When Top Gun smashed into theaters in 1986, it became a cultural phenomenon and solidified Tom Cruise’s status as a major Hollywood star. The film’s groundbreaking aerial sequences and iconic soundtrack set a new standard for action cinema that many films have tried to emulate since. Just four years later, Cruise and director Tony Scott reunited for another high-octane film that most considered a Top Gun knock-off, and it just raced onto Paramount+.
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We’re talking about Days of Thunder, Scott’s 1990 American sports action drama that at the time was considered “Top Gun on Wheels.” The movie joined Paramount+ on November 1st and is now streaming alongside both Top Gun and Top Gun: Maverick. The movie trades warplanes for race cars as Cruise takes on the role of Cole Trickle, a young and talented racecar driver with a hot temper entering NASCAR racing. Robert Duvall, Randy Quaid, Nicole Kidman, and Cary Elwes also star.
Days of Thunder Improved Upon Top Gun
There’s no denying that Top Gun is the bigger movie in pretty much every sense of the word, but Days of Thunder in some ways is much better. The film is more or less the same movie as Top Gun, following a near-identical plot with similar characters and themes, but Days of Thunder managed to mark a step up from its predecessor and make some much-needed improvements.
The film builds on Top Gun‘s themes to create a more cohesive and emotionally impactful story that aims to humanize its protagonist. While Top Gun faced some criticism over its lack of character development, simply focusing on the two-dimensional Maverick’s external conflicts and cockiness, Days of Thunder put a stronger focus on Cole’s emotional vulnerability as he is forced to confront his own physical and psychological limitations. This added to a story that proved to be far more compelling and prioritizes substance over action, which there is still plenty of.
Despite its strengths, including what could arguably be seen as an improved score from Hans Zimmer, Days of Thunder wasn’t as critically or commercially successful as Top Gun. The movie grossed $157.9 million worldwide, less than half of Top Gun’s $357 million gross. The movie also earned a rotten critic score on Rotten Tomatoes of just 37%, whereas Top Gun scored a 59%. In terms of audience approval, Days of Thunder earned a 60% rating.
What’s New on Paramount+?
Days of Thunder is far from the only can’t-miss movie now streaming on Paramount+. The streaming library saw a fresh arrival of titles on November 1st that also included 21 Jump Street, American Made, Blades of Glory, Dinner for Schmucks, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, and most of the Indiana Jones movies.
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