Throughout its history, cinema has given us some of the most compelling and significant war movies ever made.Of all the perfect wonders that graced the silver screen, many of them are from the war genre. They tell some of the most powerful stories ever told, and continue to thrill and impact us on an emotional level that hardly any other genre can ever achieve.
War movies have a profound effect on audiences.They’re sometimes exciting and intense; other times, they’re devastating and relay a powerful message that tells us about the tragic cost of some of these costly events in human history. We’re blessed with these absolute masterpieces and, thankfully, there’s an abundance to choose from.In honor of one of the most acclaimed genres of filmmaking, let’s take a look at ten iconic war movies that are amazing from start to finish.These are the ones that grip the viewers right from the opening scene and don’t let go until the end credits.
10’Paths of Glory' (1957)
Directed by Stanley Kubrick
Set in the harsh trench conditions of Northern France in the First World War,Paths of Gloryexplores the futility of war and the abuse of power. It follows a French Colonel (Kirk Douglas), determined to seek real justice, as he defends three innocent soldiers who are being used as scapegoats and are on trial for cowardice by a glory-seeking General (George Macready) trying to shift the blame after a costly assault charge.
Directed by the late, greatStanley Kubrick,Paths of Gloryis one of the most profound and thought-provoking works of this highly acclaimed filmmaker.It’sa heartbreaking, bleak anti-war talethat takes a deeper look into how war brings out the worst tenancies of human nature.How it portrays officers so incompetent and greedy that they’re willing to throw countless lives into the meat grinder of the battlefield just to advance their careers is sickening and shows just how much these conflicts dehumanize certain people. It’s one of the most gripping war classics of all time and leaves audiences changed after they’ve seen it. There’s no looking past the fact that it’s a true heartbreaker that needs to be seen.
Paths of Glory
9’Grand Illusion' (1937)
Directed by Jean Renoir
An early cinematic war classic that captured the tragic cost of WWI,La Grande Illusion, orGrand Illusionin English, is a 1937 French war drama directed byJean Renoir. Detailing the futility of warfare and the different ideologies of this time, the story follows two French aviators from separate class backgrounds as they endure a German prisoner of war camp and struggle to escape, forming unique bonds and newer perspectives along the way.
It’s hailed as one of themost compelling international war films ever made.The Grand Illusiontells a complex, gripping story that focuses on class issues, prejudice, and the overall message of how needless and costly wars truly are.It’s marvelous from start to end, boosted by riveting performances, brilliant writing, and competent direction. Truly, it can’t be skipped over by any war movie fan, as it’s an essential story that leaves viewers amazed.
Grand Illusion
8’Grave of the Fire Flies' (1988)
Directed by Isao Takahata
One of themost heartbreaking films in cinematic history,Grave of the Firefliesis a hard-to-watch but incredibly necessary anti-war drama that hits audiences on a deeply emotional level. Showing the realistic, devastating effects on innocent civilians during and after a war, it follows an orphaned teen and his little sister as they struggle to survive on their own in post-WWII Japan.
It’s unflinching and doesn’t glorify anything about this deadly conflict in human history.Grave of the Fire Fliestells it straight forward that WWII affected nearly every human being in one tragic way or another.It’s profoundly sad, featuring one of the most tear-jerking endings of all time, and keeps audiences' attention at every moment. Coupled with flawless animation and compelling voice performances, this is one of the most essential war movies in cinema and deserves to be seen at least once.
Grave of the Fireflies
7’Platoon' (1986)
Directed by Oliver Stone
Detailing one of the most realistic and shocking depictions of warfare,Platoonis a fascinating Best Picture-winning war drama from 1986 that blows audiences away with its gripping story and intense action scenes. Featuring an impressive cast, includingCharlie Sheen,Willem Dafoe, andTom Berenger, it follows a young soldier who witnesses countless horrors while serving in a platoon led by two sergeants with differing ideologies about the Vietnam War.
With Oscar-winning direction and writing byOliver Stone, who is a veteran of this conflict, Platoon is one of the most riveting and emotional war movies of all time.It thrills audiences from beginning to end with its compelling storytelling and excellent performances from its talented cast.It’s full of legendary war moments that have remained in the minds of countless cinemagoers even now, and it remainsan essential watch for fansand anyone who wants to get invested in this genre.
6’The Bridge on the River Kwai' (1957)
Directed by David Lean
A filmmaker known for producing grand epics, the lateSir David Leanhas amazed audiences with some of his renowned classics, which continue to be praised today. In 1957, he released his Best Picture-winning war adventure masterpiece,The Bridge on the River Kwai, a grand tale full of gripping performances and excitement. Leading with an Academy Award-winning performance bySir Alec Guinness, it follows a determined British Colonel struggling to maintain the safety and dignity of his fellow POWs while also cooperating with his Japanese captors to build a strategic bridge over the Kwai River during WWII.
Full of gorgeous cinematography, impressive shooting locations, and an all-around timeless feel,The Bridge on the River Kwaiisone of the most perfectly made war movies ever. It’s full of memorable lines and characters that haven’t been forgotten in the more than sixty years since it was released.There are many thrills and fascinating action in this classic, and it’ll keep amazing fans for generations.
The Bridge On The River Kwai
5’Saving Private Ryan' (1998)
Directed by Steven Spielberg
One of the most riveting and must-watch WWII movies in history,Steven Spielberg’sSaving Private Ryanis a grand war epic that thrills audiences with every second. Starring two-time Academy Award-winnerTom Hanksand the lateTom Sizemore, it’s a story of duty and sacrifice, following an eight-man team of U.S. Army Rangers as they’re sent behind enemy lines during the Allied invasion of mainland Europe to retrieve a paratrooper who’s lost all three of his brothers in combat.
Saving Private Ryanis an intense story that blends heartbreaking drama with intense action and violence.It features one of the bloodiest, most chaotic opening scenes in movie history, with its iconic Omaha Beach landing scene. This moment that was so intense that it affected some real-life veterans, who alsopraised it for its brutal authenticity. It’s an incredible cinematic achievement that often represents the best of the war genre and continues to be praised today.
Saving Private Ryan
4’Apocalypse Now' (1979)
Directed by Francis Ford Coppola
From Oscar-winning filmmakerFrancis Ford Coppolacomes his glorious contribution to the war genre,Apocalypse Now, an intense, thought-provoking Vietnam War drama depicting the sheer madness and chaos of warfare. StarringMartin Sheenas Captain Willard, it follows this Spec Ops soldier as he leads a patrol boat deep within the rivers of Cambodia to locate and assassinate a rogue Colonel (Marlon Brando) who has lost his mind and has become a sort of god to a jungle tribe.
Apocalypse Nowis as iconic as war movies come, and is deeply engaging with its gripping story and flawless performances.It’s one of the most studied films in cinema history, as it deals with complex themes about human nature and the brutality of warfare.The performances by Brando, Sheen, andRobert Duvallhave been endlessly praised and recognized for how magnificent they are. Overall, it’sa highly rewatchable war filmwith so many fascinating moments and scenes that’ll continue to have a deep impact on cinemagoers.
Apocalypse Now
3’All Quiet on the Western Front' (1930)
Directed by Lewis Milestone
Hailed asthe most important war movie ever,Lewis Milestone’s Best Picture-winning heartbreaking anti-war classicAll Quiet on the Western Frontis a film every war buff and general audience member needs to see. Featuring tragic themes and constant heartache, it follows a young German soldier who loses his innocence and quickly drops his perception that he’ll be a war hero after getting a brutal taste of what it’s really like in the trenches during WWI.
All Quiet on the Western Front is best described as an unflinching tale that never glorifies war or downplays its effects. WWI was one of the bloodiest, most tragic costs of human life ever, and this film greatly demonstrates why and how brutal it was.It’s a powerful film that continues to be just as riveting and emotional today as it was back in the 1930s. Truly,it gets better with every rewatch.
All Quiet on the Western Front
2’Come and See' (1985)
Directed by Elem Klimov
FromElem Klimovcomes perhaps the scariest, most disturbing, and unrelentingly bleak war movie in cinematic history,Come and See. A devastating anti-war drama full of carnage, it follows a young Byelorussian boy (Aleksei Kravchenko) who witnesses the horrifying atrocities committed by the Nazi regime while serving in a local resistance army.
This film is so intense that it can make audiences throw up.Come and Seeis truly incredible for how brutally realistic it is in portraying some of the darkest moments of the Second World War.It’s completely directed, powerfully shot, and features acting so realistic that it’s hard to believe that what we’re seeing are performances.It needs to be seen, even though it’s difficult to sit through its emotionally devastating finale.
Come And See
1’Schindler’s List' (1993)
At number one is a masterpiece that stands aboveso many other WWII movies as the greatest of all time: Steven Spielberg’sSchindler’s List. A Best Picture-winning drama with flawless writing and brilliant acting, it tells the remarkable true story of Nazi party member and war industrialist Oskar Schindler (Liam Neeson), who risked his fortune and life to shelter more than 1,200 Jewish workers during the Holocaust.
It’s a heartbreaking but also bittersweet tale that really says a lot about humanity and the needless suffering of war. At its core, it is a story of courage and defiance against the worst evil imaginable, and it’s endlessly praised today for how it affects audiences deeply.Schindler’s Listis undeniably amazing from start to finish. It’s earned its title as a war masterpiece that will never be forgotten by anyone.
