Back in 1986, "Take My Breath Away" was ubiquitous. It had airplay everywhere and made the band "Berlin" an household name. That is just about all, I have to say, that is memorable about this otherwise rather dull, testosterone driven, airborne adventure movie that really doesn't show these military elite in much of a good light. "Maverick" (Tom Cruise) is the aptly named hot-shot who is sent to the "Top Gun" flying school for the top 1% of the top 1%, where his individual style - along side his co-pilot "Goose" (Anthony Edwards) - manages to irk just about everyone; especially his arch rival "Ice" (Val Kilmer). Who will win out in this ultimate of willie-waving exercises? Well if you can't guess that from the very start, then don't bother. I suppose this is meant to extol the virtues of pride and loyalty, but for the most part - for me anyway - this is the kind of movie that does those is the military no favours at all. The dialogue is frequently vulgar and puerile, offering us characterisations that are at best smug, at worst just plain irritating. Of course, there is a romance as our Levi-clad diminutive star hits it off with his tutor "Charlie" (Kelly McGillis); we have a little bit of tragedy and then, of course, a denouement that was simply never in doubt. Tony Scott has managed to deliver a film that is quickly paced, with plenty of decent action photography as the planes and the aircraft carriers do their stuff, but the substance to the characters and the acting itself - Kilmer and McGillis are really just acting by numbers - leaves this film to ride on it's handsome and mischievous star who does exude a certain charm, as he always does, and on it's AOR soundtrack that features many songs way more memorable than the movie. I appreciate that those more technically savvy have poked loads of holes in the detail of the film. I am not one of those folks, so I watched it the other day in the cinema on face value, and I can't say these flaws seem to matter too much to the overall look of the film. It's just that it's not really very good.
