Top Gun

Top Gun (1986)

  • 49% of critics liked it
    (39 reviews)

  • 82% of users liked it
    (651,131 ratings)

Devil-may-care navy pilot Pete Mitchell (Tom Cruise) is sent to Miramar Naval Air Station for advanced training. Here he vies with Tom Kasansky (Val Kilmer) for the coveted "Top Gun" award. When not so occupied, Mitchell carries on a romance with civilian consultant Charlotte Blackwood (Kelly… More

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PG, 1 hr. 49 min.
Directed By
Tony Scott
Genres
Drama, Action & Adventure
In Theaters
May 12, 1986 Wide
On DVD
Oct 20, 1998
Paramount Pictures

Critic Reviews

  • , TIME Magazine

    Top Gun is about the training of the Navy's best fighter pilots and their blooding in cold war incidents, and the only thing Director Tony Scott has not brought up to date is the story.

  • Dave Kehr, Chicago Reader

    Every moment is hyped for maximum visual and visceral impact, but Scott doesn't display the slightest bit of interest (or belief) in the actual characters and situations.

  • Variety Staff, Variety

    Set in the world of naval fighter pilots, pic has strong visuals and pretty young people in stylish clothes and a non-stop soundtrack.

  • Walter Goodman, New York Times

    Once 'Top Gun... gets back to earth, the master of the skies is as clunky as a big land-bound bird.

  • Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times

    The dogfights are absolutely the best since Clint Eastwood's electrifying aerial scenes in Firefox. But look out for the scenes where the people talk to one another.

Read all 18 critic reviews

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)

Featured Audience Ratings

  • Brad W


    Top Gun is not great in my opinion, I think its a bit too popular but thats just me. The story is boring and really cheesy, I was never once getting into it. The cast wasnt great either, not Tom Cruises best. The plane scenes were pretty cool, I enjoyed that. Overall im not a huge… More

  • moon r


    High school cheerleading for the Naval fighter pilot set (it was made during the gung-ho military / Reagan years), but with one helluva air show thrown in. Cruise became box office bigtime with this and then there's that loud soundtrack of 80's gold: You Take My Breath… More

  • Eric A


    Pretty routine movie, but a classic in alot of ways I guess. One of the few movies I like Tom Cruise in.

  • Bethany M


    Another amazing 80's film! Tom Cruise was fantastic in this!

  • Conner R


    Top Gun always has been and always will be one of my favorite movies of all time. It showcases Tom Cruise in a way that no movie ever quite has before or after. He is seen as what you might call the perfect human being. Charm, good looks, volleyball skills and singing are just a few… More

Read all 20 featured audience ratings

Cast

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