Emily's Screening Room- My Thoughts on Top Gun

What I enjoyed most about Top Gun was the way it showed military pilots as real people rather than stiff, emotionless professionals. The characters are competitive, sarcastic, relaxed, reckless, and sometimes childish. They take their jobs seriously, but they also joke, argue, take risks, and make mistakes.

The movie also shows that military flying is dangerous even when no one is shooting at you. Training accidents, mechanical problems, poor decisions, and simple bad luck can be just as deadly as combat. Goose’s death changes the entire feeling of the film and reminds the audience that the excitement of flying powerful aircraft comes with very real consequences.

Beyond the aircraft and action, Top Gun also carries an important lesson about grief and moving forward. Maverick is haunted by the mystery surrounding his father and later overwhelmed by the loss of Goose. He cannot continue until he learns that remembering the past is different from allowing it to control his life.

That message is what gives the movie more depth than its reputation for fast aircraft, music, motorcycles, and sunglasses might suggest. Maverick has to accept that he cannot change what happened. He can only decide what he does next.

One scene I never particularly liked is the exchange between Maverick and Charlie outside shortly before he chases her through the streets. Maverick is clearly meant to be immature and impulsive, but the scene exaggerates those flaws. For someone who is usually presented as relaxed and confident, he suddenly seems unusually childish and emotionally uneven.

Before Top Gun: Maverick was released, I always remembered the original as one of those movies that might never receive a sequel. It felt complete on its own and did not end with a major cliffhanger. Maverick had confronted his grief, regained his confidence, and chosen a direction for his future.

A sequel was possible, but it was never necessary for the original film to feel finished. That may be part of the reason Top Gun remained so memorable for so many years. It told a complete story while still leaving enough room to imagine where Maverick’s life might eventually take him.

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