WarGames

1983 "Is it a game, or is it real?"
7.1| 1h54m| PG| en| More Info
Released: 03 June 1983 Released
Producted By: United Artists
Country: United States of America
Budget: 0
Revenue: 0
Official Website:
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High School student David Lightman has a talent for hacking. But while trying to hack into a computer system to play unreleased video games, he unwittingly taps into the Defense Department's war computer and initiates a confrontation of global proportions. Together with his girlfriend and a wizardly computer genius, David must race against time to outwit his opponent and prevent a nuclear Armageddon.

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Director

John Badham

Production Companies

United Artists

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WarGames Audience Reviews

Evengyny Thanks for the memories!
Stoutor It's not great by any means, but it's a pretty good movie that didn't leave me filled with regret for investing time in it.
Humaira Grant It’s not bad or unwatchable but despite the amplitude of the spectacle, the end result is underwhelming.
Lucia Ayala It's simply great fun, a winsome film and an occasionally over-the-top luxury fantasy that never flags.
TheGDfather I was going to give this an 8. But then I just watched it again and I have to give it a 9. Would have gave it a 10 but there was some parts in the movie which even for the 80's could have had some better graphics. I have the blu ray version. And I just had to have this in my blu ray collection. So I will start off by saying I saw another reviewers comments about "made stars out of ally Sheedy and Mathew Brodrick" That could possibly be true but they were going to be stars either way. The director just lucked up and got them on his film. Ally Sheedy is beautiful and frankly remains in a category in the 80's with very few actresses of her time. Lea Thompson and Kim Catrall are the only two I can think of in her generation. 3 women that really made you feel like "i want a crazy good looking girlfriend like that". No matter what they played in. Ally was brilliant in this. Her character was not well defined. Her parts were not there. She played the most of them to be honest. Even the part where David changes her grade she even sells that. The part where she jogs up to his house, pets the dog. Everything she does makes you see it and say "wow wish my girlfriend was like that in high school". The writers of the movie didn't give her much to work with but facial expression and tone just make you fall in love with her. If she wasn't in the movie, forget about it, nobody would have seen it. Mathew's character was different. This is still a new ground and simply only character like this. He hacked in a government computer and was actually scared about it. But honestly had the know how to ask questions and thought he was innocent. But still didn't come off as arrogant. Most people who do those kind of things now don't think they will be caught. As a matter of fact it was his girlfriend who seemed more confident. Even the part about swimming she was like "now who grows up in seattle and doesn't know how to swim". Once again his character show humility. And there a shot of some great actors in this movie. Michael Madsen is in this movie and hes young. And hes no slouch at acting. As well as the general in this movie. I have a game called command and conquer and he is back at again playing a general in that short game series. He fits that part to the T. Now thats just for the acting but what this movie did for the generation was amazing to say the least. The term hacker was never even heard of. Back door? What is that? Heck in those dos system if you didn't have the password most people gave up. And nowadays people give up if their internet connection isn't working. Look at all the stuff he had to do to even get his computer to read other computers? Yeah simply crazy. This movie was definitely ahead of its time. First time the words firewall was used and judging by how people are so loose with security nowadays on their own computers I'm not sure if they still know what a firewall is. Hackers even today love this movie and its known by all. You mention this movie to a movie both and you get instant quotes about Joshua and so on. If you are wondering if you should watch this movie, then wonder no more. Its a must watch to be part of a generation. If you wondering what this movie is about just watch it. Personally I gave this a 9 but I loved ally in short circuit more cause her part was major and personally I loved Mathew in ferris Beullers day off. But this right here was great when both of them were in the same movie with a much better and original plot. One thing I miss about the 80's they had some original plots.
allyatherton A teenager accidentally starts world war threeStarring Matthew Broderick and Dabney ColemanWritten by Lawrence Lasker and Walter F ParkesDirected by John BadhamAs a teen of the eighties I have always known about this film but somehow I never got around to watching it.Watching it now is like a trip back in time and it is pretty typical of movies of the time. It's actually quite a good movie with an original story, which you don't get very often nowadays. There are no stand out acting performances but the movie does suck you in and has a decent ending that makes you think.If you want to watch a fun family friendly movie, you can't go much wrong with this one. I enjoyed it.8/10
grantss Great Cold War drama.A high school kid, David (played by Matthew Broderick), accidentally hacks the powerful computer that runs global thermonuclear war simulations for the US military, and which controls the US's nuclear weapons arsenal. It starts as a game but ends up deadly serious...Intriguing, exciting movie with a few funny moments along the way. Though not anywhere near as biting as Dr Strangelove in its demonstration of how Cold War paranoia and the nuclear arms race can go awry, it is a fairly chilling indicator of what could happen.Solid work from Matthew Broderick in the lead role, in only his second movie. Ally Sheedy is wonderful as Jennifer. Supporting cast are fine too.
capone666 WarGames If the future of warfare is to be fought via computers, does that include gay computers?Unfortunately, this cyber-thriller doesn't ask or tell.Scouring phone lines to find new video games, computer whiz David Lightman (Matthew Broderick) comes across a game titled Falken's Maze, which he inevitably hacks.Unbeknownst to him, the digital diversion is actually a NORAD defense operating system that simulates war scenarios.Engaged, the supercomputer enacts a missile attack from the Soviets that puts a NORAD engineer (Dabney Coleman) on the defensive.To impede the processor from instigating a nuclear war, David must locate its creator (John Wood) and convince him to hit control-alt-delete.Dated by today's standards, WarGames is still an entertaining blend of Cold War espionage and early-1980s computer hacking that was years ahead of its time - and created a new sub-genre.Thankfully, the only combat computers accommodate these days are vapid celebrity Twitter wars.Green Lightvidiotreviews.blogspot.ca