature, but still teasing approach to instructing her students. Exception: Part where she criticizes Maverick on the risky decision he takes during a hop, her glasses are the size of the bottom of coke bottles. Unfortunately for her, the movie did extremely well and didn’t cope well with the demands of high-publicity. Meg Ryan is Goose’s fun-loving wife and scores major points for seeing an younger Meg Ryan, albeit not her strongest role for her. Disappointingly, you never see her lips up close, those things drive the Scoffing Critic crazy in her other films. Both Actresses do a great job in delivering their roles without any major off-character blemishes.
Strength of Masculinity:
Huge points here. Lots of action, great story, and moral of the story it’s good to be an Navy Combat Pilot. Yes, the Scoffing Critic’s trademarked kudos bar rating system is to give points for movies strong on masculinity. This is one of the few films made that the Scoffing Critic will accept as not being a negative in regards to the love aspect. The fact is that it revs up the engine of women everywhere by watching that scene and that isn’t a bad thing in the Scoffing Critic’s opinion. You just watched a movie with kick-ass action and now your woman wants to re-create that one scene: post-screening, a film doesn’t get better than that. However, that volleyball scene is inappropriate to the standards of the Scoffing Critic. They should’ve done paintball or something that didn’t require sweaty, muscle popping bodies to be shown on a screen. It ruined the even flow of masculinity that was building up to the climax of the movie.
Plot:
Timing of this movie had a noticeable imprint on American society. Men and women signed up to be a part of the Navy, American pride swelled of defeating the enemy (USSR), and a Top Gun 2 would be almost impossible today considering the risk of flying the newest machines that go super-sonic without any effort and turn like a Mini Cooper. One of the reasons for Top Gun being popular was because of its lines for the actors. Here’s a prime example. A female resident walked out during a poker night at the dorms, in which a guy broke out singing “she’s lost that lovin’ feeling”. Without hesitation, the rest of the guys joined in with perfect lyric performance. This film is 19 years old and still, us young folk recognize its thematic relevance. (She was already scooped up…but you never know if she’s lost that lovin’ feeling).
Here’s a few of those simple but enjoyable lines:
Maverick: [spots Charlie for the first time] She's lost that loving feeling.
Goose: She's lo... No she hasn't.
Maverick: Yes she has.
Goose: She's not lost that lo...
Maverick: Goose, she's lost it man.
Goose: Come on!
Goose: [to himself] Aw sh... I hate it when she does that.
Maverick: This is what I call a target rich environment.
Goose: You live your life between your legs Mav.
Maverick: Goose, even you could get laid in a place like this.
Goose: Hell, I'd be happy to just find a girl that would talk dirty to me.
Charlie: So lieutenant, where exactly were you?
Maverick: Well, we...
Goose: Thank you.
Maverick: Started up on a 6, when he pulled from the clouds, and then I moved in above him.
Charlie: Well, if you were directly above him, how could you see him?
Maverick: Because I was inverted.
Iceman: [coughs whilst saying] Bullshit.
Goose: No he was man, it was a really great move. He was inverted.
Charlie: You were in a 4g inverted dive with a MiG28?
Maverick: Yes ma'am.
Charlie: At what range?
Maverick: Um, about 2 meters.
Goose: It was actually about 1 and a half I think. It was 1 and a half, I've got a great Polaroid of it, and he's right there, must be 1 and a half.
Maverick: Was a nice picture.
Goose: Thanks.
Charlie: Eh lieutenant, what were you doing there?
Goose: Communicating.
Maverick: Communicating. Keeping up foreign relations. You know, giving him the bird!
Goose: [Charlie looks puzzled, so Goose clarifies] You know, the finger
[gestures appropriately]
Charlie: Yes, I know the finger, Goose.
Goose: I-I'm sorry, I hate it when it does that, I'm sorry. Excuse me.
Goose: Come on, Mav, do some of that pilot shit!
The lyrics for “you’ve lost that lovin’ feeling”….guys….learn this so your buddy can get laid.
You never close your eyes anymore when I kiss your lips.
And there's no tenderness like before in your fingertips.
You're trying hard not to show it, (baby).
But baby, baby I know it...
You've lost that lovin' feeling,
Whoa, that lovin' feeling,
You've lost that lovin' feeling,
Now it's gone...gone...gone...wooooooh.
Now there's no welcome look in your eyes when I reach for you.
And now your're starting to critisize little things I do.
It makes me just feel like crying, (baby).
'Cause baby, something in you is dying.
You lost that lovin' feeling,
Whoa, that lovin' feeling,
You've lost that lovin' feeling,
Now it's gone...gone...gone...woooooah
Baby, baby, I get down on my knees for you.
