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WarGames (1983)
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Overview
Release Date:
3 June 1983 (USA) moreTagline:
Is it a game, or is it real? morePlot:
A young man finds a back door into a military central computer in which reality is confused with game-playing, possibly starting World War III. full summary | full synopsis (warning! may contain spoilers)Awards:
Nominated for 3 Oscars. Another 3 wins & 11 nominations moreUser Comments:
Pleased with the film moreUS TV Schedule:
| Sun. Aug. 3 | 11:30 AM | AMC |
Cast
(Cast overview, first billed only)| Matthew Broderick | ... | David Lightman | |
| Dabney Coleman | ... | Dr. John McKittrick | |
| John Wood | ... | Dr. Stephen Falken | |
| Ally Sheedy | ... | Jennifer Katherine Mack | |
| Barry Corbin | ... | General Jack Beringer | |
| Juanin Clay | ... | Pat Healy | |
| Kent Williams | ... | Arthur Cabot | |
| Dennis Lipscomb | ... | Lyle Watson | |
| Joe Dorsey | ... | Colonel Joe Conley | |
| Irving Metzman | ... | Paul Richter | |
| Michael Ensign | ... | Beringer's Aide | |
| William Bogert | ... | Mr. Lightman | |
| Susan Davis | ... | Mrs. Lightman | |
| James Tolkan | ... | FBI Agent Nigan | |
| David Clover | ... | Stockman |
Additional Details
Parents Guide:
View content advisory for parentsRuntime:
114 minCountry:
USALanguage:
EnglishColor:
Color (Metrocolor)Aspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1 moreCertification:
Iceland:L | New Zealand:PG | South Korea:All | Canada:PG (Ontario) | Australia:PG | Finland:K-12 | France:U | Norway:12 (1984) | Sweden:11 | UK:PG | USA:PG | West Germany:12 | Singapore:PGFilming Locations:
7-Eleven Convenience Store - 41440 Big Bear Boulevard, Big Bear Lake, Big Bear Valley, San Bernardino National Forest, California, USA moreMOVIEmeter: 
Fun Stuff
Trivia:
The film inspired the computer game "DEFCON: EVERYBODY DIES" moreGoofs:
Factual errors: When the General asks for two F16's to be scrambled out of Galena, the two planes are clearly F15's. moreQuotes:
McKittrick: See that sign up here - up here. "Defcon." That indicates our current defense condition. It should read "Defcon 5," which means peace. It's still on 4 because of that little stunt you pulled. Actually, if we hadn't caught it in time, it might have gone to Defcon 1. You know what that means, David?David Lightman: No. What does that mean?
McKittrick: World War Three.
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Soundtrack:
Video Fever moreFAQ
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If you want to see a film with the most real style of hacking, forget Swordfish, The Net and all these other films where "hackers" work in graphically superb programs and can hack government server in few seconds. Broderick, working in his text-only mode, using social-engineering and having good abilities handling primitive electric devices is nearest the real world's "hacking", at least in his period.
As thought that the film sometimes lacks tension, especially in the middle, it has its very strong moments. To be honest, I got most excited on the very beginning, I really loved it.
The performances are good, but I disliked and didn't believe the performance of the man, who should have played the wooden-head general. It seemed to be too overacted. He himself lowered my rating by one.
This film might not be so interesting for people, who aren't interested in computers, because, as I mentioned upper, the plot lacks some deeper crisis, but I thing that everyone else will like it, so if you match the upper criterion I can recommend you only one thing: Go and get it!