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Top Gun 4K UHD Steelbook Review

Highway to the Steelbook zone.

Directed by Tony Scott and produced by Jerry Bruckheimer, 1986’s “Top Gun” follows Naval aviator pilot (Maverick) Naval Flight Officer (Goose) as they attend the TOPGUN Naval Fighter Jet School. The School turns out to be quite the rollercoaster ride for Maverick as he has to prove himself through thick and thin, compete with the likes of Iceman, experience great tragedies, and even fall for a woman (Charlotte) who just happens to be an instructor.

Written by Jim Cash and Jack Epps Jr., “Top Gun” may have a basic script, but it’s the quintessential 80’s flick. It’s a fast paced, testosterone filled, aerial action flick complete with cheeseball romance and drama. It’s not high art by any means, but it has become a comfort Hollywood movie for generations of fans now. 

The cast is really what elevates the film as it contains Tom Cruise, Anthony Edwards, Val Kilmer, Tom Skerritt, Michael Ironside, Meg Ryan, Kelly McGillis, James Tolkan, Tim Robbins, and Adrian Pasdar. Cruise excels as the hotshot, reckless but talented Maverick, but Edwards (the wisecracking Goose), McGillis (in perhaps her finest part), and Val Kilmer (who rose to stardom as Iceman) all make a big impression.

Of course, you don’t need me to tell you that “Top Gun” boasts a soundtrack for the ages with chart toppers like Kenny Loggins “Danger Zone” and Berlin’s romantic epic “Take My Breath Away.”

Note: As you may or may not know, “Top Gun” was released on 4K earlier this year, but this new Steelbook released was planned as a tie-in for “Top Gun: Maverick” this December until it was delayed to July 2, 2021. If you don’t yet own the “Top Gun” 4K or are a Steelbook collector, this is the edition for you. 

Video/Audio:

Presentation: 2.39: 2160p. How does it look? Expect a picturesque upgrade that maintains the grit and grain of the original print.

Audio Track: Dolby Atmos. How does it sound? Talk about a film that uses sound to the fullest level. From the dogfights to the killer soundtrack, this Atmos track delivers the goods. 

Extras:
* Blu-ray copy
* Digital copy
* TV spots
* 7 minutes of Tom Cruise interviews
* 2 multi-angle storyboards
* Music videos for Berlin’s “Take My Breath Away,” Kenny Loggins’ “Danger Zone,” Loverboy’s  “Heaven In Your Eyes,” and the “Top Gun Anthem” by Steve Stevens and Harold Faltermeyer.
* A survival training featurette and a behind-the-scenes featurette
* A in-depth 6 part making of documentary titled “Danger Zone: The Making Of Top Gun.”
* “Best Of The Best: Inside The Real Top Gun”- The title says it all.
* A fact filled commentary by Jerry Bruckheimer, Tony Scott, Naval Experts and Jack Epps Jr.
* “The Legacy Of Top Gun”- This extra explores the forthcoming sequel “Top Gun: Maverick”
* “On Your Six”- A recent 5 part documentary that covers all manner of the original film.

November 29, 2020 - Posted by nicklyons1 | 4K UHD Review | Danger Zone, Jerry Bruckheimer, Kenny Loggins, Maverick, Tom Cruise, Tony Scott, Top Gun 4K Steelbook Review, Top Gun: Maverick, Val Kilmer