The 1986 film Top Gun and its 2022 sequel, Top Gun: Maverick, are now available free on Pluto, offering viewers a chance to revisit Tom Cruise’s defining aviation action series. The article argues that the original remains influential for its blend of aerial spectacle, romance, music and patriotic 1980s blockbuster style, while helping establish Cruise as a major Hollywood star.

Top Gun follows US Navy pilot Pete “Maverick” Mitchell as his reckless competitiveness clashes with fellow pilots and instructors at the elite Top Gun school, before personal tragedy tests his confidence. Directed by Tony Scott, it used real aircraft footage and a soundtrack featuring Kenny Loggins’ “Danger Zone” and Berlin’s “Take My Breath Away”; it celebrates its 40th anniversary in 2026.