When you think of films like Top Gun and its sequel, released many decades later, Top Gun: Maverick, the least you come to think about is the realism of those movies. The spectacular action sequences are only the tip of the iceberg of genre epics based on an impeccable blend of carefully planned stunts and special effects. The dramatic arcs often follow a coincidental encounter between characters who are supposed to believe in themselves in the most critical part of their lives. Nothing like that ever happens in real life, but in the audience, we’d rather believe in the possibility for the sake of a compelling film.