Tom Cruise plays Maverick in the classic film Top Gun, and the recent blockbuster hit Top Gun: Maverick. Each film follows an elite group of pilots as they train and fight against enemy nations, often during war times. If you still haven’t gotten over your Maverick obsession or just want to enjoy more pilot-centered films, make sure to check out these twelve movies like Top Gun.
12. Red Tails (2012)
Our first movie is called Red Tails, based on the true story of the legendary Tuskegee Airmen. The 332nd Fighter Group is made up of African American soldiers during World War II, who must fight racism at home and Germans in the air. Being on standby for most of the war, they finally get called into duty under Colonel A.J. Bullard to prove themselves as worthy airmen – which they absolutely did!
–IMDb score: 5.9
11. Behind Enemy Lines (2001)
Owen Wilson stars as fighter navigator Chris Burnett in Behind Enemy Lines. Burnett has become disillusioned with his job, but on Christmas Day when he’s flying over war-torn Bosnia, he convinces pilot Stackhouse to check out an interesting target when they get shot down. Soon Burnett is all alone in enemy territory and must outrun the local military and an assassin to get back home.
–IMDb score: 6.4
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10. Flyboys (2006)
Our tenth movie selection is Flyboys, which focuses on the Lafayette Escadrille. Before the United States decided to enter World War I, some young Americans volunteered for the French military and became the country’s first fighter pilots. This squadron was known as the Lafayette Escadrille, whose adventures and heroism became legend. The film is inspired by their actions.
–IMDb score: 6.5
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9. Devotion (2022)
Devotion is set during the Korean War, centering a pair of U.S. Navy fighter pilots as they risk their lives and become the Navy’s most celebrated wingmen. Ensign Jesse Brown and Lt. Tom Hudner join Navy Fighter Squadron VF-32, and when Brown is assigned as Hudner’s wingman they become the best of friends. When the war breaks out, they provide air support to crucial missions that can quickly turn dangerous and are later named heroes.
–IMDb score: 6.6
8. Midway (2019)
As you might have guessed, Midway is set during the Battle of Midway during World War II. This particular battle was fought between the American fleet and the Imperial Japanese Navy and marked a pivotal turning point in the Pacific Theater. The film follows real-life events told through the leaders and soldiers who used their bravery to overcome the odds.
–IMDb score: 6.7
7. Captain Marvel (2019)
Though Captain Marvel is a Marvel movie based on fiction, there are still a lot of really cool spaceship and airplane scenes throughout. After crashing an experimental aircraft, Air Force pilot Carol Danvers is discovered by the Kree and trained as a Starforce Military cadet. After six years, Danvers escapes to Earth after being pursued by Skrulls and discovers there’s more to her past than she originally thought.
–IMDb score: 6.8
6. Memphis Belle (1990)
Our sixth selection is Memphis Belle, set in 1943 and centered on the crew of a B-17 based in the UK that is preparing for its 25th and final bombing over Germany before returning home to the United States. Bomber Capt. Dearborn knows the mission will be dangerous, but is under pressure from Lt. Col. Derringer to get a victory for the Allies. As the mission begins, apprehension and dissent grow amongst Dearborn’s crew.
–IMDb score: 6.9
5. An Officer and a Gentleman (1982)
In An Officer and a Gentleman, there are not as many air fight scenes, but it does look at the journey to becoming an aviator, and how a soldier must balance his service and love. Zack Mayo has signed up for the Navy and is a Navy brat with an attitude problem. It’ll be up to Gunnery Sergeant Emil Foley and Paula to help him become an aviator, of course with some bumps along the way.
–IMDb score: 7.0
4. American Made (2017)
Tom Cruise appears on our list for another aviation film, but this time he is working for the other side. In the movie American Made, Barry Seal (Cruise) worked as a pilot for the TWA until getting recruited by the CIA in 1978. While flying for the CIA, his work in South America gets noticed by the Medellín Cartel who hires Seal as a drug trafficker, gun smuggler, and money launderer. As Seal continues to defy the law he earns the nickname “the gringo that always delivers,” and becomes the center of the Iran-Contra Affair.
–IMDb score: 7.1
3. First Man (2018)
Ryan Gosling stars in this biopic about the legendary American astronaut Neil Armstrong from 1961-1969 when he becomes the first human to walk on the moon. First Man explores the sacrifices and costs of the mission on Neil and the United States while the whole world is watching. It turned into one of the most dangerous missions in the history of space travel, which would later be written into history books.
–IMDb score: 7.3
2. The Right Stuff (1983)
Based on Tom Wolfe’s book on the history of the U.S. Space Program, The Right Stuff takes viewers to the very beginning when the space program is developed. Later, scientists break the sound barrier and finally, the Mercury 7 astronauts are chosen for the program. But instead of a group of cautious test pilots, the group has a more outgoing approach, which concerns the cautious engineers building the aircraft.
–IMDb score: 7.8
1. Top Gun: Maverick (2022)
Our final movie selection has to be Top Gun: Maverick, the long-awaited sequel to the original 1986 film. After thirty years in the service, Maverick is still pushing the envelope, but this time with high-tech aircraft. Maverick must confront the ghosts of his past when he is called upon to teach the newest Top Gun elite graduates. The mission? Extremely dangerous, and will demand the ultimate sacrifice from those who decide to fly its path.
–IMDb score: 8.2
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