Making any great war movie requires immense talent. Not only does it need remarkable storytelling, but also someone with the passion and respect for telling such compelling and captivating tales. Since the early days of cinema,many iconic war movieshave become timeless thanks to the visionary filmmakers who directed them.
The best and most revered war movies have marvelous talent behind the camera. From iconic filmmakers likeStanley Kubrick(Paths of Glory) to modern-day geniuses likeSam Mendes(1917),many incredible filmmakers have set out to make some of the most spectacularly gripping war films imaginable.They used their skills to craft epic films that are staples of pop culture and continued to be praised well into the modern age. Here are impressive war films ranked by their incredible direction.
15’Dunkirk' (2017)
Directed by Christopher Nolan
Before blowing audiences away with his historical epic hit,Oppenheimer, Academy Award-winning director Christopher Nolan left his mark on the war genre by deliveringDunkirk. It’s an eye-catching, powerfully told, gorgeously shot war drama depicting the hasty evacuation of more than four thousand British and French troops from Dunkirk, France, in the early days of WWII.
Told through many perspectives from men on the ground, air, and sea,Dunkirkis a one-of-a-kindwar film filled with stunning visuals, gorgeous cinematography, and award-winning sound and editing. Choosing a more practical approach over CGI,there are a lot of moments in Nolan’s film that were performed in front of a camera, featuring real explosions and people, including showing many era-appropriate ships and aircraft.Dunkirkis a prime example of Nolan’s abilities as a visual storyteller.
14’The Thin Red Line' (1998)
Directed by Terrence Malick
Coming back from a 20-year hiatus after his last directed film,Days of Heaven, the uniquely talented Terrence Malick returns with a gripping WWII drama,The Thin Red Line. Starring a stacked cast of well-known actors, it shows the different perspectives of several US soldiers as they witness so much carnage while fighting the Japanese during the battle of Guadalcanal.
A heartbreaking, tragic look at the human cost of war,The Thin Red Linetells an intenseand emotionally compelling anti-war drama that doesn’t shy away nor glorify what combat must have truly felt like for those soldiers. Deciding to shoot on location in several tropical locations, including some in the Solomon Islands where the real battle took place,Malick depicts brutality with beauty, showing furious battle mixed in with gorgeous shots of trees and stunningly looking jungles.The Thin Red Lineis a powerful and near-flawless war masterpiece that grips viewers from the start and never lets them go until long after the credits.
The Thin Red Line
13’Zulu' (1964)
Directed by Cy Endfield
Zuluis a 1964 war epic directed byCy Endfield, starringStanley Bakerand Academy Award winner SirMichael Cainein one of his first major film roles. Set during the Anglo-Zulu War, it tells the remarkable true story of a highly outnumbered British infantry regiment as they defend their position against a formidable army of Zulu warriors.
Working closely with historians and technical advisors,director Cy Endfield strove for accurate depictions of the real-life Battle of Rorke’s Drift, and the battle strategies of both sides of the conflict. Competently shot, visually flawless, and powerfully acted,Zuluis a thrilling, intense survival war film full of action and impressive performances.
Watch on Amazon Prime
12’All Quiet on the Western Front' (1930)
Directed by Lewis Milestone
Lewis Milestone’s 1930 masterpieceAll Quiet on the Western Frontis one ofthe most essential war movies ever. A bleak and emotionally devastating depiction of World War One, it tells the story of a young German soldier whose goal of becoming a hero after volunteering to serve in the trenches vanishes once he experiences the true nature of warfare and its tragic outcomes.
All Quiet on the Western Frontis a classic of the war genre, featuring a powerful message and compelling acting. Winning both Best Picture and Best Director for Lewis Milestone was a testament to how brilliantly shot and performed it was.Everything from the acting, directing, and cinematography is spectacular and impressive to watch. It’s a necessary film for anyone who is a cinema fan, as it’s a timeless and emotional film that hasn’t lost its effectiveness over the decades.
11’Schindler’s List' (1993)
Directed by Steven Spielberg
In 1993, legendary filmmakerSteven Spielbergdirected one of his greatest achievements,Schindler’s List, a heartbreaking and intense true account of one of the most devastating events in human history. It tells the story of a German industrialist, Oskar Schindler (Liam Neeson), who saved the lives of 1,200 of his Jewish workers from execution during The Holocaust.
Schindler’s Listis themost compelling Best Picture win of the 1990s. A visionary storyteller like Speilberg expertly crafted his film, even having it shot in black-and-white to establish the story’s setting and depressing tone.It’s an emotionally gripping and perfectly directed film that has become timeless in the years since its release.
Schindler’s List
10'1917' (2019)
Directed by Sam Mendes
Depicting the harrowing day-to-day lives of British troops during the First World War is not an easy task, considering how hectic and chaotic such fighting was for the average foot soldier. But director Sam Mendes delivers such a story with so much passion, respect, and authenticity to actual events.1917follows the brutal yet necessary account of two ordinary infantrymen as they risk life and death to go behind enemy lines and deliver orders that could potentially save the lives of countless soldiers before they make a futile assault.
Mendes, the grandson of an actual WWI Veteran,delivers a story that’s personal, raw, and highly accurate about real-life events that plagued many soldiersduring one of the most terrifying and costliest wars in human history. The story follows two men, Corporals Blake (Dean-Charles Chapman) and Schofield (George Mackay), as they journey through countless horrors in a near-impossible and physically challenging mission that exhausts them and the audience. Shot predominantly in glorious long takes,1917provides a brilliantly shotand expertly choreographed story that puts audiences into the boots of its characters and their frightening ordeals.
9’Patton' (1970)
Directed by Franklin Schaffner
Asemi-WWII biographical accountof one of the most controversial yet respected military commanders in United States history,Pattontells the story of Four-Star General George S. Patton, played by Academy Award winnerGeorge C. Scott. A nearly three-hour-long film, it follows Patton and his Third Army in incredible detail, from their harsh desert fighting in North Africa to their heroic actions during the Battle of the Bulge.
Directed byFranklin Schaffner, a film that won him his only Best Director Oscar,Pattonis a War Epic of grand proportions. The sets are spectacular, the acting is flawless, and the plot is spot-on with the crucial elements from the General’s real-life history. George C. Scott gives the performance of a lifetime as Patton, a role that cemented his acting legacy and continues to be a significant pop culture. Overall, the film is a glorious example of everything coming together to make a perfect war film. It’s one of the best of the genre and continues to blow audiences away with its incredible story and iconic moments.
8’Paths of Glory' (1957)
Directed by Stanley Kubrick
One of the most compelling films of his career, Stanley Kubrick’s 1957 anti-war WW1 dramaPaths of Glorydepicts the futility of trench warfare and the darker side of humanity. The always incredible Kirk Douglas plays French Colonel Dax, a heroic, noble leader who stands against his incompetent superiors after they wrongfully accuse three innocent soldiers of cowardice after a disastrous assault charge.
Thisclassic black-and-white war epicdoes not sugarcoat its intended purpose: war brings out the worst in people. It’s a tragic tale that accurately portrays the ineffectiveness of trench fighting and the hopelessness of war, thanks to glory-seeking commanders who willingly sent countless men off to their deaths for their own selfish gains.Kubrick expertly expresses this, and his incredible storytelling and attention to detailbring to fruition this heartbreaking and emotional story that’s brilliantly shot and powerfully acted.
Paths of Glory
7’The Bridge on the River Kwai' (1957)
Directed by David Lean
World War II films profoundly affect audiences, drawing them in with their compelling and engaging stories, many of which have become timeless in cinema. One such classic is the remarkable SirDavid Lean’sBridge on the River Kwai,a Best Picture-winning war dramaset during the Japanese occupation of Burma. StarringAlec Guinnessin his Oscar-winning performance as the POW British Colonel Nicholson, it follows his character as he blurs the line between protecting his fellow captured soldiers and cooperating with the enemy as they’re forced to build a train bridge over the Kwai River.
Lean, who won his first of two Best Director Oscars for his efforts in the War genre, delivers a grand epic that’s visually flawless and eye-catching. Shot on location in the harsh jungles of Sri Lanka, the production was grueling, treacherous, and uncomfortable for most of the crew, butit was necessary to accurately portray the harrowing living conditions of the story’s characters. The acting and dialog are sharp and spot-on. Through Lean’s cooperation with his actors, he tells an impressive tale that remains one of the most unforgettable war films ever made.
The Bridge On The River Kwai
6’Platoon' (1986)
Directed by Oliver Stone
To accurately portray the brutal reality of war from a soldier’s perspective, it has to be helmed by those who’ve seen it firsthand. Directed by the greatOliver Stone, a decorated US Army war veteran, comes 1986’sPlatoon, a bleak, unromanized depiction of the years-long Vietnam War and its dehumanizing effects. It follows a young recruit, Pvt. Chris Taylor (Charlie Sheen), as he struggles with his morality while serving in a platoon led by two hardened commanders with different ideologies about war.
Platoonwas a major passion project for director Oliver Stone, who sought to create a highly realistic portrayal of the Vietnam War through some of his own experiences during his service. As such,he was strict in motivating his cast to walk, talk, and act as a team of US soldiers, even hiring the services of military-technical advisorDale Dye(who plays Captain Harris in the movie) to train the actors to be as believable as possible. Shot on location in the Philippines with real effects and explosions, Stone’s story offers a captivating and emotional tale with great acting and powerful visuals.Platoonwould go on to win a slew of awards, including Best Picture and Stone’s well-deserved Best Director Oscar.
