Plot: What’s it about?
Topper Harley (Charlie Sheen) was the most gifted fighter pilot in the world, but his mental problems often left him grounded. After an accident shook him to the core, Topper left the Navy and went to live with Native Americans. He had doubted his skills as a pilot since the accident, but he still longed to return to the skies, even though he knew it probably wouldn’t happen. But when the time comes for the Navy to embark on a crucial assignment, Topper is recalled into service and prepared to lead the charge, despite his mental issues. His renegade nature lands him trouble with those in charge of the mission, but since he is the best pilot available, he is not hassled too much, though he does have some conflicts. He quickly forms a rivalry with fellow pilot Kent Gregory (Cary Elwes), but not just in the skies, as both like the same woman, Ramada (Valeria Golino). At the same time, the planes being used are substandard and the mission leaders know it, but they need the planes to fail in combat in order to replace them. Can Topper overcome all of these obstacles and complete his mission, as well as settle his personal affairs?
In the tradition of Airplane! and The Naked Gun comes Hot Shots, which takes aim on Top Gun and never flinches as it pokes fun. While not as effective as the other movies I listed, this one does have loads of good jokes and never fails to entertain, as it throws out so many jokes, some of them are bound to work. Just as with those other films, Hot Shots uses verbal triggers, sight gags, slapstick humor, satire, and whatever other comedy elements it can latch onto, anything to make the audience chuckle. As I mentioned, not all of the jokes work out as planned, but then again with this many, you can’t expect to hit a home run with each one. You’ll need to brush up on your Top Gun knowledge to appreciate most of the humor, but with an off the wall comedy like this, you’re certain to laugh some even if you’ve never seen the movies it spoofs. This is art or even a smart movie, but it was never supposed to be more than a slapstick comedy and on that front, I think it succeeds in most respects. Fox hasn’t done much with this disc, but even so, the movie is enough to warrant a recommendation, so check it out.
His role is not the most prominent one, but without a doubt, the presence of Lloyd Bridges steals the show in this one. He has some of the funniest scenes from the movie and in truth, I don’t think any of scenes fail, he is just that hilarious here. I love the sequence where he puts the cloth through his ears, as well as any of the times he details his various war injuries, which have to cover his entire person, without question. I’m not sure if more screen time was needed, as his role works so well with the current level of exposure, but I do think his scenes rank with some the best ones seen in Hot Shots. A skilled performer in both dramatic and humorous roles, Bridges was an excellent talent and he is greatly missed. Other films with Bridges include Airplane, The Tall Texan, Rocketship X-M, High Noon, and Blown Away. The cast also includes Charlie Sheen (Good Advice, Major League), Valeria Golino (Leaving Las Vegas, Big Top Pee Wee), and Cary Elwes (The Princess Bride, Robin Hood: Men in Tights).
Video: How does it look?
Hot Shots is presented in a 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen transfer. This is a solid visual effort, but some minor flaws remain intact, mostly wear signs and such. The print has some debris and moderate grain, but these never become too distracting, so I doubt anyone will be too upset by their presence. The colors look natural and bright, with no errors I could see, while flesh tones are normal and accurate also. The contrast is a little shaky in a few scenes, but looks good on the whole, with no serious problems to contend with. Not as impressive of a transfer as I would have liked, but this is still a solid, acceptable visual presentation.
Audio: How does it sound?
The audio here is your typical slapstick comedy mix, though a few scenes do manage to spark the speakers a little. The main audio power comes from the musical score and the flight sequences, but don’t expect action movie level presence, as that isn’t the case here. It is still nice to have some surround use to spice up the mix, but it never takes off too much, even in the most intense dogfight sequences. The normal scenes sound good, but don’t have much atmosphere, while dialogue is clean throughout. This disc also includes additional language options in Spanish and French, as well as subtitles in English and Spanish.
Supplements: What are the extras?
This disc includes a brief behind the scenes featurette, as well as the film’s theatrical trailer.
