IMDb > WarGames (1983)
WarGames
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WarGames (1983) -- Trailerfan.com - Trailer (Flash)

IMDb Holiday Movie Guide

Overview

User Rating:
7.0/10   24,545 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Down 27% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Director:
Writers:
Lawrence Lasker (written by) &
Walter F. Parkes (written by)
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Contact:
View company contact information for WarGames on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
3 June 1983 (USA) more
Genre:
Tagline:
The only winning move is not to play. more
Plot:
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
Awards:
Nominated for 3 Oscars. Another 3 wins & 11 nominations more
NewsDesk:
(25 articles)
Call of Duty Mmo or Future Warfare?
 (From GameRant. 20 December 2009, 8:59 AM, PST)

TV News: CBS to Solve More Crimes With Anthony Zuiker’s Cyber Crimes
 (From FusedFilm. 8 December 2009, 6:31 PM, PST)

User Reviews:
Interesting, original idea that delivers for the most part... more (123 total)

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)
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Additional Details

Also Known As:
War Games (USA) (alternative spelling)
more
Runtime:
114 min
Country:
Language:
Color:
Color (Metrocolor)
Aspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
70 mm 6-Track (70 mm prints) | Dolby (35 mm prints)

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
First cinematic reference to a "firewall" - a security measure used in computer networking and Internet security. This does not predate the existence of the Internet, however, which is considered to have started in 1969. more
Goofs:
Factual errors: When it is stated that "22 Typhoon class" submarines are departing. Only 6 Soviet Nuclear Ballistic Missile Submarines of this class were made. ("Typhoon class" were officially called "Project 941) were ever built. In 1983, the number would've been even fewer, as these six were built over an 8 years period (1981 - 1989). All of the Typhoon Class were based at Zapadnaya Litsa (Nerpichya Base) about 45 miles from the Norwegian border. more
Quotes:
David Lightman: [typing] Is this a game... or is it real?
Joshua: What's the difference?
David Lightman: [muttering] Oh wow.
Joshua: You are a hard man to reach. Could not find you in Seattle and no terminal is in operation at your classified address.
David Lightman: [typing] What classified address?
Joshua: D.O.D. pension files indicate current mailing as: Dr. Robert Hume, a.k.a. Stephen W. Falken, 5 Tall Cedar Road, Goose Island, Oregon 97...
more
Movie Connections:
Referenced in "Alias: Out of the Box (#5.5)" (2005) more
Soundtrack:
Video Fever more

FAQ

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21 out of 30 people found the following review useful.
Interesting, original idea that delivers for the most part..., 29 February 2004
Author: MovieAddict2009 from UK

I enjoyed this movie quite a bit. Matthew Broderick is the teenager computer nerd who hacks into a military database through a "back door" and starts to unintentionally play games--which are, quite surprisingly, not games after all. He's really controlling the military! With WWIII nearing, the movie takes some twists and turns and it's all good fun.

Broderick is well-cast and this is probably one of the roles, along with Ferris Bueller, that stereotyped him as a continual teenager--which makes it hard for him to get adult roles nowadays. (He's in the upcoming remake of "The Producers"--yay!)

Ally Sheedy and Dabney Coleman both have supporting roles.

I thoroughly enjoyed this film and rate it a solid "4" of five stars.

Trivia note: Sheedy and Broderick both appeared in separate movies by John Hughes: "Ferris Bueller's Day Off" and "The Breakfast Club."

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Message Boards

Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for WarGames (1983)
Recent Posts (updated daily)User
Ally Sheedy A_szany
'Joshua Called Me!' Madness832
targets oldsalt61
How did FBI track Lightman down? bmacleod52
So much swearing in this movie! benbigwig-1
25th Anniversary Edition - One Disc or Two? gklinger
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