Top 10 Movies Like Top Gun

With the massive blockbuster hit, Top Gun: Maverick finally leaving the theaters, many fans are trying to find movies that are similar to it. With fans still looking for their fix of adrenaline that Top Gun provided, not many movies have been able to captivate the absolute thrill and glamour the original possess but some movies do come close.

Though the original Top Gun had some dated moments, it still holds up as one of the best ‘80s movies so it’s no surprise that many are still looking for a movie that can give the same thrill as the original. Top Gun: Maverick gave the fans the same adrenaline rush as the first movie, and with Tom Cruise acing his stunts like a pro it was like playing nostalgia all over. The movie ignites the need for speed feeling to watch more movies like Top Gun with advanced action sequences displaying the art of acting filmmaking in the best possible way.

Discover some of the best movies like Top Gun here in this blog post, which you should include in your watchlist if you are seeking out movies portraying a ton of action, drama, romance, and plenty of daring stunts that escalate your adrenaline.

Movies Like Top Gun

Top 10 Movies Like Top Gun

  1. Devotion

    Streaming On: Paramount Plus

    Director: J.D. Dillard

    Writer: Adam Makos

    Cast: Jonathan Majors, Glen Powell, Joe Jonas, Serinda Swan, Christina Jackson, Daren Kagasoff

    Genres: Biographical, War, Action

    Devotion (2022) on IMDb

    In early 1950, Lieutenant Tom Hudner is transferred to Fighter Squadron 32 where he meets Jessie Brown, the only black member of the unit. Squad 32 is assigned F4U-4 Corsairs, fighter planes that have a reputation to be very lethal but equally as hard to handle. Hudner fits in well with the squadron and even befriends Brown. One day Hudners car breaks down and Brown gives him a lift, this act of kindness manifests a sense of brotherhood between the two.

    Hunder comes to know how harshly Brown has been treated for his skin color and how he motivates himself before a mission by shouting racial slurs at himself.

    Devotion is a motivational true account of Jesse Brown, the first black pilot in the US Navy, and his friendship with Tom Hudner. The movie celebrates their life and how one had to make a great sacrifice during a brutal battle in the Korean War. Jonathan Majors and Glenn Powell as fighter pilots portrayed their roles exceptionally well.

    Based on the Novel Devotion: An Epic Story of Heroism, Friendship, and Sacrifice, by Adam Makos, Devotion has everything a true action fanatic would love but it also shows bravery, heroism, sacrifice, and adversities, and towards the end, you feel of the emotions pouring in.

  2. The Guardian

    Streaming On: Tubi TV, Sling

    Director: Andrew Davis

    Writer: Fukada Yasushi

    Cast: Kevin Costner, Ashton Kutcher, Clancy Brown, Reese Witherspoon, Tom Hardy, Melissa Sagemiller

    Genres: Action, Adventure, Drama

    The Guardian (2006) on IMDb

    The movie opens up with many people detailing their accounts of how they were saved from drowning by a shadowy figure. Ben Randall is the top rescue swimmer at the US coast guard AST program. On one of his Ben tragically loses his best friend Carl Billings, causing Ben to lose all his focus because of survivor’s guilt. Ben is then transferred to AST training school as an instructor, where he meets Jake, a cocky student who has good skills and is very persistent. After going through a rough patch with Jake, Ben realizes his tenacity and lets him stay at the training school.

    A movie about a grief-stricken rescue swimmer who decides to dedicate his life to training his future generations. When he meets a cocky champion swimmer, he turns him into his protege, then takes him on a mission that would require a great sacrifice.

    The Guardian is an amazing movie that perfectly represents how similar trauma can help bond people. Seeing the relationship between Kevin Costner and Ashton Kutcher grow throughout the movie leading to one of them making a great sacrifice is heartbreaking.

  3. Pearl Harbour

    Streaming On: Can be rented on YouTube, RedBox

    Director: Michael Bay

    Writer: Randall Wallace

    Cast: Ben Affleck, Josh Hartnett, Jon Voight, Kate Beckinsale, Alec Baldwin, Jennifer Garner, Cuba Gooding Jr. 

    Genres: Romance, War, Drama

    Pearl Harbor (2001) on IMDb

    Rafe and Danny, two childhood friends fulfill their dream of flying fighter jets when they grow up. While enlisting in the army, a nurse named Evelyn passes Rafe’s medical, intentionally overlooking his dyslexia. This sparks a romance between the two, but soon Rafe has to depart on a mission to intercept bombings taking place near the English Channel. Shot down in action Rafe is presumed dead, Evelyn and Danny are both stricken by grief and find warmth in each other’s arms budding a romantic relationship.

    Nearly a year later Rafe appears at Evelyn’s doorstep only to be greeted by Danny. Following this Rafe and Danny are recalled to the army to help out during the Pearl Harbor attack. After their heroic actions in the Pearl Harbour incident, both of them are sent on a secret mission to bomb Tokyo but their planes run out of fuel, and one of the pilots sacrifices themselves to save the other. Even though the movie was considered a drama movie, it plays out more like a thriller.

    The movie keeps you on your toes, with every plot development completely changing the course of the movie. With amazing action sequences, soulful music, and a gripping story it is easy to see why the movie is considered a Classic.

  4. Crimson Tide

    Streaming On: Paramount Plus, fuboTV, Roku Channel, Amazon Premium

    Director: Tony Scott

    Writer: Michael Schiffer

    Cast: Denzel Washington, Gene Hackman, Matt Craven, James Gandolfini, George Dzundza, Vigo Mortenson

    Genres: Action, Thriller

    Crimson Tide (1995) on IMDb

    After the breakout of the Cold War, Russian militants threaten to launch a nuclear weapon on the US. USS Alabama, the only ship that could give an upper hand and help stop Armageddon, is put in the hands of Capt. Frank Ramsey who in turn, chooses Ron Hunter to be his executive officer. On receiving a message to launch the missile at Russia, Ramsey headstrongly starts the process, but the radio of the ship is destroyed by a torpedo, leaving them incapable of interpreting a second message being sent to them.

    Ramsey is still adamant about launching the missile but is intercepted by Hunter who believes that the second incoming message could have been to cancel the launch of the missile. This causes a stalemate between the two, which ends up dividing the whole ship into two factions supporting each of the two leaders.

    This fight escalates into a Mexican Shootout, right when they get the news that the radio will be fixed in a few minutes, which will determine if their actions have saved their country or destroyed it.

    Centered around balance, Crimson Tide shows how the smallest of decisions can make or break a whole country. Denzel Washington and Gene Hackman work perfectly as a duo with clashing ideals, with the dialogue delivered perfectly, the atmosphere set by the movie is very heavy and the tension almost leaks out into real life making it a definite must-watch.

  5. A Few Good Men

    Streaming On: Can be bought from YouTube, Apple TV

    Director: Rob Reiner

    Writer: Aaron Sorkin

    Cast: Tom Cruise, Demi Moore, Jack Nicholson, Aaron Sorkin, Kevin Bacon, Kiefer Sutherland

    Genres: Legal, Drama

    A Few Good Men (1992) on IMDb

    Two Marine Officers were wrongly accused of murdering their colleague, William Santiago, who was tied up and beaten in the middle of the night and then left out to die. Daniel Kaffee, a JAG Corps Lawyer who is known to take plea bargains as an easy way out of the case, is put on the defendant’s lawyer in the murder trial.

    Reading himself for another plea bargain, Kaffee is pursued to plead not guilty by another JAG attorney Joanne Galloway, who senses there is something wrong with the case as right before his murder, Santiago went of his way to break the chain of command to ask for a transfer. Kaffee realizes that he was put on the case specifically because he has a history of plea bargains. With this information, Kaffee decides to give this case his all and prove that his clients are not guilty.

    Read: Eddie Murphy Movies

    A Few Good Men is a cinematic delight showcasing Tom Cruise as a young officer taking on Nicholson who is always seen barking and improvising new snarling expressions. Their stellar performances. It has an exciting screenplay and powerful sequences and the courtroom scene is one of the movie’s best parts, a must-watch for a true cinema lover.

  6. First Man

    Streaming On: Can be rented from YouTube, Apple TV

    Director: Damien Chazelle

    Writer: James R. Hansen

    Cast: Ryan Gosling, Claire Foy, Jason Clarke, Patrick Fugit, James R Hansen, Conner Blodgett, Mark Armstrong, Corey Stoll

    Genres: Biography, Drama

    First Man (2018) on IMDb

    First Man is the story of Neil Armstrong, from before his time of being selected into the Gemini space program. In 1961, Neil Armstong, NASA’s test pilot faces some trouble landing a space plane, his colleagues blamed it on him being distracted. Neil’s daughter is fighting a brain tumor at home but eventually dies of it.

    Heavily stricken by grief and believing he has been grounded because of his previous mishap, Neil applies to Project Gemini and is accepted into NASA Astronaut Group 2. After moving to Huston, Neil’s friends Elliot See and Ed White, two civilian test pilots. After the Soviets complete their first EVA, Neil is informed he will be manning the Gemini 8 with David Scott. Before the mission Neil is informed that See and White died in a crash, deepening Neil’s Greif.

    As Top Gun depicts the glamorous aspect of flying, First Man displays brutal emotional trauma aspect. First Man is a spectacle to look at, with its breathtaking visuals, immersive music, and dense plot, the audience can easily get lost in the universe it sets up.

  7. Days of Thunder

    Streaming On: Can be rented from YouTube, Apple TV, Philo

    Director: Tony Scott

    Writer: Robert Towne, Tom Cruise

    Cast: Tom Cruise, Robert Duvall, Nicole Kidman, Don Simpson, John C. Reilly, Michael Rooker, Donna W. Scott, Randy Quaid, Carry Elwes 

    Genres: Action, Sports, Drama

    Days of Thunder (1990) on IMDb

    Cole Trickle is a cocky young racer with loads of experience in open-wheel racing even winning a championship. Cole gets bored of open-wheel racing and decides that he wants to pursue a career in Indy racing. After being recruited by Chevrolet, Cole started racing in the Indy League. Having zero knowledge of racing in a NASCAR car, Cole couldn’t even finish his first three races.

    After this humongous failure, Cole had to undergo rigorous training, learning the rules, regulations, and terminology used in Indy racing. This training pays off as Cole gains on the other racers in the next race. When faced against Rowdy, a dirty driver, the two get into a heated rivalry as they compete for the championship.

    For people looking for a movie like Top Gun, Days of Thunder can be the right fit for you. It is similar to Top Gun but the jets are replaced by cars. With Tony Scott returning to direct another slice-of-life action movie with Tom Cruise in it, the movie is considered to be a spiritual successor to Top Gun depicting young dudes complaining reluctantly about how they feel for each other.

  8. Hot Shots!

    Streaming On: HBO MAX

    Director: Jim Abrahams

    Writer: Jim Abrahams, Pat Proft

    Cast: Charlie Sheen, Cary Elwes, Valerina Golino, Lloyd Bridges, John Cryer, Christy Swanson, Ryan Stiles, Jerry Haleva, Pat Proft

    Genres: Parody, Comedy, War

    Hot Shots! (1991) on IMDb

    Pilot Leland “Buzz” Harley loses control of his plane and ejected, leaving his copilot Dominic “Mailman” Farnham to crash with the plane. Mailman somehow makes it out alive, but with two sticks stuck to his head, is mistaken for a deer and shot by a hunter. Some years later, we follow Ace Pilot Topper is recalled to active duty, and is still laden with the heavy grief of his father’s death.

    Ramada, Topper’s therapist warns him against flying again, but Topper refuses, making Ramada fall for him. At the base Topper faces off against his long-time rival, Kent Gregory who was a previous boyfriend of Ramada and the son of  Leland “Buzz” Harley causing Topper to resent him a lot as he still blames Kent’s father for his death of his.

    Will Topper be able to perform his mission, fight his inner demons and get a girlfriend? Following the success of Top Gun, three years later a spoof of the movie was released, it is considered to be quite edgy and on the nose but that is exactly what made it so fun to watch.

  9. Die Hard

    Streaming On: Starz, Amazon Store, Apple TV

    Director: John McTiernan

    Writer: Roderick Thorp

    Cast: Bruce Willis, Alan Rickman, Alexander Godunov, Reginald VelJohnson, William Atherton, Alexander Godunov, Paul Gleason, De’voreaux White

    Genres: Action, Thriller

    Die Hard (1988) on IMDb

    Hoping to reconcile with his estranged wife Holly and his two daughters, John McClane, an NYPD detective travels to Los Angeles. After Joining in on the festivities of Holly’s company at the Nakatomi Plaza, McClane finds himself in a tough spot. The plaza is taken over by terrorists who threaten to steal $640,000 in untraceable Bearer Bonds.

    In Die Hard movie, McClane is the only person to slip away from the terrorists and sets himself to the duty of saving the hostages. This NYPD detective is left with a handgun and his extraordinary skills to fight against Hans Gruber and the dangerous terrorists and decides to save the hostages and the lucrative heist that they have planned on executing by all means.

    However, seeing what the limo driver has in store for them is interesting. Die Hard is the Bruce Willis movie that invented the common man’s hero genre, it puts a normal human in unyielding circumstances, where the man has to rise to the occasion and save the day, With top-notch action, all-out stunts, and good character acting, die-hard is still looked at as a well-made movie.

  10. Minority Report

    Streaming On: Paramount Plus

    Director: Steven Spielberg

    Writer: Scott Frank, Jon Cohen

    Cast: Tom Cruise, Collin Farrell, Samantha Morton, Max Von Sydow, Neal McDonough, Kathryn Morris, Peter Stormare, Lois Smith

    Genres: Science Fiction, Action

    Minority Report (2002) on IMDb

    With the government implementing three “precrime” prototypes, the crime rate would dip heavily. Precogs were three clairvoyant humans who could show a vision of the time that the crimes were going to happen, which officers would analyze to extract the crime’s location and apprehend the perpetrator before the crime took place.

    One day Officer Anderton, a drug addict who has no family left with him, is caught off-guard by one of the precogs saying “Can You See?”, Anderton focuses on the screen seeing a failed attempt at the murder of a woman. When Anderton investigates this case, he comes up empty handed can’t even find the girl. Soon after this incident, the precogs predict that Anderton will murder Leo Crow, someone Anderton himself has never met or remembers.

    This movie’s setting is thrilling and immersive while feeding you only the necessary information. The futuristic setting keeps the viewer engaged and the acting from the talented cast brings the world of this movie to life.

Conclusion

With no confirmation of a reboot or a sequel for the Top Gun franchise in sight, different movies similar to Top Gun can satisfy every fan’s needs. Although no movie will be able to capture that shine and glamour of the original these ten movies come close to capturing Top Gun’s aura and atmosphere.

Nearly thirty years after its release, Top Gun is still considered an amazing action flick. With the sequel helping quench the thirst that, many had for some more Top Gun goodness, one single movie will not be enough to fill the gap that the original left in their hearts.

To feed your adrenaline rush, we compiled an assorted selection of ten movies that are similar to the top gun movies, which will give you the same thrill and excitement that the original Top Gun delivered.

Best 10 Movies Like Top Gun are Sorted By Their IMDB Ratings

  1. Die Hard (1988) – 8.2
  2. A Few Good Men (1992) – 7.7
  3. Minority Report (2002) – 7.6
  4. Crimson Tide (1995) – 7.3
  5. First Man (2018) – 7.3
  6. The Guardian (2006) – 6.9
  7. Hot Shots! (1991) – 6.7
  8. Devotion (2022) – 6.6
  9. Pearl Harbour (2001) – 6.2
  10. Days of Thunder (1990) – 6.1

Best Movies Like Top Gun Sorted By Their Box Office Collection

Pearl Harbour (2001) – $450.2 Million

Minority Report (2002) – $358.4 Million

A Few Good Men (1992) – $243.2 Million

Hot Shots! (1991) – $181.1 Million

Days of Thunder (1990) – $157.9 Million

Crimson Tide (1995) – $157.4 Million

Die Hard (1988) – $141. 5 Million

First Man (2018) – $105.7 Million

The Guardian (2006) – $95 Million

Devotion (2022) – $21.8 Million

FAQs

What Should I Watch If I Like Top Gun?

Die Hard, A Few Good Men and Minority Report are both movies that have something in common with Top Gun and are excellent standalone movies.

What Movie Is A Parody Of Top Gun?

Hot Shots! Is a parody of the original top gun. Its cast includes Charlie Sheen, Cary Elwes, and Valerina Golino in the lead roles.

What Chinese Movie Is Like Top Gun?

‘Born To Fly is a Chinese movie that has a very similar concept to the original 1986 Top Gun.

Is Top Gun a Bromance movie?

Released in 1986, Top Gun was one of the first movies to ever capitalize on the Bromance Genre.

Kierra Rowsey
Kierra Rowsey

Kierra Rowsey is a freelance TV, Film and anime critic for over 12 years, living in Arkansas with her husband and three kids. She graduated from NYU College of Arts & Science in 2008.

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