Director
Tony Scott
Leading Actors/Actresses
Tom Cruise, Kelly McGillis
Supporting Actors/Actresses
Anthony Edwards, Tom Skerritt, Val Kilmer
Genre
Action, Thriller, Drama
Language
English
Awards
Academy Award for Best Original Song
Date of Release
May 16, 1986
Producer
Don Simpson & Jerry Bruckheimer
Setting and Context
First, an aircraft carrier in the Indian Ocean, then Top Gun training camp in Miramar, California
Narrator and Point of View
No narrator.
Tone and Mood
Dramatic, high action, suspenseful
Protagonist and Antagonist
Protagonist: Maverick; Antagonist: Iceman
Major Conflict
Maverick is a great pilot, but his recklessness is preventing him from being the best naval aviator in his program.
Climax
The climax occurs when Maverick saves Iceman in the rescue mission and proves himself to be the best pilot in the navy.
Foreshadowing
Understatement
Innovations in Filming or Lighting or Camera Techniques
Allusions
Paradox
Throughout people scold Maverick for being reckless and foolish, but in the same breath praise him for his bravery. The things that make Maverick so infuriating to his superiors is also what makes him such an asset to the Navy.
Parallelism
Maverick and Goose are in parallel to Iceman and Slider.