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Regardless of your opinion of NASCAR racing, this is an incredibly fun movie for guys.

Is it creative? No. It's pretty obvious that it's the same thing as Top Gun. The only difference is maturity. Over the years, Tom Cruise had developed into a fine actor, and when coupled with Robert Duvall (in a spectacular performance) and a surprising Randy Quaid, Days of Thunder becomes a film which gets pretty much any guy involved in it.

I personally hate NASCAR, but still I find this film absolutely riveting, and every time I watch it, I suddenly have a desire to go race my car down the highway. In fact, the biggest argument against this movie is that it does get to the testosterone.

The music for Days of Thunder sets it up perfectly. Hans Zimmer does an effective job with his second Cruise film in two years (Rain Man was the other), and The Spencer Davis Group's Gimme Some Lovin' makes some plotless racing scenes worth watching.

The script, penned by Bob Towne, is far more clever than the average action movie and actually creates some serious character depth for Cole and Rowdy, although Cary Elwes' character seems excessively evil.

But, all in all, this is an action movie that works for Cruise fans, even if they don't like action movies. 8.5 out of 10 (On a pure enjoyment basis).

I was surprised as I watched "Days of Thunder" that I was enjoying the film. After all, I don't really care much for auto racing nor am I a Tom Cruise fan. But still, it's a pretty good film and I was pleasantly surprised.

The first portion of the film is great. I enjoyed watching Cole (Cruise) rise from a talented but ROUGH rookie to his finally becoming a winner. Much of this is because, unlike his films like "Top Gun", Cruise's character isn't so cocky. He needs to learn a lot...and is willing to admit it. It's pretty exciting, too, as he battles his nemesis, Rowdy Burns (Michael Rooker).

Midway through the film, Cole and Rowdy are involved in a wreck and are briefly hospitalized. There, Cole becomes mesmerized by a sexy doctor (Nicole Kidman) and to me, this was a huge distraction from the plot. It didn't feel real and I wanted to see Cole back behind the wheel. Does it get better when he resumes racing? Find out for yourself.

It's funny, but as I watched I realized that the plot to "Talladega Nights" really is much like "Days of Thunder"...with dopey (and hilarious) comedy and a much, much dimmer leading man! In fact, seeing both would make for a nice double-feature...one good serious film about NASCAR and one insanely stupid one!

Days of Thunder" is a classic racing film that has a lot to offer to fans of high-speed action and heartwarming drama. Directed by Tony Scott and starring Tom Cruise, the movie tells the story of Cole Trickle, a talented and ambitious NASCAR driver who dreams of becoming a champion. While the film may not reach the same heights as some of Cruise's other iconic roles, such as Maverick in "Top Gun," it's still a highly entertaining and enjoyable movie.

The film is full of thrilling and action-packed racing scenes that captures the intensity and danger of NASCAR racing, with high-speed chases, crashes, and pit stops that keep viewers on the edge of their seats. The sound design and cinematography are also impressive, with the revving engines, screeching tires, and dynamic camera angles adding to the excitement of the race.

The visuals are backed up by a great cast, Tom Cruise delivers a charismatic and engaging performance as Cole Trickle, capturing both the character's cockiness and his determination to win. Robert Duvall is also excellent as Harry Hogge, the grizzled crew chief who takes Trickle under his wing and helps him hone his skills. The chemistry between Cruise and Duvall is a highlight of the film, with their mentor-mentee relationship providing some of the most heartwarming moments.

Nicole Kidman as Dr. Claire Lewicki, the neurosurgeon who treats Trickle after a crash, and Michael Rooker as Rowdy Burns, Trickle's fierce rival on the racetrack. Randy Quaid also delivers a memorable performance as Tim Daland, the owner of Trickle's racing team.

However the film can be somewhat formulaic and predictable. The plot follows a familiar sports movie template, with Trickle overcoming various obstacles and setbacks on his way to the championship. Some viewers may find the plot and character arcs to be somewhat cliched and lacking in originality.

Despite its flaws, "Days of Thunder" is a highly enjoyable and entertaining movie that delivers plenty of thrills and heartwarming moments.

While it may not be as iconic as some of Tom Cruise's other films, it still holds up as a fun and exciting racing movie. Whether you're a fan of NASCAR or just looking for an adrenaline-fueled action flick, "Days of Thunder" is definitely worth a watch. So grab some popcorn, buckle up, and get ready for a wild ride.

Guilty pleasure for me. Works better than Top Gun for me.

Yeah, Top Gun is the one that made all the very BIG bucks back in 1986 and put Tony Scott and Tom Cruise on the map in bigger ways then they had been before (not to mention producers Don Simpson and Jerry Bruckheimer), but somehow, much as with De Palma/Pacino with Scarface and Carlito's Way, the follow-up seemed to probably be the actual better film of the two. Does this mean that Days of Thunder, following the travails of an up-and-comer racecar star (Cruise), is a really good movie? Well, in some ways yes, and in other ways not so much.

I give the production this: it moves fast and slick, and whenever cars are on the track it's visually compelling and exciting as the filmmakers know how to cut stuff together for Fast Impact (lest not forget the camera-work, filled with colors and smoke and cool contours, even a shot with Nicole Kidman standing at one point on the side of the frame is great to look at). And the casting here is fantastic; and forget Cruise, how about Robert Duvall (has he ever been anything less than solid, and here he's actually giving this conventional Trainer-cum-Mentor some soul), or Nicole Kidman (who gets really some of the best lines in the film), or Michael Rooker (by now something of an underrated character actor national treasure, and here imbuing an a-hole with a lot of sympathy and pathos)? Why not throw in John C. Reilly in there too, he has a couple of memorable moments too.

Where it flails? Sadly, and I'm not sure if this is really on Towne's end - and one should note that Cruise has his only (?) writing credit here as co-story author - or the producers, but this all the same is light-weight stuff. There's not much conflict to the proceedings, or much that sticks to the gravel, no pun intended (OK, some). This is the kind of movie that gives people like Duvall some excellent scenes to at least try to overcome the clichés of the sports movie (and make no mistake, that's what this is deep down, and a "programmer" of the old-time-studio variety, not a terrible thing inherently)... and then you got Cary Elwes as "Russ Wheeler". The last time one saw a motorist with the last name Wheeler was in a Disney Goofy cartoon about Motor Madness. And Randy Quaid, who is OK, also is saddled with some very basic material to work with here as the businessman who turns on a dime. There may be some stakes, like for Rooker's character, yet for Cruise there's not much there that makes it feel like 'Oh no, s***'s getting real here!'

In other words, Days of Thunder has some genuinely good stuff to it, and it has some personality and verve and, for a couple of moments, sex appeal in that, uh, late 80's/early 90's style (and hey, this was the movie Cruise and Kidman met after all, so you can see the chemistry as white hot as they come). But it's hard not to eye-roll at some of the story choices and character motivations, or things like, say, the movie ending on an unironic freeze frame at a very silly moment.

It's one of those things where I give it a tepid recommendation and/or a very strong put-down, if that makes sense. Quality, dumb-studio filmmaking for the masses - and, for sure, a step up from the waste of Top Gun. 6.5/10