War Games: 25th Anniversary Edition
While most '80s movies see their cinematic weight flicker as the years go by, others are able to withstand the passing decades and still pack a punch. Such is the case with “War Games” and in this 25th anniversary edition packed with worthwhile extras, our society’s current addiction to computers and all things techie makes the film’s premise feel fresh and relevant.
In what was 20-year-old Matthew Broderick’s first starring role, “War Games” focuses on two high school friends (pre-“Breakfast Club” Ally Sheedy is his gal pal) who tap into a U.S. defense computer that accidentally begins a countdown toward nuclear war. That the pic came out while Cold War tensions still ran high — President Reagan was in his first term of office and the Russians could never be sure if he wasn’t going to launch a preemptive attack, according to the commentary — gave the storyline life-and-death consequences.
