Kelly Watches Top Gun

There are so many movies that I’ve never watched that everyone else has and when it comes up in conversation that I’ve never seen ______, I always astound people with my response. A few days ago, I decided to bring Top Gun home from the library because there’s a new installment coming out this summer that looks good and I figured I needed to see the original before watching any sort of sequel.

I posted about it on Instagram and got some responses that I should do a review and tell people what I thought, which led me to an idea: what if I watch some of those iconic movies I’ve never seen and then chat about my experience on my blog?

In all honesty, it would probably make a cool YouTube series, but I’m better with words than video, so here we are. I hope you’ll enjoy this little diversion from books, travel, food and lifestyle from time to time.

So let’s get into it! What did I think about Top Gun?

Honestly? I was pleasantly surprised! For a film that was released in 1986, it holds up pretty well cinematically and it was probably a maverick (see what I did there?) of its time with the type of aerial shots and stunts they filmed for the movie.

If you know nothing about the plot like I did, here’s a quick synopsis for you: Tom Cruise (Maverick) stars in this action/drama about a group of Navy fighter pilots as they attend an elite school to hone in on their flying skills. Maverick, falls for his instructor Charlie (Kelly McGillis) along the way. Anthony Edwards (Goose) and Val Kilmer (Iceman) also star.

For most of the first half of the movie, I couldn’t figure out if I was watching a chick flick or an action film. We’ve got romance, forbidden love and hot sweaty men in towels in locker rooms, yet there’s all the action going on with the fighter pilots up in the air, so it kind of bends genres.

I’d also never seen Anthony Edwards with hair before. Hello, Dr. Greene from ER! Sorry that you seem to always die in everything you star in. RIP Goose.

And something else I noticed – everyone except Charlie is SO SWEATY. All the dang time. I get why the fighter pilots might be sweating it out up in the air, but why are you all sitting around sweating in the classroom? Haha.

Then there’s the soundtrack. 80s music at it’s finest folks! “Take My Breath Away” by Berlin even won an Academy Award for Best Original Song.

Here are some interesting facts about the movie, via Mental Floss.

1. IT’S BASED ON A REAL SCHOOL.

2. THE U.S. GOVERNMENT HELPED FINANCE THE FILM.

3. THE NAVY USED THE FILM AS A RECRUITING TOOL.

4. KELLY MCGILLIS’ CHARACTER IS BASED ON A REAL-LIFE NAVY EMPLOYEE.

5. THE FILM’S SOUNDTRACK SOLD NINE MILLION COPIES

So, the verdict? This was a fun movie that I enjoyed way more than I thought I would. If you haven’t seen it, add it to your “to-watch” list!