Although I see that most of us are not Cruise fans, as it turns out.

Joubert illustrates why. He has bought into it. For info McCain was not a widely respected aviator. If his Dad and Granddad had not been Admirals, he may have never made it out of the Academy. He did not personify Naval Aviators. (As I said, I rubbed elbows with the genre for 25 years.) McCain was a perfectly adequate POW, and is an adequate stereotype of a politician.

This is one old Naval Aviator that agrees. “There are old pilots and there are bold pilots. But there are no old, bold pilots.” Grandpa Pettibone, I think? Teamwork in the sky requires discipline and headwork not hot-dogging. One reason we won the air war in the Pacific. The Japs wanted to do battle like knights of old, Navy Air pilots stuck together and used the Thach Weave.

With Cruise’s character in TG they were trying to capture the ego and maverick nature of naval aviators, traits commonly seen in these folks to the point that it’s practically a stereotype. That was my take on it. They did go over the top with the characterization, but, hey, that’s Hollywood for you. They gotta sell tickets, especially to teen-aged boys.

As for the ego snd maverick stereotype, think John McCain. He fits perfectly. Even now, in old age, with his flying days long behind him.

I believe there were earlier opportunities to eliminate Hitler, proof positive that the sooner reality is faced and appropriate action taken, the less harm that results.

I agree that Cruise was miscast as Jack Reacher, I saw the movie and taken on its own merits, it was IMO average at best. More importantly, it bore only a vague resemblance to the Reacher series. Since the author Lee Child had creative control, I suspect he viewed it as an opportunity to cash in, hopefully he will insist upon more creative integrity in any future movies.

I consider Cruise miscast in his typical roles as a hero, in the 2004 movie ‘Collateral’ he plays a bad guy and is, IMO outstanding. He’s much more convincing as an amoral ba***rd. If interested, be forewarned however, Jamie Fox is the hero and given his now revealed racism…

Off topic; ‘white privilege’ is a ‘guilt trip’. The only PC way for whites to escape accusation of it is to embrace the leftist mantra, which is the entire point of the meme.

The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (DPI) wants its white VISTA volunteers who work with low-income, racially diverse public schools to examine the “privilege” their Caucasian race confers on them.

DPI’s Web site suggests that white people “wear a white wristband as a reminder about your privilege, and as a personal commitment to explain why you wear the wristband.”

The document — written by a diversity resource center in New Jersey — also suggests that white people ask themselves questions, such as: “How do I ignore privilege? What am I doing today to undo my privilege? How do I fool myself into thinking I am powerless?”

http://tinyurl.com/b4whn4c

since i grew up in a slum, do i have to wear the juden patches too? i didn’t have a privileged childhood as i went to school with all the minorities, and worked hard to pass a test to get into Bronx science… dad was a refugee of a man who forced people to wear various patches too, not just juden (though only half of the victims are considered oppressed and get social justice benefits from the state in the US)

CNN’s Erin Burnett proclaims that accepting (i.e., promoting) anti-Semitism and anti-Americanism is part and parcel of the sacred (to liberals) notion of Change:

My complaint, as a 25 year Naval Aviator was that the Cruise character painted a false and demeaning view of Naval Aviation in exactly those aspects.

I guarantee you that no Carrier Ready Room would have tolerated that personality for long; much less admired it.

When squadron mates fly, their actions are intertwined. The guys that must fly together would not put up with hot dogging that endangers their own lives. (Over the years I lost three friends due to mistakes in tactical formation maneuvers; there is no room for mistakes, much less showboating stunts.).
As I said, I would have grounded the Cruise character in a heartbeat for his antics.

Maybe I missed something, but I cannot see any similarity between Top Gun and Butch OHare’s exploits in World War II.

Not all Naval Aviators agree with me about Top Gun; but, they are sometimes mistaken in other things as well.

A mere 25-years(to the day)later a couple Yanks named Aldrin & Armstrong landed up yonder.
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On Tom C: Take a look at Michael Mann’s ’04 thriller,”Collateral”, and enjoy Cruise as a very bad man. ‘Fraid I’ll never see ‘Reacher’ as I’d have to avert my eyes(and ears)from Tom doing Jack. NOT.