Top Gun (1986)
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A talented but reckless naval aviator must prove his worth and overcome his past while training at the elite Navy Fighter Weapons School.
The story
U.S. Navy Naval Aviator Lieutenant Pete "Maverick" Mitchell and his Radar Intercept Officer Lieutenant Junior Grade Nick "Goose" Bradshaw are stationed in the Indian Ocean. After a dangerous mission where Maverick's actions lead to a teammate's injury, both are given the opportunity to train at the prestigious United States Navy's Fighter Weapons School, known as "Top Gun," at Naval Air Station Miramar. At the elite school, Maverick must navigate intense training, complex rules of engagement, and a growing relationship with an astrophysicist and civilian instructor, all while facing the scrutiny of his peers and superiors in a high-stakes environment.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
Lieutenant Pete "Maverick" Mitchell and his RIO, Nick "Goose" Bradshaw, are assigned to the elite Top Gun training program after Maverick's reckless but skilled flying during a mission in the Indian Ocean. At the school, Maverick faces challenges from his peers, particularly his rival Iceman, and struggles with the rules of engagement. He begins a romance with Charlie, a civilian instructor. During a training exercise, Maverick's decision to chase a target leads to a catastrophic accident where Goose is killed. Shaken, Maverick seeks counsel from his commander, who reveals the truth about Maverick's father's death in Vietnam. Maverick finds his resolve and graduates, eventually leading to a real-world crisis where he must fly into a dangerous situation. He successfully engages and shoots down multiple enemy aircraft, earning the respect of his peers. Ultimately, Maverick chooses to remain as an instructor at Top Gun, reuniting with Charlie.
- First release year
- 1986
- Runtime (minutes)
- 109
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Tony Scott
- Writers
- Jim Cash · writer; Jack Epps Jr. · writer
- Cast and characters
- Tom Cruise · Lieutenant Pete "Maverick" Mitchell; Anthony Edwards · Lieutenant (junior grade) Nick "Goose" Bradshaw; Kelly McGillis · Charlotte "Charlie" Blackwood; Val Kilmer · Lieutenant Tom "Iceman" Kazansky; Tom Skerritt
- Genres
- action; drama
- Themes
- teamwork; risk-taking
- Tone and mood
- action-packed; intense
- Premise and plot tags
- military; aviation; war
- Source material / true-story basis
- an article titled "Top Guns", written by Ehud Yonay and published in California magazine
- Franchise connections
- Top Gun
- Reception
- The film received mixed reviews from critics, but became a huge commercial hit and a cult classic, praised for its visual effects and soundtrack.
- Reported review scores
- Rotten Tomatoes · score: 55% · scale: percentage · review count: 141; Metacritic · score: 50 · scale: 100 · review count: 15
- Production trivia
- The soundtrack reached 9x Platinum certification.; The film was selected for preservation in the National Film Registry.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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