Top Gun: An IMAX 3D Experience (1986)

tomatometer

50

Average Rating: 5.6/10
Reviews Counted: 40
Fresh: 20 | Rotten: 20

Though it features some of the most memorable and electrifying aereial footage shot with an expert eye for action, Top Gun offers too little for non-adolescent viewers to chew on when its characters aren't in the air.

33

Average Rating: 5.2/10
Critic Reviews: 6
Fresh: 2 | Rotten: 4

Though it features some of the most memorable and electrifying aereial footage shot with an expert eye for action, Top Gun offers too little for non-adolescent viewers to chew on when its characters aren't in the air.

audience

82

liked it
Average Rating: 3.5/5
User Ratings: 651,131

My Rating

Movie Info

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 McGillis). Shaken up by the death of a friend, Mitchell loses the Top Gun honor to Kasansky. Worried that he may have lost his nerve, Mitchell is given a chance to redeem himself during a tense

PG, 1 hr. 50 min.

Drama, Action & Adventure

Jack Epps, Jr., Jim Cash

Oct 20, 1998

Paramount Pictures

Cast

All Critics (40) | Top Critics (6) | Fresh (22) | Rotten (21) | DVD (39)

Whether you love Top Gun or hate it -- or hate yourself for loving it -- the fact is that when it became the top-grossing film of 1986, Hollywood in its infinite wisdom took all of the worst lessons from its success and overlooked what made it so... fun.

August 25, 2011 Full Review Source: Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly
Top Critic IconTop Critic

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.

March 8, 2011 Full Review Source: TIME Magazine
TIME Magazine
Top Critic IconTop Critic

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.

March 8, 2011 Full Review Source: Chicago Reader
Chicago Reader
Top Critic IconTop Critic

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

July 7, 2010 Full Review Source: Variety
Variety
Top Critic IconTop Critic

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

May 21, 2003 Full Review Source: New York Times
New York Times
Top Critic IconTop Critic

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.

January 1, 2000 Full Review Source: Chicago Sun-Times | Comments (3)
Chicago Sun-Times
Top Critic IconTop Critic

Watching Top Gun again twenty five years after its release is still a dazzling and dizzying experience. You are not so much on the edge of your seat as flung around it as the on-screen action endlessly spins and soars.

August 23, 2012 Full Review Source: UTV

Basically perfect, even it is perfect at one of the worst sorts of things a movie can attempt.

November 27, 2011 Full Review Source: Antagony & Ecstasy
Antagony & Ecstasy

Among the first generation of films influenced by the cutting techniques of music videos, a progression of oversaturated, meaty images, embarrassing dialogue and awful music.

June 3, 2011 Full Review Source: Honolulu Star-Advertiser
Honolulu Star-Advertiser

This paean to hotshot Navy fighter pilots and high technology attracted mass audiences despite its familiar plot and characters so vapid they vanish from memory as soon as the house lights come up.

March 8, 2011 Full Review Source: TV Guide's Movie Guide
TV Guide's Movie Guide

Tom Cruise classic still revs engines.

December 18, 2010 Full Review Source: Common Sense Media
Common Sense Media

Watchable but rarely enthralling...

January 11, 2010 Full Review Source: Reel Film Reviews
Reel Film Reviews

Like many films from its decade, Top Gun is steeped in 80s culture %u2013 from the top 40 music to the clothing styles.

March 5, 2009 Full Review Source: 7M Pictures | Comments (2)
7M Pictures

(Its success) supports the pop-psych analysis that pre-actualized teenage boys are the most homosexual beings in existence.

August 23, 2008 Full Review Source: Film Freak Central | Comments (5)
Film Freak Central

A movie for adolescents, and adults who willfully decide not to know better for a couple of hours. [Blu-Ray]

August 11, 2008 Full Review Source: Groucho Reviews
Groucho Reviews

The dogfights and aerial footage are fun, but a person might best forget the love story and melodrama. (Blu-ray Edition)

July 21, 2008 Full Review Source: Movie Metropolis
Movie Metropolis

You get about thirty minutes of good movie in Top Gun, and most of that comes at the end.

September 20, 2007 Full Review Source: Movie Metropolis
Movie Metropolis

This movie gets worse with time.

September 24, 2006
ColeSmithey.com

Noisy, slick, and shallow, Tony Scott's MTV-like actioner became emblematic of 1980s blockbusters, reflecting in its macho bravado and cheap elitism the mood of the Reagan era; in the process, it also made Tom Cruise the biggest star of his generation

August 16, 2006 Full Review Source: EmanuelLevy.Com | Comments (5)
EmanuelLevy.Com

The story is risible, the direction routine, the underlying ethic highly questionable; but the flying stirs the blood like speed.

June 24, 2006 Full Review Source: Time Out
Time Out

Audience Reviews for Top Gun: An IMAX 3D Experience

Top Gun has been hailed and adored by film fans and critics alike. This is a picture than boosted recruitment in the Navy. Everyone Talks about Top Gun as a fine action film that is just super cool. Well, it is, and isn't. There are things that work here and there like fun action scenes which is what this flick is all about, however most of the time relies on sketchy performances that really don't deliver anything effective to compliment the action. Rewatching Top Gun, I realize that it actually is a decent picture, but is never anything grand, or beyond enjoyable because everyone gives this one more praise than it actually deserves. This film is decent and fun, but in the long run there are far more accomplished action films out there than Top Gun. Half the time, I felt Iceman and Maverick were in love and it was OK, well I get it, now what? Let the rivalry cool off, before the happy ending with the high fives all around and hugs, and wicked quotes and to top it off an awesome sing along of you lost that lovin feeling. This was nonetheless a fun little flick, but it really lacks in terrific plot and effective character chemistry. Everything here is almost cringe worthy and this decent for what it is, but it's not anything special. As far as a guy flick is concerned, Top gun doesn't deliver as much as such outstanding classics as The Dirty Dozen, Alien, Blade Runner and Escape From New York. Fun, but leaves a lot to be desired. Tom Cruise made better films than this, and there are far superior movies out there than this. Tony Scott would also deliver better actioners and I think that despite all the fun, mindless action, Top Gun is truly overrated and doesn't deserve to be on a pedestal as "the greatest film ever made".
June 17, 2010
TheDudeLebowski65
Jeff "The Dude" Lebowski

Super Reviewer

Maverick: You don't have time to think up there. If you think, you're dead.�

"Up there with the best of the best."

There's a lot of people who hate Top Gun and a lot of people that love it. It's clear why. If you love movies that are pure popcorn entertainment then Top Gun is for you, as it is extremely entertaining and fun. If you need a movie to have real story and characters, then this isn't for you, as it is more about aerial maneuvers than it is about story or character. As it is I enjoyed Top Gun for just how fun it is. It's a fast paced movie with a lot of plane action. I know it isn't a great movie when it comes to filmmaking, but it does what Tony Scott means for all of his movies to do; it entertains. He doesn't make movies that are going to make it on AFI lists. He makes movies that are going to be fun, and he does a good job at doing that. Top Gun is just another example of Scott doing what he does best.

The film is definitely at it's best when it is in the air as the aerial sequences are just amazing. On the ground is where the problems lie for many. Obviously there's a lot of man cliches at work down there, and a lot of the time what we watch and listen to is ridiculous, but I still can't say that it wasn't fun to watch. Then there's the romance, which was weirdly underplayed and overplayed at the same time, but it didn't ruin the movie by any means. The acting isn't perfect, but really it doesn't need to be. Movies like Top Gun don't call for Oscar level acting. They call for loud screams and stupid one liners and on that level the cast succeeded.�

Top Gun has sort of gotten itself to classic action status. There are so many people(mostly guys that were in there teens to twenties in the eighties) that just love the hell out of this movie. The movie is well known for the call names Maverick and Iceman and for some of the iconic lines said. Still I don't think anyone out there who loves this movie would argue with me saying it is pretty stupid. It uses an overused story, overused characters, and falls back on overused songs. Still I have to say I enjoyed it, even though I really wish I could just say I hate it. I guess I'm sort of in the middle on this one.

Top Gun is a classic guy movie. It isn't going to win any intelligence awards, but for pure visuals and cinematic excitement, it isn't too bad. It's a perfect movie to watch when you just want to have fun and not have to think about deep characters or a storyline that has some source of originality.�
May 19, 2012
blkbomb
Melvin White

Super Reviewer

    1. Stinger: Son, your ego is writing checks your body can't cash.
    – Submitted by Emilie D (3 months ago)
    1. Lt. Pete Mitchell: I feel the need.
    2. Lt. Nick Bradshaw: The need for speed!
    – Submitted by Nova Q (7 months ago)
    1. Tom Kasanzky: You can be my wingman anytime.
    – Submitted by Nova Q (7 months ago)
    1. Lt. Nick Bradshaw: Let's turn and burn.
    – Submitted by Roxane L (10 months ago)
    1. Stinger: You don't own these planes son the tax payers do.
    – Submitted by Roxane L (10 months ago)
    1. Lt. Pete Mitchell: JESTER'S DEAD!
    2. Lt. Nick Bradshaw: Woo! Jester's Dead!
    – Submitted by Baurushan J (10 months ago)

Discussion Forum

Topic Last Post Replies
Shouldn't the reviews on RT be for the ACTUAL 3D film, not the original movie? 2 days ago 0
Why is this a 3D experience? 3 days ago 5

Movies Like Top Gun: An IMAX 3D Experience

Latest News on Top Gun: An IMAX 3D Experience

November 7, 2012:
Tony Scott's Death Halts Paramount's Plans for Top Gun 2
A New York Times report describes the sequel as having "fallen apart."

August 24, 2012:
Weekly Ketchup: R.I.P. Director Tony Scott
This Week's Ketchup covers movie development news stories about potential roles for James Franco,...

What's Hot On RT

24 Frames
24 Frames

Identity thieves and impostors

Spring Breakers
Spring Breakers

Trailer: Harmony Korine does Florida

Die Hard
Die Hard

Good Day for movie clips!

Super Bowl
Super Bowl

See the big game movie ads!

Top Movie Quizzes

LEGO Mania: 2011 Best Picture Nominees
by natalie - 28,629 taken
created 2 years ago
How Much Do You Know About Leonardo DiCaprio?
by natalie - 76,572 taken
created 2 years ago
Pixar Movies!
by jdikwlzviv - 43,969 taken
created 2 years ago
The Wizards of Harry Potter
by jdikwlzviv - 43,699 taken
created 2 years ago

Foreign Titles

  • Top Gun - Sie f�rchten weder Tod noch Teufel (DE)
  • Top Gun (UK)
Help | About | Jobs | Critics Submission | API | Licensing | Mobile