Quite possibly the first "hacker" movie of our times, WarGames shows us what can happen when we put our trust in these new-fangled computing machinery thingies, and then give them the power to destroy the planet.

OK, so maybe thats overstating things a bit.  WarGames is still a fun romp through the world of computer-hackery and cold war missile command tension.

The general premise is this:  SAC has turned over launch control of our nations thousands of nuclear ICBMs to a mainframe computer named WOPR (War Operations Plan Response if memory serves) and out of the thinking hands of the launch crews.  WOPR can instantly calculate the outcome of just about any scenario given to it.

Of course its stumbled upon quite accidentally by the young David Lightman, who was war dialing to find some software company's new games.  He and his "little friend" Jennifer (Ally Sheedy) figure out the backdoor password, and begin their relationship with the system known as "Joshua."

They start playing what they think is an innocent game of Global Thermonuclear War, when in actuality they are putting the WOPR into an operational state, sending NORAD into a panic.

Hilarity ensues.  This leads to that etc. and so forth, and "Joshua" keeps playing the game without them, and locking out all control of the missiles.  They track down the author of the system, one Dr. Stephen Falken, and they all wind up back at NORAD to help Joshua figure out that its all quite pointless.

OK, sure as a war movie its a bit of a stretch, I'll admit.  There's lots of ICBM talk, lovely strategic computer displays and lots of angry older guys in blue suits with stars on their epaulets.  But its still fun.  And from the "hacker" standpoint it still holds a lot of truths about computer security and stuff like social engineering and whatnot....  Good for a big bowl of popcorn any time in my book.

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