Question: Was the double cross with the chainsaw scene a set up by F.Murray Abraham? Or was it a genuine deal and did he just suspect it may be dangerous, and sent Tony because he annoyed him?
Chosen answer: While it is never really mentioned I think it is a safe bet that it was a double cross. F. Murray Abraham was seen later in the film to be an informant and killed because of it.
It wasn't a double cross, as it was the driver of the car that suggested/whispered it to Omar the first time Omar met Tony and Manny outside the restaurant they were working at.
Question: In the scene where Johnny and Ponyboy are talking in the lot, Ponyboy goes over to sort out the fire. The camera zooms up on Johnny and you can hear voices echoing. Does anyone know what they're saying? I can't make them out.
Answer: Johnny is recalling the argument he heard his parents having; the voices were meant to sound angry but not to be understood. Its to help us understand his horrid home life.
Question: Near the end, Cochrane wants to kill Murphy. Why do it in the air? Even if Cochrane did wipe him out, the only way he would have to do that was to destroy the helicopter completely when he had the chance; instead, he injured Murphy and disabled the cannon somewhat, which is painful to watch and understandable, for fear of collatoral damage or simply because he did not want to blast it out of the sky and foot the bill. But the helicopter costs '$5 million', and even if Cochrane had the money, it would have been cheaper to take Murphy out on land instead of in public and in broad daylight.
Chosen answer: Murphy has been deemed a threat to the public at large by the authorities, having "snapped" and stolen an armed helicopter. Cochrane is using that determination as cover to finally kill Murphy, whom he's long despised. Killing Murphy on the ground would be harder to get away with. He would not be responsible for paying for the helicopter anymore than the Air Force or the other police helicopter crews would be had they sucessfully knocked Blue Thunder down.
Question: Although "Dirty Harry" successfully stopped an armed robber in Santa Cruz, wouldn't he face criminal charges himself?
Question: Why did Burt Reynolds not reprise his roll as Bandit in this film?
Answer: A little obvious: the second film was a box office disaster, so Burt bowed out.
Answer: It's unlikely a set up. Tony is supplied with money and guns to defend himself. If this was a setup, the toad would've had more details. He would've known Tony had backup with guns and they would've waited to ambush them. Also makes no sense for Omar to put himself at risk without a legitimate opportunity to make cash. Frank knew about the deal as he supplied the buy money. Omar seemed loyal to Frank. Why would he send some low level thugs to be set up losing his boss' money in the process? All he would do is lose trust and be suspected.
Omar was an informant. He wasn't loyal to anyone. Omar's driver is the one that suggested to send Tony to the Colombians. And I think Omar knew the Colombians were shady, and that's why he sent Tony. It was, in a sense, a setup.