Original subtitles

[ No Audible Dialogue ]

[ Chuckles ] You're 10 minutes late, Frank. What happened?

Uh, well, you see, sir, I have this houseguest...

who found it hard to believe that I was going in to work... on a Sunday.

- What's up? - Your next job's \h\hout of the country.

You leave in six hours. Try that on your houseguest.

You'll be meeting with some official types from Washington here around 11:00 a.m.

But between now and then, you have to check out your new copilot.

- My new what? - You heard it right, Frank. \h\hCopilot.

Crew spent half the night putting back the dual controls in Blue Thunder.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hCome on. Wait a minute. What about JAFO? How's he feel about it?

He can't know anything about it, not till the mission's over. Sorry.

This is Frank Chaney. Frank, this is Miss Terrance Burke...

on loan from the sheriff's helicopter paramedic unit.

Did I hear that name right? Terrance?

Yeah, my father was a stubborn man.

I've got four sisters-- Michael, Egan, Pierce and Brendan.

All right, Terry. I'll go suit up, and we'll take her up for a fast flight check. Okay?

Yes, sir.

[ Chaney ] Terry, where'd you learn how to fly a helicopter?

My father again. He was a marine,

an instructor pilot at the Warwick Field.

He thought every mistake I made in the cockpit was a deliberate attempt on his life.

[ Chuckles ]

The flight instructor who trained me felt the same way.

He was half right.

Terry, Blue Thunder...

is somewhere between a helicopter and a guided missile.

You think you can handle her? \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hYes, sir.

- You got it? - I got it.

[ Burke ] This thing is nose-heavy! Why didn't you warn me?

[ Chaney ] I wanted to see how you could handle it.

[ Burke ] And the torque-- It takes twice as much rudder.

Right. You brought her under control in 75 seconds.

I'm impressed. \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hI'm relieved.

I'm relieved too. You stopped calling me "sir." Up till now,

you could've been flying any one of a dozen choppers.

Now let's try what you can only find in Blue Thunder.

- Like what? - Like hitting speeds \h\hclose to Mach 1.

- Shall we go for it? - Me or you?

You. Only this time, keep her nose up, not down.

Hit the switch that says "rotor reduction."

You got it? \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hI got it.

All right. I'm gonna put us on turbo thrust.

Now, just hang on, baby.

Tell me when you want it back.

Okay, I've got it.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hWell, how'd I do? Oh, you did fine. Just fine.

I'll tell ya, Terry, I'd just like to know why I have a copilot.

You got any ideas? An idea? Yeah. Have I been officially told? No.

Well, you have a good guess?

Well, we're going on an assignment out of the country, right?

One of the hottest spots in the world right now...

is the island of Malaga in the Caribbean.

There's a medical school there. I attended it for 18 months.

But when my scholarship wasn't renewed,

I-I had to say good-bye to my medical ambitions.

So, obviously, you know the island.

I know a little bit about the people and the geography, but I'm no expert.

Do you speak the language?

Yeah. So do you. Malaga's a former British colony.

[ Chaney ] Let's just, uh, get back to headquarters...

and get some more answers, huh?

[ Man ] This is the group leader of the mercenaries, George Gruly.

This was taken 10 years ago, but our information is that he's changed very little.

Conrad Zwink. Fairly recent picture.

He likes to blow things up.

Ralph Slate. Small arms expert.

A killer.

Now, we figure Gruly has taken at least...

one other man with him to Malaga.

[ Chaney ] And you're telling us their job...

is to assassinate Morris Priest, the prime minister?

Yes. And if they get away with it,

it'll be the worst setback this country has suffered since the Bay of Pigs.

What if we get in a situation where we got no choice, and we have to waste these guys?

Killing them isn't an acceptable alternative. That can't be allowed to happen.

- Well, who's backing them? \h\hWhere's the money coming from? - From the K.G.B.

- How much time do we have? - We figure you've got \h\h48 hours at most.

That's from the time Blue Thunder takes off from the navy cruiser.

What happens if we get captured?

Neither you nor your vehicle has any U.S. military connection if you're captured.

If you get captured,

you will be in the same bag as the mercenaries.

Somebody hired you to do a job.

Hold on just a minute. \hLieutenant Chaney, \hthe answer's very simple.

Don't... get... caught.

We're going in to save Prime Minister Priest's life.

Priest is an anti-American. He isn't gonna welcome us with open arms, is he?

Well, neither Priest nor his government will know.

Now, they must not know that you're there.

This is terrific. Is there an underground there?

Is there anybody down there that we can call a friend?

Yes. Your ground crew will be contacted at the Malaga airport.

Any more questions?

This ship will be back here 24 hours from now.

We'll stand by for precisely 60 minutes.

And we'll be back again 48 hours from now...

and again 72 hours from now.

That's it.

Don't fuss with the hat! \h\h\h\hSki, this isn't gonna work.

Why are you such a worrier?

'Cause I'm the one with the two guns under my hat.

I gotta say it again?

The metal detector's only set for 6 feet 4.

You think they don't know that?

Welcome to Malaga, gentlemen. May I help you?

Do you have a reservation for Garrett?

Garrett?

Ah, yes, the Land Rover. \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h[ Door Opens ]

Would you sign here, please, Mr. Garrett?

You'll find your vehicle in the parking lot to the left of the exit.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hEnjoy your stay. [ Man ] Stop! I order you to halt!

\h[ Engine Starts ] Stop her!

[ Gunfire ]

I can't believe it. She was arrested,

tried and executed in about 20 seconds.

How are you feeling, Terrance?

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hScared. Ah, well, nothin' to worry about.

Gruly and his men aren't expectin' us. Like fish in a barrel.

Why don't you pop another look at 'em?

They don't get any prettier.

[ Chuckles ] We'll save that one for Ski.

Bubba says this one's for him.

Ooh!

You suppose Higby is with 'em? \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hTerrance, my dear,

we'll just have to assume he is with them.

Well, in 10 seconds, they'll be overdue.

Oh. How long are you gonna stay bummed at me?

For gosh sakes, I said I was sorry.

Big deal. You almost got us killed.

Well, whose fault was that? You promised to remind me...

that these people drive on the wrong side of the road.

No, Ski. I promised to remind you...

that you drive on the wrong side of the road.

Contact. Four degrees to the left.

[ Beeping ]

[ Hushed Whirring ]

You sure they're pickin' up the signal?

The vector light says they are.

Then where in the hell are they?

[ Helicopter Whirring ] \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hAnswer your question?

[ Bubba ] You had us worried, Frank.

I hope you brought some luck with ya. \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hWhy? What happened?

Our contact got blown away at the airport. \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hOh, no.

Frank, the only alternative may be to abort.

We can't. This is an important assignment.

Maybe the most important assignment we've ever had.

Terry, what do you know about the resistance movement?

Not much. The leader's name is Winston Marley.

Well, let's start with Winston Marley. \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hOkay.

But the rumor was he'd been arrested and put in solitary confinement.

- I know that place. \h\hIt's on the windward side. - Get me background on him.

[ Burke ] Winston Marley. Educated: Princeton.

Priest's right-hand man until Priest took power...

and proclaimed himself a Marxist-Leninist.

Marley called for a free election...

and was tried and sentenced to 20 years.

[ Keys Jingling ]

[ Latch Unlocking ]

Good morning, old friend.

It pains me to see an old comrade suffering like this.

Winston, you've lost touch with history.

Our history.

There's a movement to remove me. It doesn't come from your people.

It comes from the left,

the pro-Soviet ideologues in the army.

It's true. I want Malaga to be independent...

of the U.S. and the Soviets.

To do this, I need you.

You know the price.

A constitutional government based on free elections.

- Agreed. - What?

Agreed.

Not today, not tomorrow.

It isn't politically possible.

In the future, yes.

Let me issue a statement of unity signed by you,

and I'll release you \hand welcome you like a brother.

And after you've solved your political problem,

you'll throw me back in here.

No.

[ Chuckles ]

Then I must be rid of you.

You will, the report will say,

be shot trying to escape.

Think it over, Winston.

You think it over.

[ Door Closes ]

This thing got any shocks in it?

Makes you appreciate Junior, doesn't it?

Boy, I'm tellin' ya, you couldn't even get away from a semi in this.

I'll tell ya what. If we gotta make a fast getaway,

I don't have a can opener to get you in or out of this thing.

There they are, right on schedule.

[ Beeping ]

Okay, rookie, let's see if you can scare up a reading on the thermograph.

[ Burke ] Only three heat sources inside in the southwest corner.

Yeah, well, let's just hope it's Marley.

Okay, Bub, let's see that rocket arm of yours.

Well, here goes nothin'.

You throw like my mother. \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hI've seen your mom.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hShe would've had it \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hin the mess hall. [ Gunfire ]

[ Man ] Over here!

- Why do we always have \h\hto be the decoys? - Ours is not to reason why.

Ours is but to do or die. \h\h\h\hDon't finish that sentence!

Marley? Stand back away from the door.

All right, let's go. \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hWho are you?

There is no time to explain. Let's go!

Take off. We'll keep them plenty occupied.

[ Bubba ] You're on the wrong side again!

All right, you've convinced me...

you're not acting for our self-appointed prime minister.

But I still don't trust you. Why should I?

Mr. Marley, we just risked our lives breaking you out of prison.

What's that worth in your trust department? Depends on why you broke me out.

Did you know Sonia Maynard? She worked for the Malaga Airlines.

Why do you use the past tense? What's happened to Sonia?

She was gonna help us. She was killed by the military police.

Help you? \hHelp you to do what?

Save Morris Priest's life.

Only hours ago, Morris Priest threatened to kill me.

Now you're about to ask me to help you keep him alive?

Mr. Marley, somewhere on this island,

there is a squad of American mercenaries...

who were hired and sent here to assassinate your prime minister.

Ah. So you're here...

to stop American nationals from assassinating our prime minister.

[ Chuckles ] That would be quite an embarrassment, wouldn't it?

- Yes, it would. - Who hired them?

K.G.B. American intelligence believes that...

Priest is in danger of being ousted by his own army...

and a pro-Soviet faction taking over.

Now, how's that for a scenario?

\h\h\h\hAmericans assassinate your \h\h\h\hprime minister. Meanwhile-- [ Vehicle Approaching ]

We gotta get outta here! \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hHalf the damn army's \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hon our tail.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hIs there a safe place \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hyou can find us to hide? Yes. We have an encampment.

And the answer to your first question is also yes.

Yes, I'll help you save that yahoo's life.

But I need something from you.

Someone to go to the capital and get my adjutant-- Celine.

She knows where all our supporters are.

We're on tourist visas. We can go in there safely enough.

Good, good. Then we have a deal.

There's a bar called the Sugar Mill on George Street. [ Gunfire ]

Move it!

And you're telling me that Marley eluded an entire platoon?

The helicopter-- it's a gunship.

- And nobody seems to know \h\hwhere it came from. - Get General Hannah.

With an awesome machine like this, Lieutenant, how could you possibly need my help?

'Cause our orders are to get them off the island alive and talking.

[ Horn Honking ]

\h\h\h\h♪ [ Disco On Jukebox ] [ Laughing, Chattering ]

They don't look too friendly. \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hRelax. We fit right in.

That's easy for you to say.

Now you know how I felt at your sister's wedding.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hThank you. It's my pleasure.

Maybe you can help me. I'm lookin' for Celine.

Celine? Who gave you that name?

Hey, Yankee!

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hGo home! [ Laughter ]

The dude's talkin' to you, Yank.

What you gonna do about it?

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hWell? I'm thinking.

Hey, not you. You, Yankee!

Go home, man!

[ Laughter Continues ]

- Is he talkin' to me? - Yeah, he's talkin' to you.

Go home, Yankee! Huh?

You callin' me a Yankee?

You! Yay-o. Yankee!

Hey, man, you're crazy.

I'm from Texas. \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hYou an American?

Yeah, I'm an American.

Then you a Yankee, man! Go home!

You know what? You're one ignorant dude.

You call me ignorant, man?

You call me ignorant?

We're not gonna be able to talk our way outta this one.

I'll take the table on my side, you take the table on your side.

Just think of it as an eight-man line.

This eight-man line are all holding beer bottles.

- They're also small. - Small?

- Hut, hut. - Come on!

[ Men Groaning ]

Where you say you from, man?

Texas. Beaumont, Texas.

- And you? - Chicago.

Why don't we open a beer, and you can tell us about those places, huh?

Big, strong guys.

Tell me about Chicago, huh?

So tell me again, who gave you the name Celine?

Saint Vincent.

I am Celine.

[ Man On Radio ] Fighter units 27 and 28.

Last reported sighting of helicopter...

61 degrees, 38 minutes south...

by 12 degrees, five minutes east.

General Hannah's orders: Shoot it down.

- Run! Everyone \h\hinto the shelter! - Take cover!

Quickly! Take cover! \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hArm yourselves! \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hArm yourselves!

[ Shouting, Indistinct ]

Get into position!

Better tell 'em who we are before they start shooting.

Say hello. \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hIt's Winston Marley!

[ Marley On P.A. ] Hold your fire! It's Winston Marley!

Hold your fire!

It is Winston!

[ Marley ] Hello, old friend.

[ Laughs ] It's good to see you. Everything's looking so good.

- Terry! - Helen!

Terry! I can't believe it's you. \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hI can't either.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hWhat are you doing here? That's my question.

What are you doing here? \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hHelen, this is \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hLieutenant Frank Chaney.

He broke your friend Winston out of prison.

How do you do? Terry and I broke him out.

Helen was my teacher at the med school.

And Terry was the very best student I've ever had.

There have also been reports of a group of men that no one seems to know.

They've been seen right here at Castlereigh Woods.

The road to the prime minister's residence leads to it right through there.

- Any idea how many men? - I think there's four.

When do you think Bubba and Ski will be here?

If all goes well, two or three hours.

We're gonna have to get a better look from the air.

You think that's safe in broad daylight? \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hNo.

But we don't have much choice. We can't lose any more time.

So we'll just fly low and hide if we see any planes.

Check 10:00.

That's it. The road to the prime minister's country residence.

When I was here, the word was Priest never left the place.

If he did leave, is that the only road he could use?

If he's going to the capital or to the airport, yes.

[ Helicopter Approaching ]

[ Beeping ]

Terry, I just saw something in the trees near the edge of the road.

Sun gleaming on metal. Hit the veri-mikes, see what you can pick up.

You think they saw us?

[ Gruly ] Are you kidding? They were two miles away.

It's like standing right over their shoulders.

\h\h\h\hI'd estimate the distance \h\h\h\hat 6,000 feet. Right.

Easy. Easy.

[ Chaney ] Wait a minute. Those are land mines.

We've gotta reach Bubba and Ski.

How much farther? \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hAbout an hour.

And, please, be quiet. We're coming to a road check.

I'm gonna tell them you're deaf.

They won't believe you're a tourist, and your accent would get you shot.

What accent?

Show your identification.

We're visitin' my auntie.

I must inspect your truck.

[ Ski ] Take off!

You drive like my partner.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hGood driver, eh? He's a maniac!

At 3:00, a jeep full of soldiers chasing a truck.

[ Beeping ]

- Bubba's in the truck! - You're a self-starter, \h\hTerrance Burke.

Nice havin' ya aboard. \h\h\h\h\hWell, when I'm scared, \h\h\h\h\hI look for things to do.

And I'm scared. They aren't firing blanks down there.

Neither are we.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hWho's that? That's our guardian angel.

Hey, Frank, way to go, man! Way to go!

You can slow down now.

Hey, mama, slow down! \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hYou slow down.

I'm in a hurry, man! And I'm not your mama!

Bubba, will you tell this crazy woman to slow down?

[ Laughing ] I don't believe--

Well, we found Gruly mining the road to the prime minister's house.

So now we know where and how they plan to hit him. We just don't know when.

- I know when. - What?

The Cuban ambassador is flying in at 3:00.

Priest is going to meet him at the airport.

Terry, give 'em the map. Show 'em the location. We gotta get goin'.

They're on this road right here. Look for a huge breadfruit tree.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hI know where it is. Good.

Lady, you are not driving.

You know how to get to where we're going to, Yankee?

[ Celine ] How do you get four professional killers off this island...

without killing them?

[ Bubba ] Ski, show her the tranquilizer guns.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h[ Beeping ] [ Burke ] I'm picking up a plane on radar.

There's two of them!

Okay, Terrance, let's do the brave thing here, huh?

Let's find a nice place to hide.

[ Chaney ] Still scared? \h\h\h\h\h[ Burke ] \h\h\h\h\hScared? No. I'm terrified.

Okay, let's get started.

How much of a diplomatic insult could it possibly be...

if you ask him to meet you at the residence?

To the Cubans, a great insult.

And my not going to the airport would reveal a weakness that I can't afford to reveal.

Slate, give me the brush. \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hYes, sir.

Check. Okay, get goin'. Let's go.

Get outta here.

[ Groans ]

[ Tranquilizer Gun Firing ] \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h[ Groans ]

[ Gunfire ]

[ Burke ] It isn't fish in a barrel now.

[ Chaney ] Let's give Bubba a hand, shall we?

Terry, what the hell are you doing? Stay away--

[ Groans ]

[ Groans ]

You're gonna have to make it to the boat on your own. Terry's been hit.

I've gotta get her back to camp.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hGot your gloves on yet? Ready.

Gonna need your help.

Okay. Come on over there.

Now what I want you to do is I want you to press your fingers here and here.

And not too hard. Not too hard.

There. Good.

Okay.

She's lost a lot of blood, but she missed the bone.

Now, you're not gonna try a foolish stunt like that again, are ya?

[ Groans ]

I wish we could've met in Venice.

Venice? \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hYeah. \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hIt's in California.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hI live there. It's been pretty nice right here.

Yeah, but I don't live here.

Hey, what's the matter? Your lips locked or what?

Come on! We gotta go!

This is a nice little island.

Come back when we get things straightened out.

Bye, Celine.

Let's go. We're late.

All right? \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hThanks.

Okay.

All right? \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hYes.

Don't you move. \h\h\h\hThat's a good idea, Chaney.

Thanks, Helen. I always knew you were good.

Anytime, Terry. \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hOnce is enough, \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hI think.

Helen, thanks for everything.

Oh, I'm not letting you off that easily, Lieutenant. \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hOh?

We've got people on our side, but all the guns are on the other side.

Someone has been pouring millions of dollars' worth of arms into Malaga.

It could be the Soviets, could be the Cubans. We don't know for sure.

But you could help. \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hI'm sorry, I can't.

Our orders are to get the job done and get out fast. I know.

But this is something that you could do on the way out, fast.

This is an arms depot. It's heavily guarded.

We can't get to it. But Blue Thunder--

I said I'm sorry. \hI can't.

We came here to keep the peace, fight other Americans, not Malagans.

I really am sorry.

So am I.

[ Burke ] Frank.

- Don't talk. - I'd better talk. \h\hTake a look at 4:00.

I suspect that the sweet bird isn't exactly invisible.

They're probably working on that.

[ Chaney ] Terrance, we've got ourselves a big problem.

We didn't come here to kill anybody.

Gonna try to outmaneuver 'em.

We can't use the big cannon.

Well, we just got one hope.

Try to use a ram shot and knock out his engine.

Playin' hide-and-seek.

There it is. \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hThere's what?

- The arms depot. - How do you know?

Cause the map Helen showed me made it pretty clear.

If you're asking for advice, hit it.

Of course, I'm wounded and out of my mind.

Well, I think we're both out of our minds.

Scratch one arms depot.

Well, I guess that makes you a local hero.

Someday they'll put a statue of you in the park.

Yeah, that's me. Frank Chaney-- the pigeon's best friend.

Are you sure Commander Harter's on board? \h\h\h\hYes, sir.

We did a fantastic job, and he's keeping us waiting.

He's in the code room, ma'am.

Are you sure you don't want our medic to take a look at that wound?

No, thanks.

I'm sorry to have kept you waiting.

I had some well-chosen words of praise...

that somehow don't seem appropriate right now.

In fact, someone-- and I mean someone--

wants you to stop in Washington on your way home...

for some really appropriate words.

Commander, something's happened, hasn't it? Can you tell us what it is?

Yes. I got permission to tell you.

Certain K.G.B.-supported elements in the Malagan army...

have put Prime Minister Priest under house arrest and have taken over the government.

A formal request for our assistance has been made.

Now, if Gruly and his men had been able to do their job,

the option for us to help out wouldn't have been open.

That's why you people will be making a quiet visit to Washington.

- Congratulations. - Thank you, sir.