The Best Of The Best
From fierce gunplay to dogfights in the skies over Britain, war movies bring us to the edge of our seats with action, emotion, or both. The best of these movies combine storytelling, drama, and realism to put the viewer right at the heart of the battle. To celebrate this incredible genre, here are 40 of the greatest war movies ever made!
We’ll preface this article by saying that there are many spoilers ahead! So, if you’d rather watch the films first (we suggest you do!) and then see if you agree with our list, that would be great!
30 Seconds Over Tokyo (1944)
30 Seconds Over Tokyo retells the story of the first air raid over Japan following the attack at Pearl Harbor. But, instead of glossing over the events of the raid and replacing it with rank anti-Japanese propaganda, the film depicts the raid and the aftermath in chilling detail. You spend time with the crew of the American aircraft as they reflect on their part in the deadly air raid.
Viewers should beware that anti-Japanese slurs appear frequently in the film.
MGM, Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo (1944)
War Horse (2011)
Steven Spielberg directs War Horse, a film about a young enlistee in the British Army named Albert and his horse, Joey. The movie covers the story of them being torn apart by conflict as Joey is sold to the British Army’s Household Cavalry, only to reunite during the film and survive together. It is based on the 1982 novel of the same name, written by Michael Morpurgo.
Napoleon (2023)
One of history’s most remembered French leaders, Napoleon Bonaparte, has had many a film about him, but perhaps none that reached the heights of Ridley Scott’s Napoleon. It follows the life of Napoleon, played by Joaquin Phoenix, from a young cavalry officer to a leader, a General, and eventually Emperor of France. Scott depicts most of Napoleon’s major battles and victories with stunning detail and historical accuracy, including his final battle at Waterloo in 1815.
This fantastic biopic of the French Emperor won three Academy Awards in 2023.
Courage Under Fire (1996)
This is one of the first films about the Gulf conflict and one of the first films of the 1990s to tackle the “issue” of women in combat. Edward Zwick directed Courage Under Fire which features Denzel Washington as Lt. Colonel Serling, charged with uncovering the truth about a combat incident that may cost would-be Medal of Honor recipient, Captain Karen Walden, the highest honor in the armed services. Captain Walden is played in flashbacks by Meg Ryan.
The film doubles as a character study of secrecy and a mystery/Army thriller.
Twentieth Century, Courage Under Fire (1996)
Black Hawk Down (2001)
Black Hawk Down retells the true story of the Battle of Mogadishu in 1993. The Battle of Mogadishu was part of Operation Gothic Serpent, an American mission to capture Mohammed Farah Aidid, the leader of the Somali National Resistance. Aidid was wanted by the United Nations in connection with the slaying of UN forces. Black Hawk Down tells the tale of the failed raid by US forces to capture Aidid, the ensuing battles through the streets of Mogadishu, and the eventual rescue by the United Nations, following the loss of two helicopters and the deaths of 18 Americans.
Jarhead (2005)
This adaptation of Anthony Swofford’s memoir, Jarhead was one of the most popular American Army films of the early 21st century. Set during the Persian Gulf conflict, Sam Mendes’ directorship takes an unusual turn as the troopers don’t see battle until three quarters of the way through the film. Jarhead depicts basic Marine training in excellent (if horrifying) detail and then shows the bond that forms between comrades-in-arms beautifully as Swofford (played by Jake Gyllenhaal) deploys with his unit to Kuwait.
The Last Of The Mohicans (1992)
Starring Daniel Day-Lewis, The Last of the Mohicans tells the story of a time in American history that Hollywood has largely forgotten about—the French-Indian conflict. Set in 1757, the film depicts Daniel Day-Lewis as the adopted son of a Mohican Native American tribal chief, attempting to recapture the daughters of a British colonel from a traitorous Mohawk. The rescue mission lasts throughout most of the film and is a fascinating and incredibly well-detailed look into a part of North American history that seems to have been forgotten.
Twentieth Century, The Last of the Mohicans (1992)
Three Kings (1999)
This fascinating turn-of-the-century film starring Mark Wahlberg, George Clooney, and Ice Cube depicts a failed gold heist by four American servicemen serving in Iraq in 1991. Three Kings tells the story of the capture and torment by Iraqi Intelligence of one of the team members (Mark Wahlberg) and his rescue by Clooney, Cube, and their enlisted help of Iraqi resistance fighters. Ultimately, Three Kings is a story about power and corruption at the end of an American conflict.
Warner Bros., Three Kings (1999)
Run Silent, Run Deep (1958)
Run Silent, Run Deep is another novel adaptation on our list. Made from a best-seller of the same name, the film depicts the struggle for power aboard a wayward American submarine whose commanding officer, Commander Richardson (played by Clark Gable) is using the sub and its crew to exact revenge against a Japanese ship that slew crewmates of his prior command. Commander Richardson is challenged by Lieutenant Colonel Bledsoe (played by Burt Lancaster), which forms the crux of the movie’s tension.
This masterful example of storytelling and directorship from Robert Wise only gets more suspenseful when torpedoes are added to the mix.
United Artists, Run Silent, Run Deep (1958)
Chè (2008)
The rumblings of revolutionary fervor are depicted masterfully in the 2008 epic Chè. As the title suggests, it’s about the life of Che Guevara, the Cuban revolutionary who overthrew Fulgencio Batista’s dictatorship in 1958. The first of a two-part biopic is a fantastic dramatization of the life of Che Guevara, directed by Benicio Del Toro.
Da 5 Bloods (2020)
Directed by veteran director Spike Lee, Da 5 Bloods tells the story of four young African-American veterans of the Vietnam conflict on a mission to recover the remains of a fallen squad member. The five men hid a gold fortune in the jungles of Vietnam during the conflict. Alongside the remains of their comrade, the four servicemen also hope to bring home the treasure they buried.
The film maintains an anti-combat message throughout and features footage of Malcolm X and Martin Luther King.
Gallipoli (1981)
Starring a young Mel Gibson, Gallipoli tells the story of two Australian sprinters who sign up for battle during WWI. The pair are first denied entry to the Army in their home state, as they’re too young, but they hop aboard a freight train to Perth, Australia. After, they sneak aboard a cargo vessel that’s headed for Cairo, Egypt. Following the completion of their training, they’re used on the battlefields of Gallipoli in Turkey as messengers, due to their speed.
This epic film makes no bones about the reality of combat. It is a brutal retelling of one of the bloodiest battles of WWI, in which approximately 8,000 ANZAC servicemen lost their lives.
1917 (2019)
In a piece of cinematic history and genius, this film was shot across France in 2019, but the camera never stops moving and the film is never set in the same place twice. This adds to the incredible story of two British troopers, Lance Corporal Schofield and Lance Corporal Blake, who are sent across enemy lines to halt an attack by British forces against a German line.
The action eventually saves some 1,600 lives, but the single-shot nature of the film is astonishingly well done and tells the story with unparalleled drama.
The Battle Of Algiers (1966)
The Battle of Algiers tells the gruesome story of anti-revolutionary efforts by the French to quell a revolution by a group of Algerians during the occupation of Algeria by French forces in the late 1950s. It depicts the methods used by the French to quash this revolution, including excruciating physical torment, deliberate targeting of civilians with bombings, and much more. Directed by Gillo Pontecurvo, there aren’t many films that so ruthlessly depict counter-revolutionary efforts by an occupying force.
Monogram, The Battle of Algiers (1966)
Platoon (1986)
Platoon is one of the classic combat movies of the 1980s. One of Charlie Sheen’s major breakout roles came in the form of this classic tale of a young university student who quits his studies to fight in Vietnam. However, his idealism of battle and conflict quickly fades when he arrives in Vietnam, replaced instead by skepticism of the cause and sympathy for the civilians caught in the middle.
The Dirty Dozen (1967)
This classic 1960s flick tells the tale of a dozen Army convicts, brought together by the Office of Strategic Services (an intelligence unit in the United States armed services during WWII) to fight dangerous missions behind enemy lines in the build-up to D-Day. While the film begins jovially and light-heartedly, things quickly take a serious turn when the bullets start flying.
Flags Of Our Fathers (2006)
The first in a two-part epic directed by Clint Eastwood, Flags of Our Fathers tells the story of American servicemen battling for territory on the Japanese-controlled island of Iwo Jima. It tells the American side of the battle for Iwo Jima and pays homage to a photograph of a group of American troopers hoisting the American flag atop Mount Suribachi, an image that became a rallying cry for the battle-weary American public.
DreamWorks, Flags of Our Fathers (2006)
Letters From Iwo Jima (2006)
This masterful sequel tells the Japanese side of the Battle of Iwo Jima, produced and directed by Clint Eastwood, but with an all-Japanese cast and only available in the Japanese language with American subtitles. Letters from Iwo Jima tells the story of several Japanese troopers, captured from missives of those that were there during the battle. The cinematic artistry to tell such a story from both sides of the conflict only reinforces the idea that nobody wins a war.
DreamWorks, Letters from Iwo Jima (2006)
Full Metal Jacket (1987)
Full Metal Jacket by Stanley Kubrick goes the whole nine yards, following J.T. “Joker” Davis throughout his training as a US Marine, to serving on the battlefields of Vietnam. This epic film tells the story of friendship, camaraderie, accomplishment, and the horrors of battle. Full Metal Jacket is something of an iconic 1980s combat film.
Warner Bros., Full Metal Jacket (1987)
The Great Escape (1963)
Of course, Steve McQueen and The Great Escape were going to make this list. Under the directorship of John Sturges, The Great Escape is the epic that inspired other WWII movies of similar plot lines. It depicted a German POW camp filled with Allied servicemen determined to make a break for it. The film details their planning and execution of a daring escape with an epic scene of Steve McQueen making a run for it on a motorbike.
If you haven’t seen it yet, The Great Escape is a must-see.
United Artists, The Great Escape (1963)
The Bridge On The River Kwai (1957)
The Bridge on the River Kwai depicts the construction of a bridge by British POWs, as ordered by their Japanese captors. Although the prisoners are intent on secretly sabotaging the bridge, their British commanding officer takes umbrage with their lack of enthusiasm for the project and sees it more as a source of national pride, ordering them to complete the bridge without delay.
The film is based on the novel The Bridge Over the River Kwai, written in 1952 by Pierre Boule.
Columbia, The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957)
Inglorious Basterds (2009)
One of Brad Pitt’s few combat movies, Inglorious Basterds from 2009 tells the tale of an American commander, with, well, a hatred for his German opponents. Lieutenant Aldo Raine (Brad Pitt) assembles a team of Jewish fighters to take revenge on their German opponents by taking their scalps.
Steeped in comedic one-liners and also scenes of rather explicit brutality, Inglorious Basterds is a Tarantino film with all of the hallmarks you’d expect from the director.
Universal, Inglourious Basterds (2009)
Das Boot (1981)
Translated to “The Boat”, Das Boot is an epic combat film that tells the story of a German submarine in the Atlantic Ocean and details the trials and tribulations faced by a German U-boat commander and his crew during that part of WWII. Written in German with English subtitles, Das Boot is often seen as being one of the best films to depict the “other side” of WWII.
Dunkirk (2017)
Set in 1940, following the German invasion of France, Dunkirk tells the story of how British and French forces evacuated from the beaches of Dunkirk using naval vessels and ordinary sailing boats, given by the British civilians so the Royal Navy could aid in the evacuation. This extraordinary retelling of the events of that day features a star-studded cast including Harry Styles, Tom Hardy, Kenneth Brannagh, and Cillian Murphy.
The Hurt Locker (2008)
One of the first films about explosive ordinance disposal technicians, The Hurt Locker was also a breakout film for Jeremy Renner, who plays the main character, Sergeant J.T. Stanborn, an explosive ordinance disposal technician assigned to a new squadron in Iraq. This film is painstakingly anxious at times and portrays several incredibly tense situations involving explosive ordinance disposal. The Hurt Locker also explores the dynamics in squadrons and is thematic of the general futility of armed conflict.
Summit, The Hurt Locker (2008)
Apocalypse Now (1979)
Journey into the jungle with Apocalypse Now. Martin Sheen stars as Captain Willard, a special forces soldier tasked with eliminating a former United States Army soldier, Colonel Kurtz, who has gone rogue and rules over a small camp like a mad king. While set against the backdrop of the Vietnam conflict, the film explores battle and human conflict as though it is an integral part of who we are as people.
United Artists, Apocalypse Now (1979)
Saving Private Ryan (1998)
Perhaps one of the most infamous and popular combat movies of all time, Saving Private Ryan was inspired by the true story of an American soldier, Frederick Niland, who was sent home after all of his brothers perished in combat during WWII. Saving Private Ryan stars Tom Hanks as Captain Miller, Matt Damon as Private Ryan, and Tom Sizemore as Mike Horvath. It’s also an early appearance on the big screen for Vin Diesel, who plays Private Caparzo.
Captain Miller takes his men behind enemy lines in Normandy, France, to locate and extract Private James Ryan. They meet heavy resistance along the way (as one might expect) but eventually locate and extract Private Ryan. The film is about sacrifices, trials and tribulations, and the brutal reality of WWII.
DreamWorks, Saving Private Ryan (1998)
The Thin Red Line (1998)
This one’s an adaptation of James Jones’ 1962 novel, which focuses on the Battle of Guadalcanal during WWII. After absconding from the US Army, Private Witt (played by Jim Caviezel) is discovered by his commanding officer, Sergeant Welsh (played by Sean Penn) and forced to resume training for combat at Guadalcanal. The story explores the Battle of Guadalcanal, a little-told part of the American theater during WWII.
Twentieth Century, The Thin Red Line (1998)
Passchendaele (2008)
Set during the WWI, Passchendaele depicts the Battle of Passchendaele. The film begins with Sergeant Michael Dunne, our main character played by Paul Gross, who is back home in Canada following the Battle of Vimy Ridge and dealing with neural injuries sustained during that battle. There, he meets and falls in love with a nurse, Sarah Mann. Sarah’s eager-to-fight-something brother, David, soon enlists in the Canadian Expeditionary Force and deploys against the family’s wishes.
David Mann and Sergeant. Dunne end up back in conflict, with the Sergeant re-entering combat to look after his lover’s brother. They are deployed to Flanders, Belgium and wind up at the Battle of Passchendaele. The film is a rather heartbreaking tale of the tragedies of conflict, all the while, love perseveres.
Hacksaw Ridge (2016)
Hacksaw Ridge tells the true story of Private First Class Desmond Doss, an enlisted soldier who refused to carry a weapon during WWII on religious grounds. Despite being drafted, Doss refused to carry a firearm and was pilloried by his fellow servicemen and his commanding officers for his decision. Nevertheless, he went on to save more 75 lives at the Battle of Okinawa, all without firing a shot.
Doss is played by Andrew Garfield in this heartwarming story about the possibilities of observing peace during a time of conflict.
All Quiet On The Western Front (2022)
All Quiet on the Western Front tells the story of WWI from the perspective of a German soldier. It is based on the semi-autobiographical novel by German WWI veteran, Erich Remarque, first published in Germany in 1929. It stars Felix Kammerer as Paul Baumer, a young and idealistic German soldier signing up for battle during 1917, spurred on by romantic visions of life in the trenches. However, on the first night of his deployment to the Western Front, a friend is brutally slain. What follows is a reality check for the young soldier about the harsh realities of combat.
Complete with the mischief of young Army men—like taking a goose from a local farm—and the brutality of conflict on full display, All Quiet on the Western won four awards at the British Academy Film Awards and received more than a dozen nominations globally.
Netflix, All Quiet on the Western Front (2022)
Downfall (2004)
This 2004 historical drama tells the story of the last days of Adolf H's reign, as he’s holed up in a bunker in Berlin with the British and Americans on one side and the Soviets on the other. Uniquely, the Fuhrer's real-life secretary, Traudi Junge, narrates the story of the last few days of his life. It captures the manic tirades of a man on the edge, issuing orders that are completely insane in the context of the battles raging across Europe.
Downfall does a fantastic job of imagining what it must have been like to share a room with a man realising his dream and visions of glory are crumbling, and the grasping at straws that must have happened at the time.
Operation Valkyrie (2008)
Operation Valkyrie is a dramatization of a real-life WWII plan of the same name. Members of the German High Command planned to assassinate The Fuhrer and implement a continuity-of-government to prevent the downfall of the entire Reich. On July 20th, 1944, that plan (codenamed Operation Valkyrie) was enacted by Colonel Claus von Stauffenberg and his co-conspirators.
In this retelling of the events, Tom Cruise, Kenneth Brannagh, Eddie Izzard, Bill Nighy, and Tom Wilkinson star as the conspirators, with Cruise playing the lead as Colonel von Stauffenberg.
Enemy At The Gates (2001)
Starring Jude Law, Enemy at the Gates tells the story of the Battle of Stalingrad and the role of a Russian sharpshooter, Vasily Zeitsev. Although Zeitsev was a real Russian sharpshooter during the Battle of Stalingrad, the character played by Law is a fictionalized version of the man. Enemy at the Gates shows the German effort to dispatch Zeitsev (as he had been taking out Germans at an astonishing rate) by deploying an instructor of the Wehrmacht marksman school, played by Ed Harris.
The snipers’ battle takes place on the streets of Stalingrad, pitting two experienced marksmen against each other in one of the legendary battles of WWII.
Mandalay, Enemy at the Gates (2001)
We Were Soldiers (2002)
This iconic film stars Mel Gibson and tells the tale of the first major battle of the Vietnam conflict, fought between the United States and the North Vietnamese Army. Gibson plays the role of Colonel Hal Moore, a dedicated, loyal and fierce commander of a battalion of men. Alongside Sam Elliot as Sergeant Major Basil Plumley and Greg Kinnear as Major Bruce Crandall, he and his men successfully take a section of la Drang valley, a key first victory for US forces in Vietnam. The film tells the story of the fierce fighting, sacrifices made by the men that day, and the futility of battle.
Darkest Hour (2017)
The title is a reference to Winston Churchill’s speech to Parliament in June of 1940, at the onset of WWII. The film depicts the new Prime Minister’s internal and external battle over whether to negotiate with Germany or to fight on. Gary Oldman, who plays Winston Churchill, does a masterful job of imagining what it must have been like for Churchill to hold his government together while staring down the barrel of the German battle machine.
Universal, Darkest Hour (2017)
Lone Survivor (2013)
Telling the true story of Marcus Luttrell, a lone survivor of a Navy SEAL mission during the conflict in Afghanistan to eliminate a Taliban leader, Lone Survivor draws on Luttrell’s autobiography for source material, depicting the initial engagement with Taliban forces in which all of Luttrell’s comrades are slain. It then moves to Luttrell being spotted by a group of goat herders and though preparing for the end, he is surprised when they take him, care for his wounds, and allow him to heal. And they do all of that while fending off Taliban attempts to capture him.
The “code of Pashtunwali'' is put on full display in the film, with Luttrell befriending his saviors and eventually being rescued by US forces. Marcus Luttrell is played by Mark Wahlberg, with supporting roles by Emile Hirsch, Taylor Kitsch, and Ben Foster.
Universal, Lone Survivor (2013)
American Sniper (2014)
This is as much of a tale about the aftereffects of battle as it is about Chris Kyle, the “American sniper” made famous in Iraq for his fierce dedication to protecting his brothers-in-arms, becoming the deadliest marksman in American history in the process. Set over a broad arc both at home in the US and in Iraq, the film depicts a few of the key battles that Kyle was involved in and the battles he faces back home, adapting to a “normal life”. Bradley Cooper plays Chris Kyle in an unusual but effective casting for a combat film.
Warner Bros., American Sniper (2014)
The Covenant (2023)
The Covenant, directed by Guy Ritchie, tells the story of an Afghan interpreter and an American Green Beret as they fight against the Taliban through Afghanistan. After being injured in an attack on his convoy, Master Sergeant John Kinley (played by Jake Gyllenhaal) is rescued by an Afghan interpreter who risks life, limb, and his family to protect Kinley. The two form an unbreakable bond as they fight against Taliban attacks throughout the film, ending with the pair leaving Afghanistan together.
The film shines a light on the plight of Afghan interpreters during the conflict in Afghanistan and reveals that over 300 interpreters were slain by the Taliban after the American withdrawal from the country.
Braveheart (1995)
Mel Gibson’s starring in our list frequently, isn’t he? In Braveheart, he plays Scottish hero William Wallace, a revolutionary warrior against English rule in Scotland in the 13th century. Detailing the life of Wallace from his beginnings as a farmer with a family to his end as a fearless warrior, the inspiring epic tells the tale of a time in history that’s largely left behind by Hollywood.
Twentieth Century, Braveheart (1995)
The 40 movies on this list are the best war films ever made, in our humble opinion. While there’s no shortage of movies about armed conflict, choosing just these 40 were difficult and there are doubtless many worthy submissions that didn’t make the cut. How many of these have you seen? Are any in your top 10 list? Let us know in the comments!
