WarGames

Name: WarGames
Genre: Sci-Fi, Thriller
Released: June 3, 1983
Duration: 114 min
Rating: 77
Cast: Ally Sheedy, Barry Corbin, Dabney Coleman, Dennis Lipscomb, Irving Metzman

1983

METASCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 15 Critic Reviews

See All

USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 29 Ratings

See All

8.0

VOTE NOW

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

8.0	Your Score
8.0	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 29 Ratings

Would you like to write a review?

There is a 75 character minimum for reviews. If your review contains spoilers, please check the Spoiler box. Please do not use ALL CAPS. There is no linking or other HTML allowed. Your review may be edited for content. 0/5000

Check box if your review contains spoilers

Play Sound

Please enter your birth date to watch this video:

You are not allowed to view this material at this time.

War Games

Now Playing: War Games

Movie Details & Credits

MGM/UA Entertainment Company | Release Date: June 3, 1983 | PG

Starring: Ally Sheedy, Barry Corbin, Dabney Coleman, Dennis Lipscomb, Irving Metzman, Joe Dorsey, John Wood, Juanin Clay, Kent Williams, Matthew Broderick

Summary: At the height of the Cold War, an American teenager (Matthew Broderick) finds a back door into a military central computer (WOPR) in which reality is confused with game-playing, threatening to start World War III.

Director: John Badham

Genre(s): Sci-Fi, Thriller

Rating: PG

Runtime: 114 min

See All Details and Credits

Watch Now

Buy on

Stream On

Expand

Metascore

Positive:

Mixed:

Negative:

Critic Reviews

100

Roger Ebert

There's not a scene here where Badham doesn't seem to know what he's doing, weaving a complex web of computerese, personalities and puzzles; the movie absorbs us on emotional and intellectual levels at the same time. And the ending, a moment of blinding and yet utterly elementary insight, is wonderful. Read full review

Noel Murray

Badham and company elide a lot of technical details of hacking, but the basics of the nascent computer culture still feel spot-on, right down to the body type and personalities of Eddie Deezen and Maury Chaykin, who play two of Broderick's techno-literate confederates (and work in Seattle, no less). More important is how WarGames plays up the contrast between teenagers—rebellious on the surface but conformist by nature—with a cynical adult world that has become convinced that nuclear annihilation might not be so bad. Read full review

Rita Kempley

WarGames is a soft-sell protest -- pro- people, anti-nuclear and anti-machine -- that entertains. It peddles neither the hysterics of Jane Fonda's "China Syndrome" nor the hopelessness of "Dr. Strangelove." It's a war cry for peace that's good to the last byte. [3 June 1983, p.23]

Staff (Not Credited)

Although the script has more than its share of short circuits, director John Badham solders the pieces into a terrifically exciting story charged by an irresistible idea: an extra-smart kid can get the world into a whole lot of trouble that it also takes the same extra-smart kid to rescue it from. Read full review

James Berardinelli

The teaser scene is phenomenal. It depicts the escalating tensions that accompany being one of the men in the final chain that leads to a nuclear launch. In this case, it's just a drill, but the men (played by Michael Madsen and John Spencer) don't know that. They must confront the morality of obeying an order that could lead to a worldwide holocaust. It's a taut scene that is suffused with verisimilitude. Read full review

TV Guide Magazine Staff (Not Credited)

Featuring some strong performances from a cast that includes Dabney Coleman and Ally Sheedy, convincing re-creations of defense technology, and nicely modulated tension, WARGAMES is a generally effective message film. Read full review

Time Out London Staff (Not Credited)

The first half has a sardonic edge to it, but the more seriously the movie takes itself the sillier it gets. Read full review

SEE ALL 15 REVIEWS

Write a Review

Negative:

User Reviews

merijnj

Feb 21, 2018

(89/100)
Do you wanna play a game? This movie is really fun and explores the cold war in a funny way.

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

Kai82

Jan 4, 2022

A remarkable movie that handles the dangers of the Cold War really well and I consider it as classic. I like the story, idea, characters and great climax / ending. Maybe with tensions between the USA, China and Russia it is an actual topic again (India and Pakistan have already erected manyA remarkable movie that handles the dangers of the Cold War really well and I consider it as classic. I like the story, idea, characters and great climax / ending. Maybe with tensions between the USA, China and Russia it is an actual topic again (India and Pakistan have already erected many safety measures as they knew what is at stake). The story starts with a series of drills simulating a nuclear attack on the USA by Russia. As result it is shown that a lot of the staff at the missile silos did not follow their orders to start a counter strike. To solve this a supercomputer should be tasked to handle this situation so that no human input or better said hesitation is hindering the retaliation plans. The high school student and hacker David Lightman does know nothing about this when he hacks into the systems of a computer game company where he finds a new game he plays. With this set up the story starts. I freely admit that the start is weaker but still good. The story itself works excellent and kept me interested through the movie. Maybe it is also sometimes a bit foreseeable. However this took nothing away from my enjoyment and the final is truly something that I can recommend to everyone. The weaknesses are clearly outclassed by the strengths of the movie. I especially liked the idea and creativity here so I should praise the writers Lawrence Lasker and Walter F. Parks. The cast made this movie really enjoyable as the characters are all believe- and relatable. Lets start with Matthew Broderick as David Lightman. He was actually at the beginning of his career but shows that he is already a great actor. I praise his performance. John Wood as Dr. Falken was probably the hidden gem of the movie and a character I really enjoyed. Alla Sheedy as Jennifer Mack works also really well and I like the dynamic with David. From the support I will praise Dabney Coleman as Dr. McKittrick and especially Berry Corbin as General Beringer who is amazing. The cast works well and enhances the movie. With this I have to praise director John Bradham too as the best actors could not work when a director is failing. The sets where convincing and deliver the atmosphere. I never doubted the movie / setting. The rest was history as it became a hit, received good reviews and was well remembered. Overall this is a must see movie for me and I re-watched it a few times. Might not be for everyone and the start is slow but the strengths and good climax made it a great experience.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

gracjanski

Feb 10, 2021

There are some unrealistic scenes with teen super smart Matthew Broderick, so the story has some flaws sometimes.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

SEE ALL 3 REVIEWS