Top Gun Turns 40: Should You Still Watch It?

Top Gun turns 40 this year. The 1986 blockbuster that made Tom Cruise a global name and sent Navy enlistment soaring still gets queued up whenever someone mentions fighter jets or the danger zone. But should you actually watch it in 2026? I sat through it again so you know what you are getting into.

The Flight Scenes Still Rule

Real talk: the aerial footage is the reason Top Gun made $358 million globally and became the highest-grossing film of 1986. Director Tony Scott shot most of it from a Learjet, with cameras mounted inside F-14 cockpits and clamped to exteriors. He used Super-8 film because the larger anamorphic lenses physically would not fit inside the planes.

The US Navy supplied the aircraft, carriers, and crews. The flight deck footage captured normal operations. Nothing was staged.

The Numbers

• Released: 1986
• Global box office: $358 million
• Highest-grossing film of that year
• Spun off video games and the 2022 sequel Top Gun: Maverick
• Inspired by a 1983 California magazine article about fighter pilots at Naval Air Station Miramar

What You Are Really Watching For

Those in-flight sequences remain pulse-pounding. The orange-hued shots of crew and grounded planes on the carrier deck. The dogfights. The flat spins. Stunt pilot Scott Altman, a future NASA astronaut, performed the infamous "flipping the bird" maneuver and the tower-buzzing moments that cemented Maverick's rebel credentials.

"The stunt pilots included future NASA astronaut Scott Altman, who performed the aforementioned infamous 'flipping the bird' maneuver and the tower-buzzing moments."

There was a real cost. Aerobatic pilot Art Scholl, who handled much of the in-flight camera work, could not recover from a flat spin maneuver during filming. His biplane crashed into the Pacific Ocean near Carlsbad, California. Neither his body nor the plane was ever recovered. Scott dedicated the film to Scholl.

What Aged Like Milk

So Top Gun turns 40, and the cracks in its storytelling are harder to ignore than they were in 1986. Here is the deal: almost everything that happens on the ground feels rough. The dialogue is uninspired. Tom Cruise, still early in his career, leans on boyish good looks instead of making Maverick genuinely likable.

"I still find his performance in the original abrasive and insincere. It takes skill as an actor to make a character like Maverick genuinely likable, and Cruise was not at that level yet in the mid-'80s, coasting on his boyish good looks instead."

As Ars Technica's culture writer put it, the film tries to show Maverick's sensitive side in scenes with Charlie. It comes off as shallow sentimentality. The vulnerable moments simply do not land.

The Romance Has Not Aged Well

Charlie, played by Kelly McGillis, started as an aerobics instructor in early script drafts. The Navy requested a change to civilian contractor and astrophysicist because a fellow-officer romance would count as fraternization. The character was inspired by mathematician Christine "Legs" Fox, a civilian specialist in tactical development at Miramar.

But sleeping with a student, even a civilian one, is wildly unprofessional. In real life, Charlie would likely have been fired. The film takes pains to show her giving Maverick a brutally objective assessment despite their involvement. It is still a dated Hollywood fantasy of a female career scientist.

That Bar Scene Is Worse Than You Remember

Maverick, Goose, and several drunken officers serenade Charlie with "You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling" because they made a bet that Maverick can seduce her. The scene is meant to be charming. It is not.

Maverick follows Charlie to the ladies' room, leers at her, and suggests they could do it right there on the sink. She shoots him down hard. The US Department of Defense Office of Inspector General later cited Top Gun as a contributing factor in the 1991 Tailhook scandal. That is not a legacy any film wants.

The Verdict

Who Should Watch

If you want to understand why Top Gun: Maverick exists, watch the original for the flight sequences. Those scenes remain incredible. If you want realism, skip it. Ars Technica recommends the National Geographic documentary series Top Guns: The Next Generation instead.

Quick question: could Top Gun turns 40 still inspire you to enlist? Absolutely. Just like C.S.I. did for forensics and The X-Files did for the FBI, the aerial footage alone remains one of the best recruitment tools the Navy has ever had. Just be prepared for the actual hard work of flight school.

Bottom Line

Top Gun turns 40 as a mixed bag. The flying is timeless. The rest will make you cringe more than you remember. Watch it for the jets. Stay for the nostalgia. But keep your expectations grounded.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Top Gun still worth watching after 40 years?

Absolutely, it remains a thrilling blend of aerial combat and 80s nostalgia that holds up remarkably well.

How has Top Gun influenced modern cinema?

It set the standard for aviation films and inspired countless movies with its iconic soundtrack and high-octane dogfights.

Does the movie's special effects still impress today?

Yes, the practical flight footage and real F-14 Tomcat scenes look far more authentic than modern CGI.

What makes Top Gun a cultural milestone?

It defined the '80s action hero archetype and turned Tom Cruise into a global superstar.

Should I watch Top Gun before the sequel?

Definitely, as it provides essential context for character relationships and the emotional payoff in Top Gun: Maverick.