Review of Wargames (1962) by Adrian Z — 06 Jul 2011

Moppet Matthew Broderick (actually in his twenties but looking about nine) plays computer whiz David, a horrible brat of a teen. He'd happily insult a teacher and get thrown out of class just so he can get a password to hack a computer so he can change his grades. Why a child this devious and skilled would need to change his grades isn't addressed, but one can assume it's because he skips classes to sit in his bedroom being a nauseating little hacker. He's the kind of kid who doesn't respect other people's beliefs. Totally repulsive.

And sure, it's amusing to see all the simple 80s computers, but seriously, do you find computers gripping? Does anyone find watching someone else play around with a computer remotely interesting?

The first part of WarGames boils down to a little bastard doing baffling unknown things on a computer. Gripping, it ain't.

But then our moppet starts an innocent game of Global Thermonuclear War and the moment David realises what he has done, the film flips entirely. Suddenly we're in a thrilling story. Smug brats don't make good viewing, but when David's panicked, he's a gripping lead.

Unfortunately there's still quite a lot of David's genius going past completely unexplained (how does he get out of that room? What is it he does to the payphone?) but as time ticks down to the nuclear apocalypse and David tries to convince everyone of what's going on, the film remains taught and interesting.

But the finale isn't as strong. There's a last minute change of heart for no reason, and a hugely redundant ending that completely undermines David, which is a bit of a shame what with it being the big climax.

And all we're left with is the lesson that 'war is futile'. This simple Star Trek moralising is insulting, and there's absolutely no epilogue. All we get as payoff for this nearly-the-end-of-the-world story is a quick 'don't do war'. Well, gee, thanks. Y'think?

A slow start, a simple ending, but the middle is good.