Retro Review: Does ‘Top Gun’ still fly high after 40 years?

THE WILD BLUE YONDER — There are certain movies that don’t just live in your memory; they own a piece of it.

“Top Gun” is one of those movies.

Released in May of 1986, it wasn’t just a hit; it was the hit. One of the biggest movies of its time, it became a cultural phenomenon that defined an era. It gave us aviators, leather jackets, beach volleyball and more slow-motion swagger than any movie probably should.

“Top Gun” also gave us a soundtrack that somehow refuses to age. Forty years later, you still hear those songs, and instantly, you’re right back there.

And then, of course, there’s the sequel.

“Top Gun: Maverick” showed up decades later and somehow pulled off the impossible. “Maverick” not only lived up to the original; it may have surpassed it. It was a near-perfect blockbuster that reminded us why we go to the movies in the first place.

So naturally, I decided to go back and revisit the original — you know, for nostalgia’s sake, and maybe, just maybe, to confirm that it still holds up as one of the all-time greats.

So, about that …

The movie I remembered vs. the movie I watched

Let me start by saying this: I really like “Top Gun,” — like, more than a friend.

Growing up, this was a staple of entertainment in my house. My brother and I watched it constantly. If we happened upon it on TV, it didn’t matter where it was in the movie, we were watching it. Commercials? Didn’t matter. We were locked in.

It was cool, exciting, and felt like something bigger than just a movie.

But watching it now, something became very clear to me: Not a lot actually happens in “Top Gun”.

And I don’t mean that as a cheap shot. I mean that as a genuine realization.

There are a lot of shots of Tom Cruise looking very, very cool. There are sunsets. There are motorcycles. There are long, dramatic looks. There are a few aerial sequences.

But in terms of actual plot? It’s pretty thin.

The vibes were doing a lot of heavy lifting

What “Top Gun” had, and still has, is vibe. This movie is dripping with it.

The music, the cinematography, the slow-motion shots, the way it lingers on moments that feel important even if they’re not moving the story forward; it all creates a feeling that carries the movie.

Back in 1986, that feeling was everything.

The aerial combat scenes were groundbreaking. The idea of following elite fighter pilots in this way felt fresh and exciting. And the cast? Effortlessly cool.

It wasn’t about a complex story; it was about the experience. And for the time, it worked.

Some things don’t age quite the same

There are also moments that hit a little differently now.

The romance, for example, includes a scene that I remember being iconic — but now it just feels uncomfortable. It’s not terrible, not unwatchable, just one of those “oh, this definitely belongs to a different era” moments.

And then there’s the pacing.

Modern audiences, myself included, are used to movies moving faster, doing more, giving us more plot and higher stakes. Watching “Top Gun” now, it can feel a little slow — even a little boring at times.

And that is not something I ever thought I’d say about a movie that features fighter jets.

The unfair comparison

Here’s where things get tricky, because it’s almost impossible to talk about “Top Gun” today without thinking about “Top Gun: Maverick.”

And that’s a problem.

Because “Maverick” does everything the original does, but bigger, better, tighter and with far more emotional depth. The action is more intense. The story is more compelling. The characters feel more complete.

Put the two side by side, and the original just can’t compete. But is that fair?

Not really.

“Top Gun” was a product of its time. Its budget, its technology, its storytelling style: all of it reflects where movies were in 1986. It walked so “Maverick” could absolutely sprint at full speed.

Without the original, we don’t get the sequel. We don’t get the references, the callbacks, the nostalgia that made “Maverick” hit as hard as it did.

So, does it still hold up?

Yes … and no.

If you’re watching “Top Gun” for the first time today, expecting it to feel like a modern blockbuster, you’re probably going to be underwhelmed. It’s slower, thinner and relies heavily on style over substance.

However, if you watch it for what it is — a snapshot of a specific time in movie history, a film that helped define “cool” for an entire generation — there’s still something there.

Maybe it’s not the masterpiece we remember, but it’s something special.

Final thoughts

Rewatching “Top Gun,” for me, felt a little like catching up with an old friend — one I hadn’t seen in years.

It’s like remembering someone as larger than life, endlessly entertaining, the coolest person in the room. And then you spend some time together again and realize your friend has changed, or maybe you have.

The friend is not quite what you remembered, but you still care about them and appreciate what they meant to you. You’re glad they were part of your story and stopped by to say hi.

Happy birthday, “Top Gun.” You may not be as great as I once thought, but you’ll always have a place in this heart.

“Top Gun” is rated PG for action sequences, in-movie language and some sexual content.