Best Blue Ray Movies

If you want to purchase this for your widescreen tv, seek out alternate versions (british region 2) that include the actual widescreen (anamorphic) print.

Although the plot is kinda lame, this movie boasts state of the art (in 1983) aerial combat action sequences over Los Angeles (L.A. natives will recognize the Piper Tech building, where air support is headqurtered, the downtown cityscape, the L.A. river), and a cool chase scene through the LA River, which like the rest of L.A., is concrete and steel. Roy Scheider (Murphy), Daniel Stern(Lymangood), and Warren Oates (in his last picture), give great performances, however, Malcom MacDowell's character, a sinister Army Lt. Colonel, is a bit hard to believe. The real star of the show here is Blue Thunder, a modified 1972 French Gazelle, outfitted with listening devices, video and infrared cams, and an M61 20mm vulcan cannon fitted to the nose. Blue Thunder is able to see through walls, peek down dresses at 1000 feet, and destroy a city block at the touch of a button. Some will notice the similarities to the Apache AH-64, and the cockpit windows are faceted, much like the then-classified stealth fighter.

Blue Thunder takes us to that "big brother is watching you" card reminicent of 1984,(which is the year the Olympics were in L.A.) what with its surveillance equipment, and there is even a reference to that in the movie, when Lymangood asks Murphy, "Big Brother, you want it on or off?" referring to the cockpit recorder which records their conversations. "I think we can lose that,"he replies.

The ending battle scene is great, with an awesome finale, and a somewhat chilling epilogue, as the credits begin to roll. You get the feeling that Murphy has avenged.

All in all, a pretty good movie with a bit of techno-sci-fi-thriller.

The futuristic premise concerning the ominous prospect of the L.A. police experimenting with military hardware in preparation for the Olympics is even more profound in this day and age then it was twenty years ago.

The hero, played by veteran actor Roy Scheider of Jaws fame, is an L.A. police helicopter pilot assigned to test pilot an experimental attack helicopter. Later he becomes disturbed by the implications of the department using such a monstrous attack vehicle in an urban setting. Which puts him at odds with the projects secret sponsors.

Blue Thunder does an excellent job of combining elements of the action genre with the police thriller. Famed N.Y. film critic Pauline Kael described the film as "elegantly kicky" and that John Alonzo's night time cinematography gave the film's night shots "a psychedelic, futuristic quality like (the film) Alphaville." Alonzo's hard photography does give the night scenes on the DVD a particularly radiant and atmospheric mood.

The film's only few setbacks are mainly in the first half. After a great, documentary like opener, the plot shifts into low gear. And only glosses over the intrigue and socio-political implications when it would've fared much better had it delved deeper into them. Like in one clever scene at a military demonstration site.

Fortunately, by the middle of the film things take a turbo charged turn as the hero and his side-kick uncover the sinister goings on and are forced to take drastic action. The aerial combat scenes are exhilirating. While the car chases on the ground provide an amusing counterpoint to an action convention.

All in all, a great DVD. Providing great acting, an intriguing premise and thrilling action.