Or consider the multiple locker room encounters between Maverick and his nemesis, Iceman (played by a sultry Val Kilmer), in which you can cut the sexual tension with a knife. Or how about the pilots’ call names: Maverick, Iceman, Slider and, of course, Maverick’s “rear” and BFF, Goose. Exhibit one: The infamous “ Playing with the Boys” beach volleyball scene.
The film’s homoeroticism and suggestive undertones have long been noted by conspiracy theorists, critics and film studies majors, most notably Quentin Tarantino. And for those looking to find a gay subtext, there are plenty of ripe examples for the picking.
Could one movie be both an unabashed paean to the military and a closeted gay epic?
