The need for speed

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MYRNA BROWN, HOST: Today is Friday, May 15th. Thank you for turning to WORLD Radio to help start your day.

Good morning. I’m Myrna Brown.

NICK EICHER, HOST: And I’m Nick Eicher.

Well, before we move on, we want to let you know The World and Everything in It is now on YouTube! Same podcast you know and love, audio only, no video, not yet. But if YouTube is where you prefer (or a friend prefers) to get podcasts, well, now you can find us right there. 

Just go to You Tube, search “The World and Everything in It,” hit that “subscribe” bell, and it will be there for you next time you come back. 

We’ll put a link in the transcript and the show notes just to make things a little bit easier to find and share. So spread the word, you can now find us on YouTube!

Well, coming next on The World and Everything in It: back to the danger zone.

This week marks the 40th anniversary of the original Top Gun. Both it and its 2022 sequel, Top Gun: Maverick, returned to theaters this week for a limited one-week run.

BROWN: WORLD reviewer Steve Limkeman says the original film endures because it taps into themes of courage, sacrifice, and devotion to a higher calling.

STEVE LIMKEMAN: Soaring back into theaters this week for its 40th anniversary, Top Gun holds a special place in the heart of American cinema. 

From the moment Kenny Loggins’ “Danger Zone” begins to play, audiences are energized in expectation of fighter pilots Maverick and Goose roaring onto the silver screen.

MAVERICK: I feel the need.

MAVERICK AND GOOSE: The need for speed.

Tom Cruise is captivating as the competitive, highly driven pilot Pete Mitchell, whose call sign is Maverick. Maverick is aptly named. He flies outside the lines and pushes boundaries mischievously and sometimes dangerously as he seeks to establish his legacy as an ace fighter pilot. 

Maverick and Goose are a compelling dynamic duo, whether boldly maneuvering through the skies, or teaming up to try to impress the prettiest girl in the room.

MAV: She’s lost that loving feeling.

GOOSE: She’s lost… no she hasn’t.

MAV: Yes she has.

GOOSE: She has not lost that…

MAV: Goose, she’s lost it.

GOOSE: Mav. Come on. I hate it when she does that.

The film begins with a heroic rescue of a pilot paralyzed with fear. Despite defying the orders of their commanding officer, Mav & Goose are rewarded with an incredible opportunity only afforded to the top 1% of all naval aviators.

COMMANDER “STINGER”: You two characters are going to Top Gun. For five weeks, you’re gonna fly against the best fighter pilots in the world.

At the end of this prestigious training, only the best pilot is awarded the Top Gun trophy, and Maverick is determined that it’s already got his name written on it.

COMMANDING OFFICER “VIPER”: That’s pretty arrogant, considering the company you’re in.

MAVERICK: Yes, sir.

VIPER: I like that in a pilot.

Maverick’s arrogance, though initially praised, is expected to be kept in check by rigid submission to authority—something that is made painfully clear to him after he bends the rules to win one of the first contests and then buzzes the air traffic control tower as a victory lap.

VIPER: Top Gun rules of engagement exist for your safety and for that of your team. They are not flexible, nor am I. Either obey them or you’re history. Is that clear?

MAV: Yes, sir!

Top Gun’s discipline of its rogue aviator reflects our need for God’s moral law to restrain our unruly hearts: His commands are given for our spiritual safety. While the prospect of success, prestige, and love may take our breath away, it is our devotion to Him that merits heavenly praise—the Lord looks at the heart.

Maverick’s highway to the danger zone features many memorable moments that keep audiences coming back for more, from his playful romance of his flight tactics instructor, to his fiery rivalry with Iceman.

MAVERICK: What’s your problem, Kazansky?

ICEMAN: You’re everyone’s problem. That’s because every time you go up in the air, you’re unsafe. I don’t like you because you’re dangerous.

MAVERICK: That’s right, Iceman. I am dangerous.

Though the film tilts toward romantic conquest over courtship and contains some sexual content, the inspirational core of Top Gun is the pilots’ journey toward self-sacrificial brotherhood. Actress Meg Ryan only makes a brief appearance in the film, but her joyful devotion to both Goose as her husband and to Mav as a worthy friend greatly increases the love we have for these characters and the brotherly bond they share.

MAVERICK: You’re the only family I’ve got. I’m not gonna let you down. I promise you.

This foundation of loyalty in service of the highest calling provides a platform for the ultimate test of devotion, displayed on the daring, death-defying frontier of aerial combat.

And with a new Top Gun movie in development and a sequel that outshines its beloved predecessor, it’s time to strap into your theatrical cockpit and celebrate the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence with this feel-good American classic. 

May we all rededicate ourselves to serve our communities with steadfast devotion—and have a little fun along the way.

MAVERICK: Mustang, this is Maverick requesting flyby.

MUSTANG: Negative, Ghost Rider. The pattern is full.

MAVERICK: [Chuckles]

I’m Steve Limkeman.

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