WarGames (1983)

Ah, the Cold War.  Good times.  Good times.  And, with Red Dawn leading the way, it produced a great many war-themed movies during the 1980s all with Russia on its mind. One of those, albeit more teenage-driven than Rambo II, is now appearing on 4K Ultra HD.  WarGames remains absorbing as a teenage computer hacker has his way with the military.

"remains a fun techno-thriller flick"


Written by Lawrence Lasker and Walter F. Parkes and directed by John Badham (Blue Thunder), WarGames remains a fun techno-thriller flick as Matthew Broderick and Ally Sheedy unwittingly execute nuclear war!  And now, thanks to this 4K upgrade from Shout Factory, it comes equipped with a brand new sheen to its Cold War tensions as World War III looms.

WarGames is thoughtful, thrilling and full of a lot of tension in spite of some run-of-the-mill sequences.  It is also very frightening.  Nuclear war amounts to a computer glitch and, as hacker David Lightman (Broderick) discovers, even a supercomputer programmed to simulate such a thing is at risk.  Co-starring Dabney Coleman and John Wood, WarGames warns us that putting all of our faith in these machines will be our undoing. WarGames (1983)

It’s a message that has not gone out of fashion as one teenager, operating from his home computer, discovers a way into the Defense Department and challenges the military computer there to play a game with him.  The game is Global Thermonuclear War and you’re not going to want to be around to see how it ends.

Complete with a showdown at the Cheyenne Mountain nuclear bunker in Colorado Springs, WarGames is more than a glitch in the Cold War.  Shall we play a game?

4/5 stars

 

WarGames (1983)

4k details divider

4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray Edition

Home Video Distributor: Shout Factory
Available on Blu-ray
- December 20, 2022
Screen Formats: 1.85:1
Subtitles
: English SDH
Audio:
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1; English: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0
Discs: 4K Ultra HD; Blu-ray Disc; Two-disc set
Region Encoding: 4K region-free; blu-ray locked to Region A

Matthew Broderick (Ferris Bueller's Day Off) and Ally Sheedy (The Breakfast Club) star in this compelling drama filled with action, suspense and high-tech adventures! Featuring superb performances by Dabney Coleman and Barry Corbin, WarGames is "brilliant ... funny ... and provocative" (New York) – a fast-paced cyber-thriller.  Computer hacker David Lightman (Broderick) can bypass the most advanced security systems, break the most intricate secret codes and master even the most difficult computer games. But when he unwittingly taps into the Defense Department's war computer, he initiates a confrontation of global proportions — World War III! Together with his girlfriend (Sheedy) and a wizardly computer genius (Tony Award winner John Wood), David must race against time to outwit his opponent ... and prevent a nuclear Armageddon.

VIDEO

Thanks to the new 2021 4K scan, WarGames gets to be brand new all over again. The new scan of the original film is crisp and bright, adding a lot of pop to the scenic locations used throughout. Colors absolutely pop. Locales, both at night and during the day, are vibrant. The town at night is full of depth and well-defined shadows. Black levels are both solid and deep. Presented in the original 1.85:1 aspect ratio, the 1080 transfer looks great.

AUDIO

A booming DTS-HD Master Audio track provides the tension and the terror as the question is asked.

Supplements:

Commentary:

  • Feature-Length Audio Commentary By Director John Badham And Writers Lawrence Lasker And Walter F. Parkes

Special Features:

Fans of this flick are in for a treat with this 2-disc release from Shout Factory.

DISC ONE (4K UHD):

  • NEW 4K Scan Of The Original Camera Negative
  • In Dolby Vision
  • Audio: English DTS-HD MA 5.1 & Stereo
  • Feature-Length Audio Commentary By Director John Badham And Writers Lawrence Lasker And Walter F. Parkes

DISC TWO (BLU-RAY):

  • NEW 4K Scan Of The Original Camera Negative
  • Audio: English DST-HD MA 5.1 & Stereo
  • Feature-Length Audio Commentary By Director John Badham And Writers Lawrence Lasker And Walter F. Parkes
  • "Loading WarGames" Featurette
  • "Inside NORAD: Cold War Fortress" Featurette
  • "Attack Of The Hackers" Featurette
  • "Tic Tac Toe: A True Story" Featurette
  • Theatrical Trailer

4k rating divider

  Movie 4/5 stars
  Video  4/5 stars
  Audio 3/5 stars
  Extras 2/5 stars

Composite Blu-ray Grade

3/5 stars


Film Details

WarGames (1983)

MPAA Rating: PG.
Runtime:
114 mins
Director
: John Badham
Writer:
Lawrence Lasker; Walter F. Parkes
Cast:
Matthew Broderick; Ally Sheedy; John Wood
Genre
: Action | Drama
Tagline:
The only winning move is not to play.
Memorable Movie Quote: "Later. Let's play Global Thermonuclear War."
Theatrical Distributor:
MGM/UA Entertainment Company
Official Site: https://www.shoutfactory.com/product/wargames?product_id=7952
Release Date:
June 3, 1983
DVD/Blu-ray Release Date:
December 20, 2022
Synopsis: Computer hacker David Lightman (Broderick) can bypass the most advanced security systems, break the most intricate secret codes and master even the most difficult computer games. But when he unwittingly taps into the Defense Department's war computer, he initiates a confrontation of global proportions — World War III! Together with his girlfriend (Sheedy) and a wizardly computer genius (Tony Award winner John Wood), David must race against time to outwit his opponent ... and prevent a nuclear Armageddon.

Art

WarGames (1983)