However with today's technology and killing prowess of the worlds' militaries the tech displayed in this movie is underwhelming. I remember watching this when it first came out when the helicopter seemed so futuristic. Now, not so much. It doesn't take away from the story line or the action. It's no Lethal Weapon but is definitely worth a watch.

I like Roy Scheider a lot. He boxed in the Golden Gloves, and who could not admire that nose? He's the protagonist here, a Vietnam vet who patrols Los Angeles in eponymous Super Duper helicopter that is designed to awe the audience. It's armored, it has a 20 mm. Gatling gun that automatically follows the gaze of the pilot, immune to radar, equipped with infra-red detectors, and it has a "whisper mode" in which the whop whop generated by the whirling rotors is dimmed by the sound man. It is supposed to be the ne plus ultra of military helicopters. And maybe in was in 1983. It's nothing new today. Except I suppose no current helicopters have a "whisper mode" because no sound man is present.The problem is that any experienced viewer, anyone who has tapped into one or two examples of the James Bond franchise, isn't going to feel awe as much as boredom.The helicopter is already obsolescent and the plot isn't anything new either. Roy Scheider is good; Malcolm McDowell is bad. Scheider, the pilot, has a radar officer next to him, a young "Gee Whiz" kind of guy who is cheerful, helpful, moral, and hasn't been around much. You know he's dead meat ten seconds after he appears.The musical score pounds on our tympani. So does the dialog. "Okay, boys, this time we play Follow the Leader!" Scheider makes the kind of wisecracks under stress that can be found in an Arnold Schwarzenegger action movie, even as his helicopter whirls in circles and heads for the deck.Lots of action scenes. The helicopter demolishes a cardboard test town. Cars chase a car. Helicopter chases a car. Helicopter chases helicopter. Car chases bound and gagged man waddling down the street. Exploding fireballs all over the place. Kids will love it.The final shoot out takes place at about a thousand feet over and between Los Angeles' glass office buildings. One is flown by the good guy and the other is flown by the villain. Guess who wins.

This is a typical 80's action movie. Actors only open their mouths to move the story line along combined with a fairly contrived/predictable storyline. So why do I still enjoy it? it is simply that the film makers manage to do the basics well. The storyline is sound and probably even more relevant now, 30 years on, than it was when it was first made. The acting line up is excellent, with Roy Schneider, Malcom McDowell, Warren Oates and Daniel Stern. The film is well made with a good script, crisp editing and good cinematography.But above all, I love the helicopter battle at the end.Plus I always love Malcom McDowell as a bad guy.A simple synopsis for a simple, well structured and fun 80's movie. It doesn't challenge, it doesn't make you think too much but it delivers a fun experience. It's so 1980's!

Blue Thunder is set in Los Angeles where Officer Frank Murphy (Roy Scheider) works as a helicopter pilot, while out one night flying the police chopper he witnesses a shoot-out between some thugs & a politician named Diane McNeely (Robin Braxton) in which McNeely is shot & killed. Put down to an attempted rape Murphy isn't so sure, the US military draft Murphy into an experimental programme called THOR in which they have developed a hi-tech assault helicopter to police the skies & take appropriate force if necessary to prevent crime. While on surveillance Murphy collects evidence that implicates several high ranking military official's in a plot to cause trouble in Los Angeles so the helicopter nicknamed Blue Thunder could be used & it's worth & the monetary investment proved. No-one will believe Murphy so he steals Blue Thunder & uses it against it's creators to prevent a massacre...Directed by John Badham this semi futuristic action thriller is watchable enough in it's own right but while Blue Thunder is a good film it's not a great one in my opinion. The script can't quite decide if it wants to be a political thriller or a straight up lads action film & sort of lies somewhere between the two with ever really completely satisfying on either count. The thriller & standard Government conspiracy plot is too broad & besides having a few guy's in nice suits talk in sinister tones there's virtually no depth to that angle at all, the idea that they plan to ignite trouble through racial tension in Los Angeles so they can demonstrate how good their hi-tech helicopter is does seem to stretch credibility somewhat, why didn't the military just create Blue Thunder for like, you know, military purposes where it would have been perfectly suited? They risk exposing themselves far too often & seem far too open about their plans for my liking too. The action scenes are pretty good, the last half an hour in particular are full of helicopter chases, car chases & explosions but the thriller side of things bog the film down too much & it takes a while to get to the good stuff, at over 100 minutes long Blue Thunder the helicopter isn't even seen for the first half an hour for instance. There's a nice little moment as Murphy spies on a naked woman doing aerobics in the helicopter which raises issues about privacy & the jurisdiction the police have but it's a throwaway scene of little consequence overall. The rest of the plot elements are fairly standard action film clichés, there's the troubled maverick hero, the main villain who has a personal connection to the hero, the annoyed boss of said hero who shouts & swears a lot & not to mention the rookie mismatched partner.The Blue Thunder helicopter does look quite cool with it's sleek lines & gun & missile turrets, the actual helicopter used was a French made Gazelle with various bolt on parts. The action scenes are pretty good with helicopter chases including going under some bridges, a car chase & some explosions during the final thirty odd minutes. There's surprisingly very little violence with a tiny body count compared to most Hollywood action films, there's really is no on screen violence at all although there's a fair amount of profanity & some nudity. Apparently the first draft of the script was about a police helicopter pilot going mad & terrorising Los Angeles using his chopper, the studio men didn't like it though & made the main character a hero & Blue Thunder was born.This has good production values & is well made, the majority of the action scenes are real with a few model shots & a bit of rear projection & it still looks better than most modern CGI effect heavy films. The acting is good from a decent cast, Roy Scheider never really made it big as a star but he's good here, Malcolm McDowell is wasted although Warren Oates in his last film is great as the bad tempered police Captain.Blue Thunder is a decent enough action thriller that doesn't quite deliver in either regard but it's alright for what it is, the action scenes are good & the helicopter looks cool so 80's action fans should like it. Followed by the Blue Thunder (1984) TV series which ran for eleven episodes & surely this influenced the makers of Airwolf?