Truly, truly excellent film. You will laugh, you will cry, you will be inspired. The characters are so alive and compelling, I loved every second.

Watched 3 times on streaming 

A pretty bog standard action movie from its era, only saved by the fact that it’s gloriously homoerotic. The planes would have been cooler if it wasn’t obviously a propaganda piece for the Air Force.

2.5. For all of the thinly veiled gay shenanigans, the recruiting work this has done for the American war machine can’t be forgotten. 

I went to a DoD school and the air force band would play a show for us every year; without fail, their favourite song to play was Danger Zone. 

Watched multiple times on DVD 

A film in its most pure, base form, entirely driven by unforgettable acting performances and narrative excellence. Henry Fonda is a true delight from start to finish.

5. A must watch for any self respecting cinema fan

Fun fact, my dad sat and passed his bar exam at the courthouse they used to film the final scene.