Top Gun (1984)

I wanted to re-watch Tony Scott’s testosterone pumped original again, so as to be fully prepared for the Top Gun: Maverick. Scott was approached back in 2010 to helm a sequel, but sadly the plans were cancelled after his tragic death in 2012. But we’ve finally got Top Gun: Maverick within touching distance (added note-that turned out very well), and it’s good to report that the original remains a blast nearly forty years on. The homoeroticism is rife throughout, to the point where, as I read in an article, the fighter aircraft connote giant phalluses penetrating the sky. If that interpretation is a bit Giger for you, Top Gun is enjoyable regardless, and everything in the film that makes you laugh (and there’s plenty) you know Scott has placed it all there firmly tongue in cheek. The action sequences are terrific, as you might expect from one of the masters of action cinema, and it’s simply a supersonic ride with characters you’re fond of for a couple of hours. It will be really interesting to see how the sequel turns out, and one hopes that despite being sadly missed, there will be some Tony Scott handprints on Maverick. 7.0/10