1983 was the year of the computer revolution in the movies. Computers were ubiquitous, even appearing as a deadly villain against Superman in the dreary "Superman III." The following year, it became an instrument of jealousy in a relationship in the sweet "Electric Dreams." "WarGames" is different though, since it is not really about computers in the general sense - it is about how much trust we put in computers, and how we may erroneously depend on them when it comes to the inevitable threat of nuclear war.
Matthew Broderick, in his pre-Ferris Bueller mode, stars as David Lightman, a teenage high school student with a fixation for his bedroom computer. His parents are unaware of his computer hacking methods, but they do know his school grades are suffering (he breaks into the school's computer and advances his grades to A's). One day, David unknowingly accesses the WOPR computer at the NORAD missile-defense system, which makes 24-hour decisions regarding the plight of a possible World War III. David only he thinks he is playing some advanced video games. Before you know it, the country is embroiled in a possible war with the Russians, but it is all orchestrated by the supercomputer - the question remains: Does the computer know it is only a game?
"WarGames" starts off with a thrilling prologue where we see the men who pull the switches for the silos preparing for an unforeseen attack. One of the men fails to operate the switch to launch the missile, afraid of killing millions of people. It turns out that the attack was a test but they did not know this - this sets up the rest of the film's theme about the paranoia centering on the threat of nuclear war. We also get lots of "Dr. Strangelove" scenes of Barry Corbin (best known for TV's "Northern Exposure") as General Beringer commingling with other advisers in front of giant computer screens showing several Russian missiles destroying U.S. military bases. The coup de resistance is seeing Dabney Coleman arguing with Beringer while John Wood shows up as Stephen Falken, a former scientist who created the WOPR, insisting that it is all a game.
"WarGames" is skillfully directed by John Badham ("Blue Thunder," "Stakeout") and the thrills and tension abound with restless unease. The threat of nuclear war seems real enough because it is all at the mercy of a computer, and that is what makes the film a thrillingly scary ride. "2001: A Space Odyssey" warned us of the dangers of computers in 1968 and "WarGames" tells us that it is no longer a warning - it is a very real possibility. Now in 1999, we are all dependent on computers for all our daily needs such as the Internet, banking, shopping, the arts, etc. I am using a computer right now to type this review, though they say writing improves greatly when first written on paper. The last straw, though, is to have a computer making life-threatening decisions for us.
One of the best scenes is when David tries to get the WOPR to play thermonuclear war. It asks: "Wouldn't you prefer a fine game of chess?" David says: "No, let's play global thermonuclear war." Its response: "Fine." That scene still keeps me horrified and tense probably because we also hear the computer talk with David's use of an electronic transmitter - the voice sounds properly inhuman and soulless.
"WarGames" may not be a great thriller nor is there much weight to certain characters, particularly the underdeveloped Stephen Falken role played by John Wood. Still, it has its share of surprises and thrills along the way, and its relatively simple theme - do not rely on anyone but yourselves in the event of a crisis - is as resonant today as it was in 1983.
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