ThrillerScience FictionDrama

WarGames

- Is it a game, or is it real?

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 Department of Defense'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.

Release Date : 1983-06-03

Language :English

Adult : false

Status : Released

Production Company : Sherwood ProductionsUnited ArtistsMetro-Goldwyn-Mayer

Production Country : United States of America

Alternative Titles :

Cast

Character Name : David Lightman

Original Name : Matthew Broderick

Gender : Male

Character Name : McKittrick

Original Name : Dabney Coleman

Gender : Male

Character Name : Stephen Falken

Original Name : John Wood

Gender : Male

Character Name : Jennifer

Original Name : Ally Sheedy

Gender : Female

Character Name : General Beringer

Original Name : Barry Corbin

Gender : Male

Character Name : Pat Healy

Original Name : Juanin Clay

Gender : Female

Character Name : Cabot

Original Name : Kent Williams

Gender : Male

Character Name : Watson

Original Name : Dennis Lipscomb

Gender : Male

Character Name : Conley

Original Name : Joe Dorsey

Gender : Male

Character Name : Richter

Original Name : Irving Metzman

Gender : Male

Character Name : Beringer's Aide

Original Name : Michael Ensign

Gender : Male

Character Name : Mr. Lightman

Original Name : William Bogert

Gender : Male

Character Name : Mrs. Lightman

Original Name : Susan Davis

Gender : Female

Character Name : Wigan

Original Name : James Tolkan

Gender : Male

Character Name : Stockman

Original Name : David Clover

Gender : Male

Character Name : Ayers

Original Name : Drew Snyder

Gender : Male

Character Name : Corporal in the Infirmary

Original Name : John Garber

Gender : Male

Character Name : Major Lem

Original Name : Duncan Wilmore

Gender : Male

Character Name : Radar Analyst

Original Name : Billy Ray Sharkey

Gender : Male

Character Name : Jerry

Original Name : John Spencer

Gender : Male

Character Name : Steve

Original Name : Michael Madsen

Gender : Male

Character Name : Commander

Original Name : James Lemp

Gender : Male

Character Name : Deputy

Original Name : Gary Bisig

Gender : Male

Character Name : Technician

Original Name : Gary Sexton

Gender : Male

Character Name : Captain Knewt

Original Name : Jason Bernard

Gender : Male

Character Name : Airman Fields

Original Name : Frankie Hill

Gender : Male

Character Name : Sergeant

Original Name : Jesse D. Goins

Gender : Male

Character Name : Mr. Liggett

Original Name : Alan Blumenfeld

Gender : Male

Character Name : Boys Vice Principal

Original Name : Len Lawson

Gender : Male

Character Name : Jim Sting

Original Name : Maury Chaykin

Gender : Male

Character Name : Malvin

Original Name : Eddie Deezen

Gender : Male

Character Name : Sgt. Schneider

Original Name : Stephen Lee

Gender : Male

Character Name : Nurse in Infirmary

Original Name : Lucinda Crosby

Gender : Female

Character Name : Airman

Original Name : Stack Pierce

Gender : Male

Character Name : Guard

Original Name : Art LaFleur

Gender : Male

Character Name : Flight Pilot Leader

Original Name : Brad David

Gender : Male

Character Name : Vice Principal's Secretary

Original Name : Martha Shaw

Gender : Male

Character Name : Boy in Arcade

Original Name : Howie Allen

Gender : Male

Character Name : Travis

Original Name : Michael Adams

Gender : Male

Character Name : Joshua

Original Name : James Ackerman

Gender : Male

Character Name : Newscaster

Original Name : Jim Harriott

Gender : Male

Character Name : Sgt. Sims

Original Name : Tom Lawrence

Gender : Male

Character Name : Visitor

Original Name : Frances E. Nealy

Gender : Female

Character Name : Major Ford

Original Name : Charles Akins

Gender : Male

Character Name : Major Wenstin

Original Name : Glenn Standifer

Gender : Male

Character Name : NORAD Officer

Original Name : Edward Jahnke

Gender : Male

Character Name : Technician

Original Name : Paul V. Picerni Jr.

Gender : Male

Character Name : NORAD Officer (uncredited)

Original Name : William H. Macy

Gender : Male

Reviews

John Chard

@John Chard

2024-05-16

Wanna play Global Thermonuclear War? It was with much interest to me to revisit this early 80s hacker piece armed with the knowledge of just how the advent of change in the computer world had evolved. With that in mind the film could quite easily be classed as a bit clunky due to the now almost Neanderthal toys, games and computers used in the movie, but casting aside the nostalgia feelings I had with it, it still hits the spot as both a poignant piece of interest, and a damn good thriller as well. Matthew Broderick is David Lightman, a young computer gamer geek who is something of a whizz kid on the PC. He can change his school grades and hack into various sites he shouldn't be even looking at. During one eventful sitting he hacks into a computer called Joshua and plays a game called Global Thermonuclear War, he harmlessly chooses to be The Soviet Union and proceeds to launch a nuclear attack on his own country, the U.S.A. Trouble is, is that the game is for real and the wheels are in motion for World War III!. It helps to remember the time this film was made (for those old enough of course), for it was the time of the ever worrying cloud of the Cold War, a time when nuclear war was more than a hearsay threat. I really think that in this day and age where computers literally do run our lives, this film stands up really well not only as a warning piece about messing with technology, but also as a gentle poke in the ribs about defence systems and the people we trust to run them. Though the film is a kind of watered down and accessible 2001: A Space Odyssey for the 80s set, it impacts well and only really suffers from a pointless romantic plot strand involving the sprightly Ally Sheedy (could they not just have been pals?) and the aforementioned dated gadgets. The ending to the film is excellent as the tension builds up nicely and we are left chewing our nails watching a game of Tic-Tac-Toe, sounds simple doesn't it? Not so. Good honest and intelligent entertainment. 7.5/10

GenerationofSwine

@GenerationofSwine

2023-01-13

Ally Sheedy, whatever happened to her. When I was a little kid, I mean REALLY little she was one of the few stars I could name...and then she disappeared save for a couple memorable appearances in Psych. It's a shame. Anyway, my fiance is a Millennial and I've been trying to introduce her and her friends to some classic films. This one was a fail. They sat through it, but really only to mock the technology. Mocking things that are old for being old is kind of one of their favorite things. So, despite that, the film made ripples in congress and the only other film that I recall doing that was JFK. It rewrote laws. And, it was extremely entertaining in the process, despite the fact that Matthew looked like more of a push-over than a computer geek. Not that it matters, he still played the part of a teen pretty well.