WarGames (1983)
A brilliant hacker accidentally triggers global thermonuclear war, racing against a supercomputer to prevent doomsday.
High school student David Lightman has a talent for hacking. But while trying to hack into a computer system to play unreleased video games, he unwittingly taps into the Department of Defense's war computer and initiates a confrontation of global proportions. Together with his friend and a wizardly computer genius, David must race against time to outwit his opponent and prevent a nuclear Armageddon.
How intense is WarGames?
WarGames is not scary, with no gore and some violence. Emotionally it is heavy. The pace is brisk, and it is a full-attention watch. Rated PG.
What WarGames feels like
- Tone
- suspensefultenseearnest
- Pace
- Brisk
- Best for
- Full attention
Where to stream WarGames
US availability via TMDB, last checked Sep 15, 2026. The app filters picks to the services you actually have.
Is WarGames for you?
Is WarGames scary?
No. WarGames is not a scary watch (scare level 0 of 3).
Is WarGames gory or violent?
No gore (0 of 3) and some violence (1 of 3). Squeamish viewers are fine here.
Is WarGames sad or heavy?
It is emotionally heavy (2 of 3). Expect it to land.
Is WarGames OK for kids?
It is rated PG and nothing here runs hot: scare 0, gore 0, violence 1, each out of 3. A safe family pick by the numbers.
How long is WarGames?
WarGames runs 1h 54m.
Where can I stream WarGames?
WarGames is streaming on AMC+, MGM+ and Hoopla.
Does WarGames have a happy ending? spoiler-safe answer
Yes. It lands on a happy note.
Cast and crew
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