Hot Shots!
Seen it?1991 | 85 min | Action, Comedy, War
Saturday SpecialWhy it’s a Saturday Special
It earned strong reviews (82% on Rotten Tomatoes), it made about 7 times its budget and it's still drawing plenty of interest. A strong pick for the weekend.
Based on critics, audiences, awards, box office and buzz. Details below.Is it for you?
- Who'll love it
- Made for anyone who wants a laugh, action fans and history buffs. If you loved Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb or Mayday, start here. Critics rate it higher than audiences do, so it rewards patience more than it chases thrills.
- The mood
- Provocative satire that goes after everyone, intense.
- The pace
- Fast-moving, at 1 hr 25 min.
- What might put you off
- Rated PG-13. Probably too much for younger kids.
The gang that created Airplane! and The Naked Gun sets its sights on Top Gun in this spoof. Topper Harley is a talented but unstable fighter pilot with an axe to grind: clearing the family name. His mission is to avenge his father and save a mission sabotaged by greedy weapons manufacturers. He also gets involved in a relationship with Ramada Thompson, a woman with an unusually talented stomach. Hot Shots! makes fun of a variety of other films, from Dances with Wolves to The Fabulous Baker Boys.
How it earned its rating
- CriticsStrong
82% on Rotten Tomatoes, 61 on Metacritic
- AudiencesSolid
6.6 out of 10
- AwardsNot counted
No major awards or nominations
- Box office & staying powerStrong
$181 million worldwide on a $26 million budget; still draws a steady audience long after release
- Buzz & cultural impactStrong
About 202K people sought it out in the past year
Trailer
More like this
Hot Shots! Part Deux
Sunday Safe BetFrom the same Hot Shots! series, and a safe bet for a quiet night.
Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb
Friday Night FlickAnother critically acclaimed comedy.
Mayday Saturday SpecialAnother action comedy, and a Saturday Special.
The Naked Gun Saturday SpecialAnother action comedy, and a Saturday Special.
Johnny English Strikes Again
Monday Morning MaybeAnother action comedy. Fair warning: it's a Monday Morning Maybe.
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Cast & crew
Directed by Jim Abrahams
- Charlie SheenTopper Harley / Rhett Butler / Superman
- Cary ElwesKent Gregory
- Valeria GolinoRamada Thompson / Scarlett O'Hara / Lois Lane
- Lloyd BridgesAdmiral Benson
- Kevin DunnLt. Commander Block
- Jon CryerJim 'Wash Out' Pfaffenbach
- William O'LearyPete 'Dead Meat' Thompson
- Kristy SwansonKowalski
- Efrem Zimbalist Jr.Wilson
- Bill IrwinBuzz Harley