Back when I worked in the aviation industry 'Top Gun' was always a big deal. Pilots couldn't believe I hadn't seen it. A lot of them even said it was the reason they pursued that career path. I even have a close friend who has it as their favourite movie. And yet it still didn't really interest me. In fact if there wasn't a sequel coming out for it soon I may never have gotten around to watching it. It always seemed to me, from the little I knew about it, that it was a plotless movie. And having seen it that was a correct assessment. The movie isn't really about anything. The only thing that saves it from being a complete dumpster fire is the charisma of the characters.

It's funny to watch a movie so old that the line 'I could tell you, but then I'd have to kill you" is still included and even gets a laugh from the other characters. The film hasn't really aged that well in a lot of ways. The way the action sequences are filmed can make them quite hard to watch. This is something I hope they do far better in the sequel. I certainly enjoyed the characters interacting on land far more than the often quite lengthy action sequences in the air.

The film has some memorable quotes which have aged very well. It also has a very good cast who do an excellent job of lifting the film up and making it what it is. It's not a film I can recommend as a must-watch though unfortunately. There simply isn't enough to it for me to do that.

Hot shot fighter pilot Maverick (Tom Cruise) clashes with other pilots at Top Gun School while trying to prove himself and live down his father's bad reputation. He also makes time to get sexy with instructor Kelly McGillis, who may or may not have lost that lovin' feelin'. What an awesome movie. Who doesn't love Top Gun? It made Tom Cruise a household name, gave us countless quotable lines, and has one of the best soundtracks ever. Yeah, it's cheesy and formulaic but it's also a lot of fun. Hey, it's got a mustachioed Anthony Edwards playing a dude called Goose! How cool is that? One word of caution for all the young guys out there: following a woman into the ladies room will not work out well for you. Only Maverick can pull that off and get away with it.

Pete "Maverick" Mitchell flies F-14 Tomcats for the US Navy with his Radar Intercept Officer Nick "Goose" Bradshaw. Maverick is a bit of a wildcard with a certain contempt for the rule but when the unit's number one pilot has a panic attack during an encounter with a pair of MiGs he finds himself sent to the prestigious 'Top Gun' school where he and Goose will train and compete with the finest pilots in the Navy. Once there he quickly ruffles a few feathers but also impresses with his flying and is one of the favourites to be top of the class. Away from the flying he gets involved with instructor Charlotte "Charlie" Blackwood. A tragic accident during training means he considers whether or not to quit but when a situation arises in the Indian Ocean he takes to the skies again and must put what he learnt into practice.

I first watched this film in the eighties, loved it and watched it many times but having not watched it for several years I wondered how it would have aged. Thankfully it was as enjoyable as ever. The story itself is a little cliché but it is well told and the aerial scenes are some of the best in any film I've seen… no CGI here. The romantic subplot does feel a little forced as the two leads don't seem to have the right chemistry… the relationship between the pilots and RIOs, especially between Maverick and Goose are more interesting than the romance. When the 'tragic event' occurs it is quite a shock and genuinely emotional. The cast do a decent job and it is no surprise that this launched Tom Cruise's career as an action star… however the real stars are the Grumman F-14 Tomcats. Director Tony Scott did a great job capturing the action both in the sky and on the ground. Overall I'd say this is a must see for anybody who likes modern military aircraft and those who like decent action.