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The movie Top Gun is a 1986 American action drama that inspired many young men to join the Navy. It was directed by Tony Scott, produced by Don Simpson and Jerry Bruckheimer, and written by Jim Cash and Jack Epps Jr. Top Gun stars Tom Cruise as Lieutenant Pete “Maverick” Mitchell, a Naval aviator aboard the aircraft carrier USS Enterprise, and Val Kilmer plays a rival pilot, Tom “Iceman” Kazanski.
The film was released on May 16, 1986, to great critical acclaim and commercial success. It went on to become the highest-grossing film of 1986, grossing $176 million in domestic box office receipts. In 2005, the United States Library of Congress selected it for preservation in the National Film Registry.
Tom Cruise had never wanted to make a movie like Top Gun, but director Jerry Bruckheimer persuaded him. The movie was a hit around the world, grossing more than $350 million worldwide. The great performances from Tom Cruise, Val Kilmer, Anthony Edwards, Meg Ryan, Kelly McGillis, and Val Kilmer made the movie a fan favorite. It was able to amass a huge fan base around the world. In fact, Top Gun’s popularity inspired many Halloween costumes consisting of aviator-style bomber jackets and aviator glasses.
When Top Gun was released in 1986, it was an instant success. The movie starred Tom Cruise as a hot-shot naval aviator who is sent to train at the elite Top Gun fighter pilot school. The story follows Cruise’s character, Pete ‘Maverick’ Mitchell, as he falls for a civilian TOPGUN instructor, Charlotte (played by Kelly McGillis).
But his reckless attitude and cocky demeanor put him at odds with the other pilots, including his partner and best friend Nick “Goose” Bradshaw (Edwards). When Maverick gets into a rivalry with hotshot pilot Tom ‘Iceman’ Kazansky (Kilmer), he must overcome his ego and learn to work as part of a team if he wants to be the best pilot in the school.
The first film depicted an ace Navy pilot flying upside-down over a MiG and takes a Polaroid photo of the pilot. This makes him famous amongst the small group of Navy personnel who are cleared to receive enemy plane information. As a result of this, the pilot is given a code name, Maverick, and is subsequently selected to an elite flying school devoted to aerial dogfights.
Charlie is interested in Maverick after she learns of his performance on an inverted maneuver with a MiG-28, which disproves US intelligence about the enemy aircraft’s performance.
Goose Bradshaw dies midway through the film after ejecting from the F-14 jet he and Maverick were flying. His death leaves Maverick feeling lost and alone. The remainder of the film follows Maverick as he tries to come to terms with Goose’s death and finishes his training so that he can become a real fighter pilot.
The movie culminates in an epic dogfight against the enemy MiGs. Many of the plot points from the movie were based on real events, and the movie is often regarded as an American classic.
The movie is filled with thrilling aerial dogfights and pulse-pounding action scenes. It was nominated for four Academy Awards, only winning the Academy Award for Best Music (Original Song) for the song ‘Take My Breath Away’.
The sequel to Top Gun, Maverick, is set for release in 2017 and will be directed by Joseph Kosinski. Tom Cruise returns as the pilot Pete Mitchell in this action-packed adventure. The original starred Kelly McGillis and Anthony Edwards, as well as Val Kilmer and Meg Ryan. Both pilots push their limits, but they lose their confidence after a tragic accident. The film’s popularity is on the rise, but it is not yet clear if the sequel will have the same appeal.
Despite the fact that Kelly McGillis is no longer involved in the movie, part of the cast from the original film was reunited for Top Gun: Maverick. Although this movie won’t have the same premise as the original, Tom Cruise and Val Kilmer reprise their roles.
