MovieChat Forums > WarGames (1983) Discussion > Liked it better as an adult

Liked it better as an adult

posted 8 years ago by thomaswilliamboner
6 replies | jump to latest

I watched this movie last night, probably haven't watched it since I was 16 or 17. I really enjoyed it, I didn't care too much for it as a teenager. I really liked it though, even Matthew Broderick was good in this. I normally don't care for his acting. Ally Sheedy was hot in this, she looked so much better with her natural hair. She really hit the role of a teenage girl perfectly. The only thing I didn't care for was some of the sappy 80's music. I know that is to be expected with movies from that era though. Really good movie though.

[–] Eddysfitzboy 8 years ago

I'm re-watching this movie right now. Although it's pretty dated, it's still a decent movie. I think I saw it when it first came out and haven't seen it since. As I said, a lot of it is pretty dated, almost unintentionally comical, but I still give it a 7.

Kaffee: Is the colonel's underwear a matter of national security?

[–] Rey_Kahuka 8 years ago

Very dated material, it's hard to tell how much is unintentional as opposed to intentional comedy. The message still holds up even if the tech is nonsense and the plot holes are larger than the script itself.

It has a good heart and it's well acted. Some of the characters are caricatures but just about anyone with more than one line brings something fun to the mix. Broderick seems to be unsure of how to play the role, but that actually goes in his favor. The awkwardness of David really works.

Fantastic visual sequence in NORAD at the end, with all the screens lighting up, as the characters witness video Armageddon over and over as they count down towards the genuine end of days. Must have been a fun scene to shoot.

Again, though much of the film doesn't hold up from a technical aspect, its message still resonates and the story is a clever and positive one. I almost feel like you could update it and do a decent remake, but I'd be afraid it would take itself too seriously.

Overall it's probably a 6 for me, though nostalgia makes me want to give it a 7.

"Well that settles it, this place gets no more of my business."

[–] mark6785 8 years ago

would you say "Pearl Harbor" is dated because they dont use GPS?

[–] Shuzzie53 8 years ago

Of course it's dated. It's 33 years old, fer cryin' out loud.

[–] franzkabuki 7 years ago

It pretty much goes downhill after Broderick escapes the NORAD facility - an uneventful trip to Oregon, introduction of the dopey, boring Falken guy plus some woozy teen romance. And some preachy stuff on top. The first hour certainly promised something better.

"facts are stupid things" Ronald Reagan

[–] [deleted] 6 years ago

Franzk, you expressed my sentiment nicely.

Well, the ending at NORAD was interesting, but pretty much nothing between David escaping and three of them arriving at Norad is entertaining. Surely these things could've been done in more interesting ways, or more computers could've been involved.

It's amazing to me that in "The Simpsons", they didn't want to show people using computers, because they thought it would've been boring.

But this film proves quite the opposite; whenever people ARE using computers, things are exciting and thrilling, but when people are NOT using computers, everything is boring and sappy.

Same goes for playing Arcade games in the eighties - it's always exciting to watch.