War Game

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2:06

War Game

Released Aug 2, 2024

1h 34m

Mystery & Thriller

Documentary

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Reviews

62%

Popcornmeter

50+ Ratings

War Game sweeps audiences into an elaborate future-set simulation that dramatically escalates the threat posed by the January 6, 2021 insurrection. The film follows a bipartisan group of US defense, intelligence, and elected policymakers spanning five presidential administrations as they participate in an unscripted role-play exercise. Portraying a fictional President of the United States and his advisors, they confront a political coup backed by rogue members of the US military in the wake of a contested 2024 presidential election. Like actors in a thriller, but with profound real-world stakes, the players have only six hours to save American democracy.

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Critics Consensus

A creative exercise of deadly serious import, War Game is an involving feat of simulation that sounds the alarm.

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Dan Einav

Financial Times

While the presence of cameras and White House replica sets bring a touch of theatricality to proceedings, everyone taking part is fully committed to the exercise.

Rated: 4/5

Oct 3, 2024

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Michael O'Sullivan

Washington Post

As a simultaneously slick and provocative entertainment, “War Game” is chilling and a tad infuriating, offering a white-knuckle ride that may feel a bit too fresh in the memory for viewers who are still traumatized by the real thing.

Rated: 2.5/4

Aug 29, 2024

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Claudia Puig

FilmWeek (LAist)

This was fascinating, urgent and important.

Aug 28, 2024

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Bethan Ackerley

New Scientist

I left War Game with questions about the exercise’s purpose. I didn’t learn much and I’m not sure anyone in the situation room did either. That said, for capturing the precarity of the US government in such scary circumstances, this is worth your time.

Jan 24, 2025

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Pat Stacey

Irish Independent

The nail-biting docu-thriller War Game imagines how a sitting administration might respond to another insurrection far more serious than the previous one.

Oct 2, 2024

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Abbie Bernstein

Assignment X

This provides a lot of food for thought.

Rated: B

Oct 1, 2024

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Bernard D

Real people playing real people. Fascists are real too and must be defeated.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

09/07/24

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Michael

I liked the idea better than the film. For a film with a 6 hour clock War Game took leisurely digressions into back stories.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

08/26/24

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Andrew

Exceptionally timely and realistic. Very scary.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

08/12/24

Full Review

William B

This film is a bit unerving when you watch the complexity of decision making. The use of real people in place of actors lends to its credibility and impact. The danger of a repitition of Jan 6, is made plain by the issues that are raised by its participants in their roles. This is a film that every high school civics class should include.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

08/10/24

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Andrew A.

"Nothing ever happens" the documentary

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

07/03/25

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Angela H

I have no doubt this is an interesting and insightful docu-drama. Unfortunately, for me, it was rendered unwatchable thanks to the droning 'music' which added nothing other than annoyance. Shame because I'm sure some legitimate points would be included but I just couldn't listen.

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

05/29/25

Full Review

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Tony Gerber

Director

Jesse Moss

Director

Chris Henry Coffey

Actor

Steve Bullock

President John Hotham

Heidi Heitkamp

Sen. Advisor to the President

Alex Vindman

Game Consultant

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War Game: Trailer 1

2:06

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Synopsis

War Game sweeps audiences into an elaborate future-set simulation that dramatically escalates the threat posed by the January 6, 2021 insurrection. The film follows a bipartisan group of US defense, intelligence, and elected policymakers spanning five presidential administrations as they participate in an unscripted role-play exercise. Portraying a fictional President of the United States and his advisors, they confront a political coup backed by rogue members of the US military in the wake of a contested 2024 presidential election. Like actors in a thriller, but with profound real-world stakes, the players have only six hours to save American democracy.

Director: Tony Gerber, Jesse Moss
Producer: Todd Lubin, Jesse Moss, Jack Turner, Mark Dicristofaro, Jessica Grimshaw, Nick Shumaker
Distributor: Submarine Deluxe
Production Co: Boat Rocker Studios, Anonymous Content, Matador Content
Genre: Mystery & Thriller, Documentary
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Aug 2, 2024, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Sep 27, 2024
Runtime: 1h 34m

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