Home | Anime | Movies | Soundtracks | Graphic Novels
Top Gun
Score: 88%
Rating: PG
Publisher: Paramount
Region: 1
Media: DVD/1
Running Time: 109 Mins.
Genre: Action/Drama
Audio: English 6.1 DTS Surround, Dolby
           Digital: English 5.1 Surround,
           English 2.0 Surround, French 2.0
           Surround

Subtitles: English, Spanish

Features:
  • Commentary by Jerry Bruckheimer, Tony Scott and Naval Experts
  • Vintage Gallary
  • 4 Music Videos:
    • Kenny Loggins "Danger Zone"
    • Berlin "Take My Breath Away"
    • Loverboy "Heaven In Your Eyes"
    • Harold Faltermeyer and Steve Stevens "Top Gun Anthem"
  • TV Spots
  • Bonus "I Love the 80's" Music CD

Hey look, it's Tim Robbins, and Adrian Pasdar... and Meg Ryan! I had completely forgotten they had (bit) parts in Top Gun. Actually, to be honest, it's been a long time since I've seen Tom Cruise and Val Kilmer behind the stick of an F-14 Tomcat. In fact, besides this "I Love the 80's" release, the only other version of this movie I've seen was on VHS, so that should tell you something.

Thankfully, the movie still stands up even after 20+ years. Sure the Cold War is over, and any kid watching the movie now wouldn't get the implications of American Naval Pilots being buzzed by a pair of MiGs, but the overall story and characters are still strong.

Tom Cruise plays "Maverick", a hotshot fighter pilot with a family history in the Naval Air Force. His partner in crime is "Goose" (Anthony Edwards, whom newer movie goers might know from ER) and the two of them have just been selected to take part in the dog fighting school TOP GUN, a privilege only the top 1% ever get.

When the pair arrives at the school, they find that there are many other top-ranked pilots, and maybe, just maybe, they aren't the best (okay "Maverick" never really feels that way). For the most part, Maverick's main competition for the TOP GUN title is "Iceman" (Val Kilmer), who is always cool in the cockpit and can wait you out until you make a mistake. His reputation is pretty strong, and he does everything by the book. Needless to say, "Maverick"'s intuition-heavy, fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants style puts him at odds with "Iceman", who considers Cruise's character to be reckless and dangerous.

The school doesn't just have new flight moves to entice "Maverick". There is also a civilian instructor called "Charlie" (Kelly McGillis) whom he fancies, and as the two's relationship starts to grow, so does the complications of trying to keep it hidden and separate business from pleasure.

There is a reason why Top Gun has lasted this long as an iconic film. It's a good action/drama movie with lots of great aerial footage of various fighter jets flying around each other. It has romance and even tragedy and is an all around good story. This DVD also comes with a few special features including commentary by the crew and music videos of some of the film's more memorable songs.

Quite frankly, if nothing else, this is just a great movie to show kids that there was in fact a time before Tom Cruise was crazy. If you don't already have a copy of Top Gun, and you don't want to pay extra to see it on Blu-ray, then this DVD might be just the purchase you are looking for.



-J.R. Nip, GameVortex Communications
AKA Chris Meyer
Related Links:


This site best viewed in Internet Explorer 6 or higher or Firefox.