"WarGames" is a surprisingly effective thriller, thanks to its highly original premise and Badham's literally flawless direction. Broderick's and Sheedy's winning performances also help. Fortunately, the movie doesn't contain too much technical "jargon": it is more interested in its clearly stated anti-war message, while at the same time it works as suspenseful entertainment. It may be a little far-fetched sometimes, but when that final moment arrives when the computer realizes that "the only winning move is not to play", be prepared to feel a genuine chill.
