Blue Thunder 4K 1983 Ultra HD 2160p

Story Movie

“Blue Thunder” is a state-of-the-art helicopter equipped with cutting-edge technology. It was designed to reliably protect Los Angeles from terrorists. But pilot Murphy discovers something he really shouldn't have known.

Now the pilot must defend himself, and his only chance of survival is to expose the high-ranking conspirators and their henchmen.

Review 4K Movie

Society has always strived, continues to strive, and will continue to strive for perfection. This is true even though the very concept of perfection is utterly incongruous and out of place in our imperfect world, and even though crime, if not the primary obstacle, is certainly one of its main hindrances. This has always driven the government and law enforcement agencies to implement numerous innovations in the name of a safe way of life. Naturally, numerous filmmakers have taken full advantage of this. Cult director Paul Verhoeven envisioned the future of law and order in the form of a half-human, half-robot in his cult hit *Robocop*. Meanwhile, the director of this film, John Badham, decided to explore outer space.

To say that this film has long enjoyed cult status is to state the obvious. After all, the film caused a real sensation in its day, and that is certainly understandable. Technically, the film is simply stunning. All those helicopter flights, both from the cockpit and outside it, are executed brilliantly, and the final action sequence—with helicopter chases, shootouts, explosions, and destruction—looks incredibly dynamic and spectacular. Perhaps not as spectacular as in many blockbusters by today’s standards, but it certainly wins you over with its real-life footage, stunt work, and minimal use of computer-generated effects. That’s where the film really shines.

In terms of atmosphere, the film attempts to maintain a certain neutrality between the genres of detective thriller and dashing aerial action film, and it’s worth noting that this neutrality is maintained quite effectively. Director John Badham has since limited his work to television series, but there was a time when, under his sensitive direction, such solid films as ‘The Killer,’ 'Bird on a Wire,' and many others were released, and this film rightfully takes its place among the director’s best works.

The film’s plot is also quite well executed. The investigation and the intrigue itself may not unfold quite as briskly, and the subject of the on-screen scandal might not seem particularly shocking or powerful, but within the genre, it all comes across quite decently. Even though the characters are essentially too caricatured, the film has too many unnecessary scenes, the relationship between the protagonist and his lover isn’t developed properly, and most importantly—the film offers an overly long introduction to the main plot events.

Roy Scheider is very good; he may not have given the best performance of his career, but he acted with sufficient strength, confidence, and naturalness. It was nice to see a very young Daniel Stern, whom many know from the first two installments of the comedy hit ‘Home Alone’. His character is quite charming, funny, and essentially provides most of the film’s entertainment value. Malcolm McDowell is absolutely brilliant as the main villain; he gets so into the role that it’s simply impossible not to believe him, and given the actor’s distinctive and somewhat repulsive appearance in his youth, the character even seems more authentic than he actually is.