WarGames Review

WarGames

Release Date: 4th August 1983 - Australia

Production Companies

United Artists (presents)
Sherwood Productions (produced

in association with)

Genre: Sci-Fi/Thriller

Rating: PG

Runtime: 108 minutes


Budget: $12,000,000

Box Office Gross: $124,600,000 (Worldwide)

Plot Summary

David Lightman is a teenage hacker capable of getting through the most advanced security systems. He's a codebreaker and can even access computer games. He unknowingly accesses the war computer from the Defense Department and starts a confrontation that could escalate to World War III.

With the help of his girlfriend

and an eccentric computer

whiz, David must battle

against the clock, outsmart

his opponent and prevent a

global catastrophe involving nuclear arms.

Cast

Matthew Broderick - David Lightman

Ally Sheedy - Jennifer Mack

Dabney Coleman - Dr. John McKittrick
John Wood - Dr. Stephen Falken

Barry Corbin - General Jack
Beringer

Juanin Clay - Pat Healy

Kent Williams - Cabot

Dennis Lipscomb - Watson

Joe Dorsey - Col. Joe Conley
Michael Madsen - Lt. Steve Phelps
Maury Chaykin - Jim Sting

Eddie Deezen - Malvin

John Spencer - Jerry

Irving Metzman - Richter

James Tolkan - Wigan

David Clover - Stockman

Drew Snyder - Ayers

Michael Ensign - Beringer's Aide

William Bogert - Mr. Lightman

Susan Davis - Mrs. Lightman

Duncan Wilmore - Major Lem

Billy Ray Sharkey - Radar Analyst

Jason Bernard - Captain Knewt

Frankie Hill - Airman Fields

Alan Blumenfeld - Mr. Liggett

Len Lawson - Boys Vice Principal

Stephen Lee - Sgt. Schneider

Michael Adams - Travis

James Ackerman - Joshua

Tom Lawrence - Sgt. Sims

Charles Akins - Major Ford

Glenn Standifer - Major Wenstin

William H. Macy - NORAD Officer

(Uncredited)

Crew

Director - John Badham

Writers - Lawrence Lasker, Walter F. Parkes

and Walon Green (Uncredited)

Continuity Consultant - Harold Michelson

Associate Producer/Unit Production Manager -

Richard Hashimoto
Executive Producer - Leonard Goldberg

Producers - Harold Schneider and
Bruce McNall (Uncredited)

Casting Director - Wallis Nicita

Technical Advisor - Duncan Wilmore

Production Designer - Angelo Graham

Visual Consultant - Geoffrey Kirkland

Art Director - James J. Murakami

Set Decorator - Jerry Wunderlich

Costumes: Men - Barry Francis Delaney

Director of Photography - William A. Fraker

Special Effects - Joe Digaetano,

David Domeyer (Uncredited) and

Donald Pennington (Uncredited)

Visual Effects Supervisor - Michael L. Fink

Computer Graphics Design Consultant -

Colin Cantwell

Computer Graphics Unit - Marcia Dripchak,

David R. Hardberger, Judith Herman, 

Sylvia Lovegren and Jonathan Seay

Miniature Photography - Jack Cooperman

Film Editor - Tom Rolf

Associate Film Editor - Michael Ripps

Supervising Sound Effects Editors -

Milton C. Burrow and William L. Manager

Sound Mixer - Willie D. Burton

Re-Recording Mixers - Carlos Delarios,

Michael J. Kohut and Aaron Rochin

Music - Arthur B. Rubinstein


Awards

1984 Academy Awards
Best Writing, Original Screenplay -

Lawrence Lasker and Walter F. Parkes (Nominated)

Best Cinematography - William A. Fraker (Nominated)
Best Sound - Michael J. Kohut, Carlos Delarios,
Aaron Rochin and Willie D. Burton (Nominated)

Review

Many childhood memories include watching old films that belong to the nostalgic '80s, like The Neverending Story, Tron, E.T. and even Short Circuit. There is one movie that doesn't compare to these family classics, a film that takes place years ago when WARGAMES was part of an era when computers were an integral part of our lives. Films like these have paved the way for other computer-focused hits. While its plot was thoughtful, suspenseful and thought-provoking, this feature was imperfect. Its predictability prevents this film from being impactful, even when it's aged many years.

The original Hollywood teen sensations, Matt Broderick and Ally Sheedy, both did a good job capturing their character personalities. It's the first time Broderick has played a troublesome high school student; many consider this Matthew's breakthrough. He will soon play another troublesome teen who is more laidback and less skilled in hacking. His name would be known forever as Ferris Bueller.

I know WARGAMES as a film that influenced a new avenue for pictures to create stories similar to its premise, including much-needed examples like Summer Wars, Sneakers and Hackers. It's nowhere near as flawless as it could have been, but it contains memorable moments, and it is nice to watch for people interested in computers. Please, no hacking this post. Instead, leave your opinions in the comment tab below.

Star rating: (7/10) Good Movie

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