Rotten Tomatoes
Submit search Movies Tv shows RT App News Showtimes

Blue Thunder

Play trailer Poster for Blue Thunder R 1983 1h 49m Action Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
79% Tomatometer 28 Reviews 53% Popcornmeter 5,000+ Ratings
Frank Murphy is a courageous and honorable Los Angeles police officer who is chosen to test run Blue Thunder, a high-tech experimental attack helicopter. While flying Blue Thunder, Murphy and his partner discover that the government intends to use the helicopter for corrupt crowd control and surveillance.
Watch on Fandango at Home Stream Now

Where to Watch

Blue Thunder

Critics Reviews

View More
Budd Wilkins Slant Magazine May 6
It’s that rare beast: a rollicking action film with a subversive political agenda. Go to Full Review
Matt Brunson Film Frenzy 3d
3/4
One of its decade’s more durable techno-thrillers. Go to Full Review
Nick Rogers Midwest Film Journal May 8
4/5
John Badham's perpetually timely thriller boasts a match made in heaven of practical effects and miniature photography, building to one of the best action finales of the 1980s. Go to Full Review
Jeff Beck The Blu Spot May 5
3/5
It has excellent production value, a fine performance from the great Roy Scheider, and the action sequences do provide some thrills, but in the end, you'll probably find yourself wishing that there was a little more to its plot. Go to Full Review
Grant Watson Fiction Machine Jun 3
6/10
It is very much a film of its time, with Badham’s depiction of the sleek Blue Thunder helicopter foreshadowing – but not quite matching – the sort of glossy and over-produced military actions of Tony Scott and Michael Bay. Go to Full Review
Eddie Harrison film-authority.com 02/21/2021
4/5
…a cool action film with location work that’s all the more striking in today’s green-screen world. Sure, it’s flawed as a political diatribe, but in terms of kinetic urban action in the air, it’s a perfect vehicle for the grizzled charm of Roy Scheider… Go to Full Review
Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

View More
Jelisije J @jjosifovic 1d A very cheesy over the top 1980's movie that had great helicopter scenes ,but the story is way to unrealistic in my opinion. See more Jason H @RT50328122 Apr 12 Just Another Failed Opus. See more thiago S @Thiagostone Apr 4 Filme fraco, o roteiro é fraco, as cenas são fracas, a história é fraca, o elenco é fraco, e ninguém ajuda a melhorar o filme, os personagens são fracos, e o filme deveria ter cenas bem melhores e relevantes, para fazer o filme ser bom See more Marius C @MComan Sep 15 Not great, not terrible. A classic action movie for that time. See more Claudio C @Claudio666 Jul 29 Blue Thunder (1983) Full of Action Thriller (11,862 – 29 Jul 2025 – by Claudio Carvalho) In Los Angeles, the Vietnan war veteran Frank Murphy (Roy Scheider) is a helicopter pilot from LAPD. During a flight patrol with the rookie Richard Lymangood (Daniel Stern), they see a nude actress while the councilwoman Diana McNeely (Robin Braxton) is robbed and murdered. Chief Braddock (Warren Oates) suspends them for two weeks for peeping the woman. However, Murphy is invited to see an exhibition of the state-of-the-art prototype helicopter Blue Thunder presented by Colonel Cochrane (Malcolm McDowell). Murphy has a beef with Cochrane since the Vietnam War and when he goes on patrol with Lymangood in the Blue Thunder, he uses the resources available in the helicopter to spy on Cochrane. They record a conversation in a meeting among army, police, secret service and politicians of a conspiracy, and now their lives are in jeopardy. “Blue Thunder” (1983) is a full of action thriller directed by John Badham. The plot is very enjoyable, with Roy Scheider in the role of a Vietnan War veteran with PTS and a trauma from the war. Murphy’s girlfriend Kate, played by Candy Clark, is responsible for an excellent car chase in one of the best moments of the film. Malcolm McDowell performs hie typical role of villain. In the end, “Blue Thunder” is a movie that has aged very well and is still engaging. My vote is seven. Title (Brazil): “Trovão Azul” (”Blue Thunder”) My Blog: https://maniacosporfilme.wordpress.com/ See more Brad S. R @RT07389644 04/07/2025 Despite a fine cast, this early '80s flick comes off as more of a lecture about the first amendment than an exciting action-thriller. See more Read all reviews
Blue Thunder

My Rating

Read More Read Less WRITE A REVIEW EDIT REVIEW POST RATING
The Dogs of War 70% 53% The Dogs of War Watchlist Rolling Thunder 82% 77% Rolling Thunder Watchlist Bat 21 82% 58% Bat 21 Watchlist Double Impact 33% 43% Double Impact Watchlist The Perfect Weapon 36% 63% The Perfect Weapon Watchlist Discover more movies and TV shows. View More

Movie Info

Synopsis Frank Murphy is a courageous and honorable Los Angeles police officer who is chosen to test run Blue Thunder, a high-tech experimental attack helicopter. While flying Blue Thunder, Murphy and his partner discover that the government intends to use the helicopter for corrupt crowd control and surveillance.
Director
John Badham
Producer
Gordon Carroll
Screenwriter
Dan O'Bannon, Don Jakoby
Distributor
Columbia Pictures
Production Co
Rastar Pictures, Columbia Pictures Corporation
Rating
R
Genre
Action, Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
May 13, 1983, Original
Release Date (Streaming)
Apr 16, 2012
Runtime
1h 49m
Sound Mix
Surround, Stereo