The film *Top Gun* (1986) was met with a **mixed critical reception** upon its release, but it quickly became an **enormous commercial success** and a significant cultural phenomenon.
### Critical Reception (Mixed to Negative)
Critics at the time often gave the film mixed or even somewhat negative reviews, frequently contrasting its technical brilliance with its weak narrative.
* **Mixed Reviews:** The film has a weighted average score of 50 out of 100 on Metacritic, which indicates "mixed or average reviews."
* **Focus on Visuals vs. Story:** Many critics praised the revolutionary and thrilling aerial combat sequences but found the story and dialogue to be lacking.
* **Roger Ebert** of the *Chicago Sun-Times* gave the film 2.5 out of 4 stars, stating that "the good parts are so good and the bad parts are so relentless," and calling the dogfights "absolutely the best" but warning to "look out for the scenes where the people talk to one another."
* *The Los Angeles Times* review found the film to be "exciting and disturbing, mind-boggling and vacuous," calling it an "empty-headed technological marvel."
* A BBC review from 1986 stated that "while it drags its feet painfully on the ground it's quite magnificent in the air" and that director Tony Scott had "assembled the most exciting shots of aerial combat... that I can remember seeing in the movies."
* **Criticism of Substance:** Critics often dismissed the film as a superficial and glossy product of its time.
* It was called a "male bonding adventure movie" where the pilots were portrayed as "rock 'n' roll air cowboys" and "a fraternity of studs," with critics noting the script linked sexual potency with piloting prowess.
* Some critics saw the film as little more than a "slickly produced recruiting poster for the American Navy" due to its cooperation with the Pentagon and pro-military message.
* The plot was often called a "chestnut plot" featuring archetypal characters, such as the egotistical hotshot pilot and the tough but kindly commander.
### Audience and Commercial Reception (Massive Success)
Despite the critical divide, the film was an immediate and massive hit with audiences, making it the highest-grossing film of 1986 worldwide.
* **Box Office Performance:**
* *Top Gun* was the **highest-grossing domestic film of 1986** and the highest-grossing film worldwide, ultimately grossing $357.4 million globally against a production budget of $15 million.
* It had a strong opening, but its long-term success was driven by phenomenal "legs." Four weeks after its release, the number of theaters showing it had increased by 45 percent, and its theater count remained above its opening week's tally until mid-October.
* It cemented Tom Cruise's status as a global movie star.
* **Audience Grade:** Audiences surveyed by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of **"A"** on an A+ to F scale, indicating strong public approval.
* **Cultural Impact:**
* The film's award-winning soundtrack, featuring songs like "Take My Breath Away" and "Danger Zone," was a huge factor in its popularity and became iconic of the era.
* The film tapped into the "pro-America, pro-military milieu of the era" (the Reagan years/Cold War), and was a perfect blend of high-octane action, romance, and drama, making it a popular choice for young audiences.
* It was famously credited with inspiring a surge in recruitment for the U.S. Navy.