Top 20 All Time Greatest War Movies

It speaks volumes that Erich Maria Remarque[a]s 1929 novel, All Quiet on the Western Front has such an outstanding batting average when it comes to cinematic adaptations. Three separate film versions of Remarques piece have been lauded by cinephiles and critics: the first from 1930, a second in 1979 and the most recent in 2022. The source material remains the same: a harrowing account of wartime idealism that descends into disillusionment. All Quiet on the Western Front is told from the perspective of a German soldier, but make no mistake: none of these adaptations glorify war. Instead, the sentiment here is very much the opposite. The intense sights and sounds vividly bring home to the viewer the horrors of combat.

Heres a question: how much does historical accuracy mean when making a non-fiction film? Ok, now how about a war film specifically? Glory is one of those well-regarded efforts thats extremely well-made and compelling. Its also been showcased often to students at the high school level, despite questions of inaccuracies with regard to its content. This, of course, takes nothing away from the impactful messages behind Glory, nor the quality of its performances. This dramatized tale of a real African-American regiment during the American Civil War succeeds on an emotional level, rather than a rational one, but this is no insult. Glory is absolutely worth a watch.

War films, though dealing with the past, will always be with us as society progresses into the future. Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World may not be a title that one immediately associates with this genre, but the Napoleonic setting is just one of the elements that help make it unique. Russell Crowe presents a powerful performance as Jack Aubrey, a fictional British Navyman who rises in the ranks to rear admiral. His friendship with co-star Paul Bettany takes a central place within the films narrative, but the action set-pieces also ensure that Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World retains a thrilling atmosphere.

Perspective can be everything when it comes to crafting a well-actualized war epic. Tora! Tora! Tora! from 1970 tells the story of Pearl Harbor by utilizing American and Japanese directors to each sides stories. This dedication to accuracy and impartiality ensures that Tora! Tora! Tora! endures. It also remains a bold move for the time, since 1970 was only 25 years removed from the end of World War II. Tora! Tora! Tora! couldve easily descended into flag-waving and grandstanding, but the film instead mulls over the tragedy from all sides. The film ended up being more successful overseas than in North America, but dont let this dissuade you from exploring what Tora! Tora! Tora! has to offer its audience.

There will probably never be a shortage of World War II era films presented to moviegoers, but more recent years have seen a welcome shift in focus. Author H.G. Wells may have erroneously claimed World War I to be the war that will end war, but this tragic conflict has seen a recent rise in serious-minded appraisals of this era. Sam Mendes[b] 1917 is one of the more successful and well-regarded of these entries, a big-budgeted epic that nevertheless eludes pitfalls associated with this style. The narrative of two soldiers attempting to stop military doom is tense, right from the jump. The special effects are gruesomely convincing, and the long-take cinematography is absolutely breathtaking. In other words, 1917 is highly recommended.

The Deer Hunter takes a lot of time with its characters. In fact, director Michael Cimino[c]s perfectionist tendencies are almost enough to exclude this film from our list, due to combat-focused criteria. Then we get to the actual wartime sequences. Male friendship is a central theme within The Deer Hunter, as is the trauma many soldiers face during combat. The scenes of Nick, Steven and Mike as prisoners of the Viet Cong pull no punches with regard to dehumanization and psychological torture. The violence here is grim, a brutal reminder of the mental hurdles vets face when they return home and attempt to reintegrate into civilian life.

Director Terrence Malicks flair for compelling visuals meets high-brow narrative artistry with this 1998 war film, The Thin Red Line. Malick adapted a 1962 source novel from James Jones for what proved to be his first directed film since 1978s Days of Heaven. The end results proved to be indulgent, a lengthy film that attempts to navigate character arcs while also pontificating upon the cycles of life and death via war. Malick is aided by a cast that seems game for the task, however, including Sean Penn, Jim Caviezel[d], Adrien Brody and George Clooney. The Thin Red Line is perhaps not for Malickian newcomers (who should start with Badlands), but absolutely worth your time.

Clint Eastwood managed to direct not one but two separate war movies that were released back in 2006. Both films deal with the Battle of Iwo Jima from World War II, with Flags of Our Fathers told from the Allied perspective and Letters From Iwo Jima from the Japanese. Audiences can view both films as one whole story, but each film works as a stand-alone piece. Because of its Japanese perspective, Iwo Jima may be more challenging - or enlightening - for some Western viewers. Critics found it compelling and thought-provoking, and the film garnered a Best Picture Oscar nomination, as well as three others.

Kathryn Bigelow became the first woman ever to win a Best Director Oscar thanks to her efforts on the war film The Hurt Locker. Bigelows action thriller follows a bomb disposal unit stationed in Iraq during the Iraq War, and the smoldering tensions that arise between new squad leader William James and his crew. Jeremy Renner leads the cast as James, and its these performances of Renner and his co-stars Anthony Mackie and Brian Geraghty[e] that really make The Hurt Locker shine as one of the best war films in recent memory.

As Maya Angelou wrote, We are more alike, my friends, than we are unalike. This humanistic sentiment is one thats central to 1937s La Grande Illusion. Director Jean Renoir and his co-screenwriter Charles Spaak ensure that their characters receive a lot of light and shade to counterbalance the darkness of war. La Grande Illusion celebrates similarities between soldiers on both sides of its World War I setting, and does so while simultaneously showcasing the inevitable violence of combat. The films pacifist message, combined with its heavy thematic critiques of fascism also saw La Grande Illusion seized by officials in Nazi Germany.

Director Christopher Nolan will probably never be accused of doing anything in half measures. Fans braced themselves for greatness when it came time for the filmmaker to tackle a World War II era setting. Thankfully, 2017s Dunkirk did not disappoint, utilizing sound and mood to create an unpredictable atmosphere of tension and dread. This isnt a dialogue-heavy film, but instead one that focuses upon the body language and facial expressions of its cast. Cillian Murphy, Fionn Whitehead, Tom Glynn-Carney[g] and even Harry Styles all bring their A game to the table. Dunkirk is a LOUD film, one that should preferably be viewed on a powerful home theater system or in a real theater setting.

Stanley Kubricks unique and occasionally idiosyncratic style of filmmaking is set on full display here with 1987s Full Metal Jacket. The basic training set-up of the films first half takes a heavy turn around the films halfway point, effectively setting the stage for war. This is where Full Metal Jacket spends its second half, as these former trainees are now soldiers deep in Vietnam, during the Tet Offensive. Its somewhat episodic and chaotic in execution, but also indicative of what was going on in war cinema from the 70s and 80s. The everyday horrors and unpredictability of combat are effectively laid out here, in Kubricks incomprehensibly influential style.

This British-American co-production has not only garnered praise from war film buffs since its original release back in 1957, but from the National Film Registry, which selected The Bridge on the River Kwai for preservation for its cultural significance in the Library of Congress in 1997. Director David Lean helms a story of British prisoners of war who are assigned to a Japanese prison camp in Burma, and are put to work constructing a bridge connecting Bangkok and Rangoon this, despite Geneva Conventions stating that officers are exempt from such work. The result is a film full of world-class acting and memorable set pieces.

Even if youre never seen 1963s The Great Escape, its more than likely youve heard or hummed the movies main theme, a jaunting and infectious march composed by Elmer Bernstein[i]. Steve McQueen stars as the leader of a group of World War II POWs who are intent on digging an escape tunnel from their German concentration camp prison. McQueens charisma is undeniable here, as is the impressive stunt work on display in the film, particularly during a death-defying motorcycle scene. This sequence has gone on to become the stuff of war movie legend, and has earned The Great Escape a spot on our list.

War is hell, and very few 80s films captured the realism of frantic combat better than films like Oliver Stones Born on the Fourth of July and Platoon. In the latter, Charlie Sheen, Tom Berenger[j], and Willem Dafoe star as soldiers stationed during the Vietnam conflict, in a platoon full of widely varied personalities and levels of morality. Stones purpose in writing the film was to offer a stark contrast to the Vietnam portrayed in 1968s The Green Berets, starring John Wayne. In fact, Platoon utilized the directors own firsthand experiences as an infantryman for inspiration. The results are harrowing and haunting, making Platoon one of the finest war movies ever made.

Filmmaker Stanley Kubrick may be known among his fans for his infamous 1987 Vietnam era picture Full Metal Jacket, but the director actually worked in the war movie genre much earlier with this 1957 tale of a French battalion during World War I. Kirk Douglas stars as the troupes commanding officer, who attempts to defend his men against charges of cowardice, due to their failure of whats essentially a mission of self-destruction. Stanley Kubricks filmography is crowded with classics, but the anti-war flick Paths of Glory may be one of the directors more underrated efforts.

Fans might remember seeing this film as either a theatrical release or a TV miniseries, depending on where they lived, but Das Boot has continued to earn fans on home video over the years. The film was directed by Wolfgang Petersen, and follows the crew of a German U-Boat during World War II. Das Boot was notable for capturing not only the thrill and danger of battle, but also the dullness that can come to define the often-long stretches of down time in between sporadic conflict. Add to this a memorable score by Klaus Doldinger, and you have one unique war film for the ages.

Dont let the nearly four hour running time of 1962s Lawrence of Arabia dissuade you from catching this masterpiece for the first time. Director David Lean crafted a true classic with this dramatized adaptation of T.E. Lawrences diplomatic experiences in World War I. Lawrence of Arabia features a stellar cast, including Peter OToole, Omar Sharif and Alec Guinness. Yup, Obi-Wan Kenobi himself co-stars in this sprawling and breathtaking epic, a film full of action and visceral thrills. Theres emotional depth to the picture, too, however, as well as an all-time Hall of Fame score from composer Maurice Jarre. Lawrence of Arabia is the real deal.

The word epic doesnt even begin to describe this massive film from director Francis Ford Coppola[l] and co-screenwriter John Milius. Apocalypse Now is a dark and violent thrill ride that follows Martin Sheen as Captain Benjamin Willard, a detached military man in search of a mission. That mission turns out to be an assassination attempt on a reclusive, renegade Colonel by the name of Kurtz. Marlon Brandos magnetic performance as the mentally unhinged Kurtz may not appear until the films final sequences, but its immense power continues to haunt viewers to this day as one of the best war film performances ever committed to celluloid.

Realistic violence is a staple of war films, but not everyone was ready for the astonishing level of grit director Steven Spielberg put on screen in Saving Private Ryan. The films opening sequence alone, which details the invasion of Normandy on June 6th, 1944, is a visceral gut-check that places the audience directly in the middle of combat. Spielbergs film also focuses on people, however, specifically a squad whose mission is to find Private James Ryan, whose three brothers have perished during the conflict. This balance of action and emotion, along with its immense critical and commercial success, more than justifies Saving Private Ryans top position as the greatest war movie ever.


Are you willing to go ALL IN for an epic length war movie? Or do you prefer the Cliff Notes version? Let us know in the comments!