Rating summary

Movie		5.0
Video		4.0
Audio		5.0
Extras		4.5
Overall		4.5

WarGames 4K Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf January 5, 2023

While the material was in development during the 1970s, “WarGames” hit at the perfect time when it was ultimately released in the summer of 1983. With Cold War tensions rising again between the United States and the Soviet Union, coupled with a nuclear arms race between the superpowers, it was time for a movie to analyze such lunacy via the rise of teen cinema, putting a bright but reckless young man from Seattle on the race to stop the end of the world. “WarGames” had timing, but it also offers a sharp script from Lawrence Lasker and Walter F. Parkes, who help to bring Hollywood into the personal computer age, and direction by John Badham is crisp, delivering some of the finest work of his career, endeavoring to bring a little extra personality into a feature that’s loaded with suspense and surprises.

David (Matthew Broderick) is a brilliant young man who focuses primarily on his home computer system, with hacking skills granting him access to hidden areas of school and business systems. Learning of a new video game release, David hopes to infiltrate the company’s records and access the files, only to make contact with Joshua, an A.I. program created by Stephen (John Wood), who’s in possession of forbidden games the high school kid wants to play. Joined by Jennifer (Ally Sheedy), David begins toying with a nuclear war simulator. Unbeknownst to the teen, Joshua is connected to NORAD, inspiring panic as military and government officials (including Dabney Coleman and Barry Corbin) try to understand if they’re experiencing a computer error or are witnessing the beginning of World War III.

Badham’s mission with “WarGames” is to keep it approachable, with the subject matter inherently grim and possibly too sci-fi for 1983. David isn’t a confident man of the keyboard, but a geeky guy with a passion for mischief, equally surprised to gain access to Joshua’s game list and acquire Jennifer’s attention, giving the picture some romantic tingles between the teens to help humanize the characters. Parkes and Lasker get the movie up and running right away, opening with an unsettling event inside a nuclear missile launch room, where human response to doomsday orders are tested, paving the way for computer control of first strike capabilities. And it quickly moves over to David and his semi-innocent game of hacking, which turns into a nightmare as he connects with Joshua, who’s ready to finish the game they’ve started.

“WarGames” is a true nail-biter for most of the run time, with David gradually exposed to the trouble he’s in, unaware that inside a Colorado war room, technicians and leaders believe a nuclear war has broken out with the Soviets. Badham keeps tension high as dangers develop, and there’s an enticing mystery in Stephen, a reclusive man connected to Joshua’s origin. The production does an excellent job keeping the computer realm understandable for viewers, even gifting the machine a robotic voice to help create a character out of Joshua. And there’s a defined divide between teen naivete and military panic, with the two sides slowly coming together over the run time, leading to confrontation in the second half where David starts to recognize what’s really going on, only the adults in the room don’t trust him. It’s catnip for young audiences and a horror show for older viewers.

For additional analysis and information, please read Michael Reuben’s 2012 review.

WarGames 4K Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Screencaps are taken from the Blu-ray.

Previously released on Blu-ray in 2012, "WarGames" returns to disc via Shout Factory, who provides a UHD release for the 1983 picture, previously billed as a "Brand new 4K restoration of the film from the original camera negative." The Dolby Vision viewing experience provides a decent upgrade from the previous release, offering slightly sharper detail throughout the viewing experience. Skin particulars are textured, along with costuming, which ranges from casual teen outfits to stiff military uniforms. Interiors are open for inspection, examining the cluttered appearance of David's bedroom and the expansive home of NORAD, highlighting different screens and machines. Exteriors retain dimension, exploring suburban sights and rural spaces. Color is compelling, doing well with period hues on outfits and decorative additions. Technological additions offer a brighter presence, with the sharp green and blue glow of screen text and lighting systems around the war room. Skin tones are natural. Blacks are deep, with a strong sense of evening interactions and rooms with limited lighting. Highlights are tasteful, nicely amplifying a climatic strobe effect. Grain is satisfactorily resolved. Source is in good condition.

WarGames 4K Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 5.1 DTS-HD MA mix provides crisp dialogue exchanges, balancing softer teen communication with louder bellowing from the military characters. Electronic voicing is also sharp. Scoring cues are active, going from playful synth to orchestral moods, and instrumentation is clear. Surrounds also work with music cues, with some panning effects and separation. Atmospherics are appreciable, capturing crowd activity and elements of nature. Low-end is active, delivering a pleasingly heavier sense of onscreen missile events.

WarGames 4K Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Commentary features director John Badham and writers Lawrence Lasker and Walter F. Parkes.

• "Loading 'WarGames'" (45:05, SD) is a 2007 making-of, featuring interviews with co-writer Walter F. Parkes, co-writer Lawrence Lasker, executive producer Leonard Goldberg, writer Tom Mankiewicz, cinematographer William A. Fraker, visual F/X supervisor Michael L. Fink, director John Badham, visual consultant Geoffrey Kirkland, editor Tom Rolf, composer Arthur P. Rubinstein, and actors Matthew Broderick, Ally Sheedy, and Barry Corbin. The conversation begins with Parkes and Lasker and their initial inspiration for the story, getting a sense of technological capability in the late 1970s, including the rise of home computer systems. Military research was also completed, with the pair finding their way into a real facility, receiving help from local leaders. The mystery of Falken is also explored, with the initial vision for the character more of a Stephen Hawking-type (John Lennon was a dream casting choice). After the script was completed, the project was finally in motion, with Martin Breast hired to direct, also making changes to the writing and tone that eventually saw his removal from the effort two weeks into shooting. John Badham was quickly brought in to finish the movie, bringing with him a lighter touch and faster set-ups, making the feature seem more "fun." Casting is highlighted, examining characterization and performances choices. The creation of the war room set is detailed, along with various computer devices, including the idea to have Joshua "talk" to help audience comprehension. A discussion of post-production achievements and the successful release of "WarGames" closes out the documentary.

• "Inside NORAD: Cold War Fortress" (10:54, SD) is a featurette about the political climate of the 1960s through the early 1980s, with authentic tension put to use in "WarGames."

• "Attack of the Hackers" (13:35, SD) is a featurette exploring the birth and development of hacker culture, featuring interviews with experts and tech veterans.

• "Tic Tac Toe: A True Story" (4:30, SD) provides a brief history of the game, along with some strategy to help players win their next match.

• And a Theatrical Trailer (2:22, HD) is included.

WarGames 4K Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Like many pictures released around this time, "WarGames" retains an effective antiwar message, blended with a little technophobia, creating a disaster scenario of military reaction to unreliable information, and the movie also manages to clearly explain the DEFCON alert system to all audiences. The feature is supported by excellent performances, with Broderick unnervingly precise in his adolescent awkwardness. And tech credits are superb, including Arthur B. Rubinstein's highly unusual video game-inspired score. "WarGames" is one of the best films of 1983, with its driving suspense and now primitive computer-fu creating a thrilling viewing experience, landing its entertainment intent and warning about the threat of nuclear annihilation.