Officer Frank Murphy (Roy Scheider, Jaws) pilots a helicopter for the Los Angeles Police Department. During a nighttime aerial patrol, Frank and partner Officer Richard Lymangood (Daniel Stern, Home Alone) spy on a woman exercising, leading them to miss a councilwoman being murdered nearby, resulting in their suspension. Frank’s punishment doesn’t last long. His superior (Warren Oates, The Wild Bunch) needs him to test the next generation of police helicopters. The futuristic vehicle, nicknamed “Blue Thunder,” features bulletproof armor, state-of-the-art surveillance equipment, whisper mode, and advanced weaponry. With the 1984 Summer Olympics on the horizon, the city is eager to put it into action. But Frank has his doubts. The program’s test pilot, F.E. Cochrane (Malcolm McDowell, A Clockwork Orange), is a man he grew to despise during their time in Vietnam. As tensions escalate, Frank becomes increasingly suspicious of the technology, culminating in a high-stakes aerial showdown above the City of Angels.
What We Thought:
Blue Thunder is quintessential 1980s. It has over-the-top action. It has government corruption. It has nudity and jokes. It has Roy Scheider playing a character way younger than he was at the time with an even younger love interest. It spawned a short lived TV series and with another TV series (Airwolf) really pushed helicopters into the hearts of boys.
Scheider plays a cop who flies a helicopter. He flew choppers in ‘Nam and watches over Los Angeles. He’s given a new observer (Daniel Stern) and he shows him the ropes. The Summer Olympics are coming to LA the next year and the government wants to increase security measures. Enter Blue Thunder, the latest and greatest in helicopter technology.
Scheider butts heads with someone in command, a man he worked with in Vietnam played by Malcolm McDowell. As Scheider investigates the real meaning behind what’s happening, the authorities come looking for him and he needs the help of his observer and girlfriend to clear his name.
The final action set piece is pretty fantastic and fans remember it well. Scheider takes on McDowell in another helicopter along with 2 F-16s and others in the sky. Los Angeles is usually known for its chase sequences in the streets, well Blue Thunder took to the air shooting up buildings and causing all kinds of damage. The stunts are great and hold up pretty well.
Blue Thunder is laughably unbelievable, but that’s why it works. Cops shoot first, ask questions later. Planes and helicopters get shot out of the sky with no care about who gets hurt below. It was the 1980s, the audience didn’t care about that stuff. It was a solid hit at the box office and a cable mainstay for years. I hadn’t seen it in probably 20 years and didn’t remember the nude yoga scene because the last time I saw it was probably the TV edit. If you are a fan, the 4K looks and sounds great and comes with interviews, commentary and more.
Special features include a 4K (2160p) UHD Blu-ray presentations in Dolby Vision (HDR10 compatible); original restored lossless 2.0 stereo audio and optional DTS-HD MA 5.1 remix; optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing; an archival audio commentary by director John Badham and others; brand new interviews with John Badham, Malcolm McDowell, and Candy Clark; an archival three-part documentary; an archival featurette on the design and construction of the iconic helicopter; an archival 1983 promotion featurette; an extended scene; the theatrical trailer; image gallery; and a collectors’ booklet featuring the original production notes.
The Nerds Templar 