Sometimes you just need the warmth of a classic summer blockbuster to keep you entertained, and that’s why I included Top shooter the other day.
I’m always in awe of Tony Scott’s 1986 flight into the sky. You can get lost in the roar of adrenaline from the jet engines and the sun-drenched, high-contrast cinematography.
But this is a film with deep feelings.
I think we all remember the volleyball scene and the technical wonder of aerial combat. But today I want to talk about the emotional climax of the film.
That’s right, I want to delve into the unlikely friendship that becomes the crux of the film and demonstrates the mutual respect that can transcend rivalry.
Let’s dive in.
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The scene in question
Top shooter is a film about male bravado as a metaphor for America. Can we leave all this swagger behind us when the world calls on us to work together to defeat an enemy who needs us to break and break in order to exploit our weaknesses?
At the heart of this move are Iceman and Maverick, two guys emotionally cut from the same cloth, trying to figure out whether they hate each other or not.
These are guys who fight for the same side, but whose macho nature prevents them from getting along. It’s all about competition, and it’s every man for himself.
But the main lesson here is that in the air you need someone to watch your back.
On one hand, you have Pete “Maverick” Mitchell (Tom Cruise). What can we say about him? He is reckless and completely driven by emotions and dangerous instincts.
On the other hand, you have Tom “The Iceman” Kazansky (Val Kilmer). This guy is tall, handsome and likes to do things by the book.
They both want to become the best pilots in their class.
The Stakras become real when they go to war and see classmates die for something greater than both their egos. These are real war zones with real consequences.
Their dynamics are defined by intense confrontations and classic tensions between characters and archetypes. But it all culminates on the flight deck after the film’s final, deadly dogfight.
Faced with real ghost enemies, the two are forced to rely on each other and not let their egos get the better of them.
Maverick saves Iceman’s life, and once they are on solid ground, Iceman breaks through the noise of the celebrating crowd to deliver his final verdict:
Iceman: “You can become my wingman at any time.”
Maverick: โNonsense. You can be mine.”
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Slave value
The whole film is about trust and responsibility. When you’re flying on a multi-million dollar plane at Mach 2, your belongings belong to the person flying next to you.
Bringing it to the page is what makes this script pop and gives Cruise and Kilmer something to grab onto as they fight in the earlier scenes. They know that a natural climax is coming.
When you’re looking at how to write a scene that sets up a storyline, you need to look closely at the subtext.
Throughout the scenario, the word “wingman” is considered the highest indicator of professional and personal respect.
This film will be about the power of two, not one. So how do you arrange for both guys to meet in one place? Well, you start by separating them and then designing the scenes and the stakes and then keep combining them.
When Iceman calls Maverick his partner, it is an acknowledgment that his worldview has fundamentally changed. And even when Maverick objects, it’s with a smile, signaling the same shift in his personality.
Fundamental mutual respect gives us an ending we can believe in.
Conclusion for screenwriters
This is a great film for screenwriters who want to learn how to write intense and effective dialogue at pivotal moments for their main characters.
We got the setup and payoff for the wingan idea, and then refined the arcs that actually subvert the archetypes and create catharsis for these guys.
Here are a few things I would like to emphasize to my writer friends:
- Find your trust metric: At the beginning of the script, establish a specific motive that represents the ultimate connection between the characters. By the time you reach climax, simply acknowledging the term can carry the entire emotional weight of the journey.
- Keep friction alive: Resolution doesn’t mean your characters have to become completely different people. They simply don’t have to put up with internal struggles, which will make them more whole. The banter between Maverick and Iceman works because the spark of rivalry is still there.
- Let’s move on to the main thing: If the emotional climax seems stalled, try removing the exposition. See if you can let one earned line do the heavy lifting.
To sum it all up
Top shooter became part of the cultural lexicon and also left a huge mark on Hollywood. It’s no wonder that years later its sequel saved the theatrical exhibition and reminded us of the power of cinema.
Well, none of this would have been possible if this original film hadn’t found its core and given us a arc that completed two great arcs.
Let me know what you think of this iconic exchange in the comments below!