What we flagged
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Our take
Top Gun follows Navy pilots through intense training, rivalry, and aerial combat. The jet scenes are exciting and mostly bloodless, but a sudden death changes the mood and brings real grief into the second half. There is moderate swearing, bar drinking, and a brief implied love scene. We put it at around PG and up, with that loss to weigh alongside the action.
Uplifting themes
Teamwork, owning your mistakes, and getting back up after loss all come through by the end. The early arrogance gets tempered into something steadier Maverick grows from a reckless show-off into a steadier teammate, with mentors who push him to be better. The cockiness is real, but so is the growth There is a loose window into navy fighter training and flight tactics for curious viewers. It is Hollywood gloss more than any kind of documentary
Story (may spoil tone)
For Lieutenant Pete 'Maverick' Mitchell and his friend and co-pilot Nick 'Goose' Bradshaw, being accepted into an elite training school for fighter pilots is a dream come true. But a tragedy, as well as personal demons, will threaten Pete's dreams of becoming an ace pilot.
What we flagged
Details
Violence The action is aerial combat, with jets chasing, locking on, and firing…
The action is aerial combat, with jets chasing, locking on, and firing missiles, plus a fatal training accident. It is tense and exciting without blood or close-up injury
Language The s-word, religious exclamations, b-word insults, and other rough loc…
The s-word, religious exclamations, b-word insults, and other rough locker-room talk appear regularly. There is no f-word, but the swearing runs through the film
Sex / nudity Maverick and his instructor Charlie fall into a romance that includes a…
Maverick and his instructor Charlie fall into a romance that includes a dimly lit, implied love scene set to music. There is kissing and clear sexual tension, but nothing explicit is shown
Drugs / alcohol The pilots unwind in bars with plenty of beer, and wine appears on a di…
The pilots unwind in bars with plenty of beer, and wine appears on a dinner date. Drinking is social and part of the hard-partying backdrop
Frightening A mid-air emergency and the crash that follows are intense and upsettin…
A mid-air emergency and the crash that follows are intense and upsetting, and the final combat gets nerve-wracking. Younger viewers may find the sudden death hard to shake
Gore / death / weapons The weapons are jet missiles and cannons, and one pilot dies in an acci…
The weapons are jet missiles and cannons, and one pilot dies in an accident. No wounds or gore are shown. The loss is felt more in the briefing room than in blood on the runway
Dangerous behaviour Maverick rides his motorbike fast and helmetless and buzzes control tow…
Maverick rides his motorbike fast and helmetless and buzzes control towers for fun, the kind of swagger young fans may want to copy. The film treats it as cool more than careless
Grief / bereavement A pilot's sudden death leaves Maverick grieving and unsure of himself f…
A pilot's sudden death leaves Maverick grieving and unsure of himself for much of the second half. The earlier loss of his father adds to that weight
Flashing lights We have not confirmed whether this version contains flashing lights.
We have not confirmed whether this version contains flashing lights.
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Talk after watching
- Maverick flies on instinct and takes big risks. Where is the line between confidence and recklessness?
- Losing a close friend shakes Maverick badly. How do people find their footing again after a loss like that?
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Top Gun
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