Blue Thunder (Special Edition)
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Movie Reviews of Blue Thunder (Special Edition)
Movie Review: Crosses "X-Files", "Top Gun" and "Starsky & Hutch"
Summary: 4 Stars
"Blue Thunder" is an experimental police helicopter planned to keep LA safe by the time the Olympics come to town (this flick came out a year or two before the '84 Summer games). Clothed in armour plating, boosted by powerul, turbo-charged engines, and carrying a 20MM rotary cannon in her nose, Blue Thunder is a two-man, flying SWAT team. Muscle aside, the chopper also bristles with sophisticated surveillance gear centered around a computer that can hook into any other mainframe in America. Though Thunder has been evaluated throroughly by the US Army, the authorities want one of LAPD's own pilots to test-fly the chopper across LA's skies. The pilot, however, is Murphy (Scheider), a burnt-out flier who drove gunships for the army in Vietnam. After catching a dazzling demonstration of Blue Thunder's power (on a mockup town full of white and red dummies symbolizing by-standers and terrorists), Murphy learns that the army's chief test-pilot is FE Cochrane (McDowell, keeping a lot of his accent despite playing an army colonel), his commander in Vietnam, and a brutal sadist. Cochrane aside, Murphy has other problems - mostly involving unfavorable psych evals, and a suspension resulting from their failure to support cops in the ground in a botched attempt to save the life of a controversial city politician. Nevertheless cleared to fly the chopper, Murphy and LAPD flight observer Lymangood (Daniel Stern) fly outside their assigned plan and, using the chopper's electronic gear against its developers, learn of their darker intentions for the super chopper (without giving away anything, let's just say that this flick has some strangely prophetic ideas on the "Homeland Security" issue). Recording proof against Blue Thunder's developers, and hoping to hold out long enough for his girlfriend to contact the media with proof that will ground Blue Thunder for good, Murphy hijacks the chopper and finds himself targeted by everybody. Other cops and the USAF soon find their hardware isn't enough against Murphy, meaning that Cochrane himself will have to finish the job, setting the stage for an epic low-level chopper-dogfight among the city streets of LA, looking sort of like a car chase from one of those 70's cop shows, only using helicopters instead of that "Gran Torino".
"Blue Thunder" is an excellent movie. The flight scenes are fantastic, the special effects are great and everything is held together by an edgy electronic score and cinematography taht highlights the story's paranoia (if you saw "The Insider", you've got the idea). More than that is how much fun the characters have with their roles - the light banter between Stern and Scheider and Warren Oates (as Murphy's boss) keeps things going until we actually get to see the super-chopper in action. Even then, the script builds up to Cochrane and Murphy's battle-royale, straps you in and never lets go.
Movie Review: Excellent action-political thriller from the 1980's
Summary: 5 Stars
What can be said about Blue Thunder? It is an excellent action and political techno-thriller with a fine cast, solid plot, good special effects, excellent aerial stunt work, cinemaphotography, musical soundtrack, and the like. It is also a movie with a serious message. Much like the conspiracy thriller Seven Days In May, this film really captures the action and suspense, let alone the old saying of how one man can make a difference. If you enjoy the works of Roy Scheider, Malcolm McDowell, Daniel Stern, director John Badham, and the others who labored hard on the 1982-1983 production, be sure to check out Blue Thunder. Or if you enjoy avaition, check out the film. You won't be disappointed.If you also get a chance, be sure to check out Andrew Gilchrist's website devoted to the film. There is even a cool sequel written to the 1983 film.
Movie Review: Action Packed Movie!
Summary: 5 Stars
This movie is quite exciting.You have Roy Scheider in the lead role as your hero. He is the lead pilot of an ultra modern helicopter called Blue Thunder, He soon discovers a conspiracy by the government with the usage of Blue Thunder.The villain in this movie is Roddy McDowell.He is the government agent in chargeof the conspiracy. They do battle in the skies. You have outstanding special effects. The skyscrapers in this movie add to
the special effects. The helicopter chases are breathtaking and exciting. This movie is action packed and the actors do a very good job. Watch this movie,you will enjoy it.
Movie Review: perfect action film
Summary: 5 Stars
blue thunder remains one the best action flicks for one simple reason. the action scenes are real and not contrived special effects.when you see the helicopters flying all over los angeles in this movie you can tell it is REAL. the L.A. river chase sequence is a classic piece of aerial orchestration. roy scheider learned how to fly a helicopter for this movie and it shows.
Movie Review: awsome movie and awsome helecopter
Summary: 5 Stars
this is a great movie about a conspriacy to have Blue Thunder have ground control.Murphy, sensing something is wrong, is to be killed due to his suppicsions on the death of a political leader. following the death of his partner, after his parter, Daniel Stern from Rookie of the Year, steals the tapes that show a deadly plot and who really killed the political leader, Murphy steal Blue Thunder and exposes the truth. this is an awsome movie, and at one time, Blue Thunder had her own toy and model!
great movie to watch over and over.
DVD is crisp and clean.