Long ago, probably before you were born, a computer was a complicated, mysterious device. A long time staple of science fiction, these could easily fill a room, and were thought to be capable of taking over the world. Or blowing it up, maybe.

A young hacker, David Lightman, (Matthew Broderick) thinks nothing of breaking into his school's computer system, changing his grades, creating non-existant passengers for a Paris flight, and one day, hits the glory hole. Namely, a tactical computer that helps to run the Norad facility at Cheyenne Mountain.

And "Joshua," as the computer is known, is very self-aware, having been given a personality by its creator, the mysterious and missing Dr. Falken (John Wood). And when David tells the machine to play a game called "thermo-nuclear war," Joshua is more than happy to oblige. So much so, that it sends the Norad facilty into a panic, and the two directors there, Dr. McKitterick (Dabney Coleman) and General Beringer (Barry Corbin) into a tizzy.

Quickly enough, David finds that it's all not a game, especially when the government takes a very dim view of his hacking, and picks him up. With his girlfriend, Jennifer (Ally Sheedy), he figures out that soon enough not only does he have to commicate with Joshua, but also find that missing Dr. Falken...

For computer geeks, this is a trip down memory lane today, and I and my SO couldn't help our snickers. After all, this was when the idea of a personal computer was expensive, or you built it yourself. And on a more serious note, the plot is a bit outdated, now that hacking isn't really a hobby but a true danger to your own identity.

Still, the director, John Badham, did a fairly good job with his material. John Wood's performance is particularly good, what with his world-weariness and grief over the original Joshua. Too, the creation of the war room at Cheyenne Mountain is well-done, and the suspense is kept up throughout the film, until the final fifteen minutes.

The bad part of the film is that I kept thinking I was actually watching Wesley Crusher up there saving the universe while the adults are acting like idiots. Coleman's character is especially grating, and Broderick's smarminess wanted me to smack him a few times and send him to his room without dinner.

Four stars out of five, best for the young teenage crowd, or the hopeless hacker who wants to dream for a couple of hours. While the technology and plot are hopelessly outdated, it's not a bad little movie.

Recommended:
Yes

Viewing Format: VHS
Suitability For Children: Suitable for Children Age 9 - 12