Blue Thunder (1983)

Directed by John Badham. Starring Roy Scheider, Daniel Stern, Malcolm McDowell, Candy Clark, Warren Oates, Paul Roebling, David Sheiner, Jason Bernard, Joe Santos, James Murtaugh, Anthony James, Ed Bernard. [R]

Entertaining but preposterous action movie starring Scheider as a police helicopter pilot chosen to test an advanced surveillance/combat helicopter nicknamed “Blue Thunder,” but then he uncovers a conspiracy regarding the vehicle’s true purpose. Scheider is solid as usual as the troubled hero, Stern an affable (and randy) observer sidekick, and McDowell an unhinged adversary, but the real stars are the high-tech hardware and stuntwork, which are of a high quality for the 1980s. The storyline behind all those special effects and expert flying tricks is engaging at first, but an abundance of absurdity wears down interest in the second half until the extended climactic showdown among the skyscrapers of Los Angeles just turns into empty spectacle with unintended laughs. Dedicated to co-star Oates, as this was the final film role he shot (but not released). Turned into a short-lived television series of the same name the next year, and served as an obvious inspiration for the more successful program, “Airwolf.”

66/100