In the opening moments of Top Gun an ace Navy pilot flies upside down about 18 inches above a Russian-built MiG and snaps a Polaroid picture of the enemy pilot. Then he flips him the finger and peels off. From here Pete "Maverick" Mitchell (Cruise) is selected for the Navy's elite flying school, which is dedicated to the dying art of aerial dogfights. The best graduate from each class at the school is known as "Top Gun". And there, I think, you have the basic materials of this movie, except, of course, for three more obligatory ingredients in all movies about brave young pilots: (1) the girl (McGillis), (2) the mystery of the heroic father and (3) the rivalry with another pilot. That other pilot is of course "Iceman" (Kilmer).
The first time I saw this movie was on a rainy sports day at school where we had to watch a video instead of do sport. That was the beginning of my phase of covering my wall with posters of Tom Cruise and Val Kilmer. I don't think either of them have been in a movie since where they looked as good. I may sound shallow here (I often do in these reviews) but let's face it, none of us are going to be here for the riveting plot. Fans of Anthony Edwards of "ER" will enjoy the chance to see him a bit skinnier and with a lot more hair.