Without question, the original Top Gun is one of the most memorable movies to come out of the 1980s. It changed the face of action filmmaking, a reputation that star Tom Cruise’s entire filmography would soon earn. Top Gun, like many of Cruise’s productions, features real stunts performed by the actors, and is famous for its realistic portrayal of airplane combat. Using actual naval aircraft and consulting naval officers during the screenwriting process ensured the film lived up to the standards of realism it intended to set for the future of the action genre.
Despite releasing 36 years after Top Gun, Top Gun: Maverick is an action movie sequel that’s better than the original, or at least on par. The standard of action and the adherence to realism elevate the franchise over some of the most popular vehicular stunt franchises, like Fast & Furious. Moreover, Top Gun‘s Iceman, one of Val Kilmer’s most iconic characters, has great chemistry with Tom Cruise’s Maverick, both of whom have memorable lines. However, a seemingly throwaway quip from a completely different character is one of the best instances of attention to detail in the film.
Where Top Gun’s “There Are No Points For Second Place” Line Actually Comes From
It is A Reference To Naval Training
Top Gun focuses on the journey of the students of the U.S. Navy’s most elite pilot program, who compete for the top spot. One of the earliest scenes in the film is the new students’ briefing about the program. Tom Skerritt’s Commander Viper introduces the new students to the TOPGUN school, explains the rules, and ends with a quip that’s supposed to be a motivation for the competing students. He says, “Gentlemen, this school is about combat. There are no points for second place.“
“Since there are no points for second place in air combat, the F-14 is, by design, a criteria-conscious combination of hardware and performance that allows us to match wits with any situation an enemy might create now or in the near-future.” – Commander Tom Cᴀssidy, 1974
While it may seem like a regular line, it is actually a reference to 1974’s Role of Fighter Aircraft 1974 Grumman F-14 Tomcat, a 34-minute-long instructional video made by the U.S. Navy. The video ends with a summary of the F-14 Tomcat’s superior design for dog-fighting, and the summary is preceded by the line “there are no points for second place.” This isn’t footage that the average fan of Top Gun will have seen, but for naval officers and recruits, this is a smart Easter egg.
The Top Gun Movies’ Attention To Detail Is What Makes Them Great
There Are Many References To Real Naval Practices
Top Gun and Top Gun: Maverick are both action movies that shockingly far exceed all expectations because of their insistence on realism. They were made after consulting the U.S. Navy, and many scenes were sH๏τ on location, at the naval aircraft base. Most of the stunts, performed by the actors themselves, use actual naval fighter planes, which give viewers an insider look at the military operations and the infrastructure of the U.S. Navy.
The level of work that’s gone into making sure the movies’ depiction of the U.S Navy’s aviation practices is evidenced by comments from actual graduates of the real TOPGUN program. For instance, it’s been argued that many of the specific flying maneuvers in Top Gun: Maverick really do match up well with the teachings of the Navy at TOPGUN. The story itself may not be something that could have really happened, but the more technical aspects of the movie are extremely accurate to real life.
Due to this attention to detail, not only do the movies feel real, but their worlds and the stakes in their stories also feel authentic and sincere. Many viewers will never visit a naval base and may never go on to join the U.S. Navy, but this exciting glimpse into its work makes the films great. They focus on accuracy, both in the portrayal of the officers and the hierarchy in the Navy and in the choreography of the airplane stunts. That sets it apart from other action films, especially the ones that focus on military divisions.
