Stunning aerial footage still best thing about Top Gun at 40

Top Gun’s 40th-anniversary retrospective notes the 1986 film got mixed reviews but became a huge box-office hit.

Its realistic aerial footage and F-14 dogfights helped define modern military blockbuster filmmaking.

Those flight scenes remained a key influence on Top Gun: Maverick and continue to resonate with audiences.

The film also played a lasting role in boosting U.S. Navy recruitment and aviation’s pop-culture appeal.