'Top Gun' and Other U.S. Navy Movies

In 1986, Tom Cruise played the role of Naval Aviator LT Pete "Maverick" Mitchell in "Top Gun." The movie had action, buckets of testosterone, romance, and daredevil flying scenes. It became such a cult classic that it is not uncommon to run across a fan who has watched it in excess of 20 times. So what other U.S. Navy movies have captivated American audiences -- in a good or perhaps not so good way?

"Navy Seals"

Perhaps attempting to capitalize on the bravado of "Top Gun," the drama of "Navy SEALs" was less than 1990 audiences bargained for. Starring Charlie Sheen, this epic was decidedly not "winning." The interpersonal squabbles and virtually trite questioning of command did not serve the director, Lewis Teague of "Cujo" fame, well. Even so, watch it for the awesome explosions, nail-biter fight scenes, and heroic antics. When eye-rolling scenes arrive, take a potty break.

"The Finest Hour"

The 1991 offering entitled "The Finest Hour" had little of the swagger and bravado that made "Top Gun" a Navy recruiting tool. Instead, it highlighted the tangle of human relationships. Mitchell had to get over the grief of possibly causing his friend's death. Here, the best buddy and the Navy SEAL's wife must come to grips with the loss of the love triangle's third corner. It makes for a great chick flick, while the action and explosions keep the guys watching, too.

"Crimson Tide"

In 1996, director Tony Scott gave us "Crimson Tide." This nuclear war epic starred Denzel Washington and Gene Hackman. This movie is a psychological thriller as much as it is action-packed. There is the cross, the double cross, and the breakdown of command aboard a nuclear weapons vessel. Also starring is the big "what if," should fiction ever become replaced by real life. If "Top Gun" could be hailed the Navy's quintessential recruitment tool, "Crimson Tide" is its antithesis.