MovieChat Forums > Blue Thunder (1983) Discussion > Really, there was no point in Murphy hij...

Really, there was no point in Murphy hijacking Blue Thinder at all

posted 10 years ago by Samclyde2
10 replies | jump to latest

Apparently, Murphy had two goals:

1. Get the tape to the media

2. Destroy Blue Thunder

Rather than involving Kate and calling attention to the bad guys about what he was up to, why didn't Murphy just secretly drive over himself to the dumpster, retrieve the tape and QUIETLY bring it to the media himself? More chance of success there.

As far as destroying Blue Thunder -- what good would that do? They can always just make another one.

Not to mention all the destruction he could've avoided, as well as the trouble he must've been in after the movie.

I realize we're cutting out the best part of the movie here, but if you're gonna have Murphy in the air with Blue Thunder, at least make his reason for doing so make more sense, more of a neccessity.

[–] mike_cable 10 years ago

He wasn't a well man to begin with and his buddy had just been killed by those thugs for what they saw/heard/recorded together. It was his best option, in his mind.

[–] jay_guevara-1 10 years ago

As far as destroying Blue Thunder -- what good would that do? They can always just make another one.

It was a prototype and the intention was that with the revelations in the media, there would be enough public opposition to ensure the project was shut down (thereby preventing any more BT's being made) and the politicians sent down, or at least exposed - and this is alluded to during the closing moments.

[–] jason-brooks15 10 years ago

Nah, the blueprints for Blue Thunder were still around.
Somebody would build one for the Columbian drug cartels ...

[–] Paynebyname 9 years ago

I assumed he did it because he was inside the cockpit listening to the message and realised that the same fate that befell Lymangood could happen to him if he went home.

I guess he realised that he had the opportunity to take the chopper that he would never have again and this would (or could) provide him with the ultimate bargaining chip.

I don't think he had gone there with the intention of stealing it but after realising that they'd murdered his friend he wanted to be a thorn in their side.

"Small moves Ellie, small moves"

[–] ncsr11 9 years ago

If you watch carefully he might have done that. He needed to get inside "Special 1" to listen to the C-60 cassette recording on the cockpit voice recorder where Lymangood hid the fuse under the seat. He may have done just that except a maintainence crew member who had arrived with the helicopter had spotted him and told him he wasn't supposed t be in there. Because an APB had been issued for Murphy's arrest, and because he would have been handed over to Cocrane's people, the only way out of the police station was to fly out.

[–] Samclyde2 9 years ago

What's strange though is -- why was there an APB out for Murphy's arrest? I can see for questioning, by why an arrest?

[–] ncsr11 9 years ago

That's what it was, questioning. Ex-Vietnam vet with PTSD. A recent crash, threats against Cochrane, but more so the mob. They would have killed him. Also, they were after the hatch-back Pinto his girlfriend was driving, so he gave some cover. Between needing to cover for his girlfriend and no way off the roof, the only way out of the station was to steal the prototype.

[–] bigmacfriestogo 9 years ago

What's strange though is -- why was there an APB out for Murphy's arrest? I can see for questioning, by why an arrest?

Possibly Murphy was being set-up/framed for it by Icelan and co, who decided to take advantage of his recent 'wing-ding' and suspension which made him look unstable.

[–] flameman3 9 years ago

Murphy took Blue Thunder because he knew what had happened to Lymangood, and that if he went for the tape himself, the bad guys would track and follow him, possibly kill him. He had bad guys after him, and also the police because if you listen carefully shortly after Lymangood's death, the police are instructed to bring him in for questioning because he was a suspect in his death.
Murphy knew his best chance to escape and do everything he needed to do was to steal Blue Thunder. Yes he got his girlfriend involved, but he was following her every step of the way from the air to make sure she was alright. As far as destroying Blue Thunder, my guess would be that he knew it was going to fall into the wrong hands.

[–] spookyrat1 8 years ago

Murphy took Blue Thunder because he knew what had happened to Lymangood, and that if he went for the tape himself, the bad guys would track and follow him, possibly kill him.

Absolutely not to mention he had a gun pulled on him when he was in the cockpit. He was being set up good and proper.

Possibly Murphy was being set-up/framed for it by Icelan and co ...

Definitely!🐭