Club Benefits
"Top Gun" premiered on May 12, 1986, in New York City, and for its 40th anniversary, Paramount has re-released the movie so you can see it again (or perhaps for the first time!) on the silver screen. Even better, Paramount is also re-releasing its sequel, "Top Gun: Maverick." In fact, if you time it right, you can see both movies back-to-back for the perfect double feature.
So yesterday (May 13), that's exactly what I did. I got in my car (my F14 was in the shop), drove to a nearby cinema and sat down for nearly four hours of screen time with Tom Cruise as U.S. Navy aviator Pete "Maverick" Mitchell. Fast forward 239 minutes, and I can unequivocally say it was totally worth it.
Malcolm has been with Tom's Guide since 2022, reviewing dozens of new movies every year so you know what's worth watching right now.
These action movies deserve the big screen
Some movies are perfectly fine to stream at home. Yes, technically every movie will be better in a theater, but there are more than a few movies where the improvements are marginal. "Top Gun" is not one of those movies.
I never saw "Top Gun" in theaters. On May 12, 1986, I was still years away from being born. But when watching my cheap, thrift store copy of this action movie in college, I could tell that this was a blockbuster that was made for the big screen.
Now, having actually seen it on the big screen, I can confirm that my suspicions were correct. This movie is fine to watch at home on one of the best streaming services (it's currently on Paramount+), but on the big screen, it's truly impressive. Particularly, the final combat sequence between Maverick, Iceman, and a group of hostile MiG-28s ready to shoot them down.
Is it dated? Certainly. The dialogue in particular is unmistakably 1980s action fare. But the audiovisual display by Tony Scott and cinematographer Jeffrey L. Kimball still holds up today, even surpassing many modern films.
It doesn't surpass "Top Gun: Maverick," though, something which I also suspected, given that this 2022 sequel I did see in theaters. While "Top Gun" looks great and features incredible action sequences, just about everything is better in its follow-up, thanks to decades' worth of improvements in technology. The ability to use F18s instead of F14s alone makes for superior aerial combat sequences.
That said, they even managed to improve the dialogue in "Top Gun: Maverick." Granted, it's still nothing to write home about, and less quotable, but it's far more natural dialogue, which is particularly noticeable when you watch both movies in quick succession.
Verdict: 'Top Gun' and 'Top Gun: Maverick' are the perfect double feature
Not everyone has time to spend hours in a theater. If it wasn't my job, I probably couldn't either. But there's no denying that these two movies back-to-back is the perfect double feature.
If you had to pick just one to watch, though, I'd pick the original. Not because it's better; it's not. Nor, because it looks better; again, it's not. But chances are you've never experienced "Top Gun" quite like this, whereas "Top Gun: Maverick" is just four years old. Chances are you'll get to see it again in theaters if you didn't catch it when it was originally released.
But no matter which movie(s) you choose, you need to act fast. This 40th anniversary celebration will only last for a week, and the last screenings will take place on May 20. Don't wait, especially if you're someone who feels a need for speed. This opportunity will zoom by you at Mach 10 if you think about it too long.
Watch "Top Gun" 40th Anniversary and "Top Gun Maverick" Re-release in theaters now (select markets)
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