 | ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids. |
 | OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | NOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age. |
WarGames
- PG
- Genre: Science Fiction
- 1983
Common Sense Media says
A war-era cautionary tale.
Parents say
QUALITY
Kids say
QUALITY
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that this film deals with mature topics such as nuclear war and nuclear holocaust, but also has as its main character a computer hacker who breaks the law without remorse.
What's the story?
America comes to the brink of World War III when a teenager accidentally hacks into a military computer. The story begins when computer gamer David (Matthew Broderick) accidentally cracks into the Pentagon's computer system and starts to play the game "Global Thermonuclear War." But the game is real, and the fate of the world is at stake, leaving David, his friend Jennifer (Ally Sheedy), and government official McKittrick (Dabney Coleman) are in a race to stop the Pentagon computer from bombing Russia.
Is it any good?
Although dated in appearance, this clever and suspenseful movie questions both an over-reliance on technology and the Reagan-era defense policy. This movie makes a strong case against nuclear war, portraying it as a game of brinksmanship with no winners. It also warns against leaving the responsibility of starting a nuclear war to artificial intelligence technology. The final sequence dramatizes these dangers with simulated explosions on wall-sized screens.
Nevertheless, WarGames manages to have fun with a very serious topic. The overall atmosphere of the movie is playful, as kids ride their bikes from house to house while the fate of the world rests in their hands. The Pacman-era technology may seem hokey by today's standards, but the military command center, with its multiple screens, is still impressive. Ironically, much of the "computer" simulation was accomplished with good old-fashioned animation. The movie anticipates various technological advances, most notably the explosion of the Internet. Teens interested in computers and game theory will find much to enjoy.
What families can talk about
Families can talk about Cold War history. Also, while the movie is dated, it might be provide a way to talk about the current war, and to ask your kids about their own fears.
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AGE
good movie
theres more sespence than scary parts
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AGE
Great discussion starter for our tech age
I love this movie, with its message that "mutual assured destruction" is indeed MAD, and that humans cannot let machines make decisions for them. There is no foolproof algorithm.
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AGE
Suspenseful, classic, but language is unavoidable.
I like this movie, for being a tolerable family movie for it's time. Even more, my dad's best friend's great-uncle was the General at NORAD at that time. Suspense is a good factor of this movie, hackers may not want to risk starting a nuclear war because of this. Funny, but watch out, language is present in this movie.
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Kid, 12 years old
July 11, 2010
AGE
you should't always lisen to csm
this movie has a medium amount of language including the s-word. theres no violence but if you include a fake nucular war as violence theres plenty of it. theres a sexual joke that young kids should't hear. young kids may get scared of a few things in this movie.
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AGE
10 and up
I don't know what people are talking about this movie is not scary, there isn't a whole lot of language(and the language there is is very tame). At times it can be a bit intense, but nothing out and out scary.
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AGE
Therre is no violence hardly any language of sexual stuff but ULTRA scary
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AGE
Iffy for ages 12-15.
I'm very surprised and disappointed with both the MPAA rating and the CSM rating. This movie has a TON of language, I was shocked to here so much swearing in a PG movie. This movie contains every, or almost every non-sexually derived swear word, and plenty of it. "PG for thematic intensity"? PLEASE. I've seen language mentioned in a PG movie for mild language such as "d--n" or "h--l". But yet they just happen not to mention language in a PG movie that has more language than many PG-13 movies? Wow. But yes, this movie definitely contains thematic intensity. My main concern would be the strong language and the scene of a sexually-themed biology class. Iffy for ages 12-15, off for 11 and under.
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| Topics: | adventures |
| Studio: | MGM/UA |
| Director: | John Badham |
| Cast: | Ally Sheedy, Dabney Coleman, Matthew Broderick |
| Genre: | Science Fiction |
| Run time: | 114 minutes |
| Theatrical release date: | June 3, 1983 |
| DVD release date: | April 28, 1998 |
| MPAA rating: | PG |
| MPAA explanation: | thematic intensity |
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