Top Secret!
Top Secret! is a 1984 action‑comedy spoof by the ZAZ team—Jim Abrahams, David Zucker, and Jerry Zucker—with Martyn Burke. It stars Val Kilmer in his film debut as Nick Rivers, a popular American rock star who travels to East Germany to perform at a cultural festival. The trip is a cover for a government plan to reunite Germany under communist rule. There Nick meets Hillary Flammond, a member of the local resistance, and a series of comic misadventures unfolds, including prison escapes, a dangerous scientist, and a plot around a powerful device called the Polaris naval mine that could destroy NATO submarines.
The film parodies Elvis-style musicals, Cold War spy movies, and World War II adventures, mixing fast jokes with wacky stunts. Memorable moments include an underwater saloon fight and a Swedish bookstore scene filmed in reverse. Supporting roles feature Omar Sharif and Peter Cushing.
Budget was about $8.5–9 million, and it grossed around $20 million. Critics were mixed, but many praised the humor. It holds about 77% on Rotten Tomatoes and 68 on Metacritic, with Roger Ebert giving it 3.5 out of 4 stars. The movie has a cult following, including Weird Al Yankovic, who says it’s his all-time favorite film.
This page was last edited on 3 February 2026, at 07:33 (CET).