Top 30 All Time Greatest War Movies

Top 30 All-Time Greatest War Movies

Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the most impactful war films that aren’t just set during a conflict, but also focus on battles and/or combat.

#30: “Stalingrad” (1993)

This movie is great at making you feel lost in WWII, but it’s even better at making you feel cold. “Stalingrad” follows German soldiers during a bitter period of fighting. The film asks you to confront serious moral questions, with desperate men doing terrible things. Their view of the war and fighting slowly deteriorates over time. With morale at an all-time low, the platoon struggles to stay loyal with ruthless leaders and dwindling supplies. It’s a visceral experience that’s nothing short of brutal. While the story depicts a different side of the conflict, it still includes plenty of unforgettable images.

#29: “Gallipoli” (1981)

Back in Mel Gibson’s early career, he made this war film with director Peter Weir. The story explores the Australian point-of-view during WWI. Combining adventure and tragedy, the young men grow up fast in this grounded depiction of combat. Archy and Frank join up unaware of the true sacrifice war might entail. Weir showcases the Gallipoli campaign warts and all, with astonishing visuals to sell each battle. It all builds to a climax that’s incredibly heartbreaking. In showing a distinct perspective of the Great War, this film provides an engaging glimpse into early 20th century warfare.

#28: “The Battle of Algiers” (1966)

Rather than focusing on a typical battlefield, this movie takes an in-depth look at urban warfare. It’s a stirring depiction of the Algerian war from both sides. While the French forces take drastic measures, their guerrilla targets fight back with civilian lives on the line. It’s a shocking exploration of occupation, revolt, and violence. Walking away from the movie, you’ll likely have a strong opinion about the true cost of war. You don’t need to understand the conflict to feel the weight of it all. As tension grows, the FLN makes major decisions to win back territory. Director Gillo Pontecorvo makes you feel like you’re watching a gripping documentary with piercing drama.

#27: “The Dirty Dozen” (1967)

It’s a squad filled with the ultimate anti-heroes. A group of ragtag prisoners become commandos, training for a deadly mission in enemy territory. Lee Marvin’s gruff Major Reisman helps them become an elite fighting force in an entertaining journey. With an anti-establishment streak, this movie likes to keep you on your toes. Some war games and exercises lead to the big mission everyone has been waiting for. In the best part of the movie, “The Dirty Dozen” mixes spy work, tension, and then some exciting action. The legendary cast is put to good use here, with audiences wondering who will survive.

#26: “Braveheart” (1995)

For this Oscar-winning film, director and star Mel Gibson turns one of Scotland’s heroes into a screen legend. “Braveheart” charts the 13th century war for Scottish independence. With the courageous spirit of William Wallace, Scottish forces fight against King Edward I. The dramatized plot includes several historical faceoffs and notable names. With its epic storytelling, the movie traces the hard-fought journey through many battlefields. Wallace’s spirit extends from incredible charges to sword fights. All the while, the hero’s singular mission leads him to his famous last word. Gibson’s work is arguably the reason many non-Scots know this story now.

#25: “Black Hawk Down” (2001)

From the beginning, Ridley Scott’s film feels like an urgent and enthralling piece of work. “Black Hawk Down” follows the events surrounding the Battle of Mogadishu. With political tensions in Somalia, American forces face a tense mission that not everyone survives. You might recognize many famous actors in this eclectic ensemble. Guided by Scott’s skilled direction, the cast play a group of fierce soldiers. They fight to defend each other against overwhelming odds in one compelling scene after another. From a helicopter standoff to the final battle, the nail-biting conflict plays out in well-staged action.

#24: “Patton” (1970)

This movie might be best known for its iconic opening. Right off the bat, this film puts General George S. Patton front and center. George C. Scott portrays the ornery officer in a career-defining role. Through speeches and battle scenes, the full depth of the character comes through. He’s a brilliant military mind that can’t always control himself. While watching this movie, you might wonder how he kept his job. It’s a rare look into a complicated man during one of America’s finest hours. You also get to see Scott at the top of his game, delivering a commanding performance in the midst of a pivotal conflict.

#23: “The Last of the Mohicans” (1992)

Better known for his crime movies like “Heat,” Michael Mann also did solid work in this book adaptation. He takes the James Fenimore Cooper tale and makes it believable. With Daniel Day-Lewis as the hero, “The Last of the Mohicans” takes viewers to the 18th century with lots of authentic period details. Hawkeye finds himself caught up in the French and Indian War. While the era might not seem fascinating to some, Mann stages terrific action scenes with an artistic flair. Day-Lewis heads up an impressive cast that includes Madeleine Stowe and Wes Studi as the formidable Magua. The unflinching battles across various settings build to a memorable cliffside duel.

#22: “The Longest Day” (1962)

Before films like “Saving Private Ryan,” “The Longest Day” set out to depict the events of D-Day. This includes bringing in an all-star cast of Hollywood legends and soon-to-be icons like Sean Connery. It covers the operation from multiple perspectives, with glimpses into both the Allied and Axis response. This includes following everything from paratrooper landings to the beaches of Normandy. It’s a grand-scale adventure with epic sequences, telling the stories of many heroic soldiers that helped to take back France. Steven Spielberg might have topped this project, but the latter still stands up as a thrilling experience.

#21: “Come and See” (1985)

If ever there was a movie you could call “anti-war,” this would be it. Elem Klimov’s harrowing film traces a rarely-seen front of WWII. Flyora makes his way through Belarusian battlefields and villages, with the German occupying-forces around the corner. He eventually comes face to face with pure evil. Klimov has no easy answers here, choosing to depict the crimes against humanity with a nightmarish gaze. The young actor Aleksei Kravchenko gives an incredible performance as a boy that grows up too fast. Set pieces include the terrifying church sequence, featuring an uncensored take on the horrors of war. You definitely won’t forget this experience any time soon.

#20: “All Quiet on the Western Front” (2022)

It speaks volumes that Erich Maria Remarque’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 Remarque’s 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.

#19: “Glory” (1989)

Here’s 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 that’s extremely well-made and compelling. It’s 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.

#18: “Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World” (2003)

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 film’s narrative, but the action set-pieces also ensure that “Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World” retains a thrilling atmosphere.

#17: “Tora! Tora! Tora!” (1970)

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 side’s 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!” could’ve 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 don’t let this dissuade you from exploring what “Tora! Tora! Tora!” has to offer its audience.

#16: “1917” (2019)

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’ “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.

#15: “The Deer Hunter” (1978)

“The Deer Hunter” takes a lot of time with its characters. In fact, director Michael Cimino’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.

#14: “The Thin Red Line” (1998)

Director Terrence Malick’s 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 1978’s “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, 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.

#13: “Letters From Iwo Jima” (2006)

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.

#12: “The Hurt Locker” (2008)

Kathryn Bigelow became the first woman ever to win a Best Director Oscar thanks to her efforts on the war film “The Hurt Locker.” Bigelow’s 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 it’s these performances of Renner and his co-stars Anthony Mackie and Brian Geraghty that really make “The Hurt Locker” shine as one of the best war films in recent memory.

#11: “La Grande Illusion” (1937)

As Maya Angelou wrote, “We are more alike, my friends, than we are unalike.” This humanistic sentiment is one that’s central to 1937’s “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 film’s pacifist message, combined with its heavy thematic critiques of fascism also saw “La Grande Illusion” seized by officials in Nazi Germany.

#10: “Dunkirk” (2017)

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, 2017’s “Dunkirk” did not disappoint, utilizing sound and mood to create an unpredictable atmosphere of tension and dread. This isn’t 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 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.

#9: “Full Metal Jacket” (1987)

Stanley Kubrick’s unique and occasionally idiosyncratic style of filmmaking is set on full display here with 1987’s “Full Metal Jacket.” The basic training set-up of the film’s first half takes a heavy turn around the film’s 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. It’s 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 Kubrick’s incomprehensibly influential style.

#8: “The Bridge on the River Kwai” (1957)

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.

#7: “The Great Escape” (1963)

Even if you’re never seen 1963’s “The Great Escape,” it’s more than likely you’ve heard or hummed the movie’s main theme, a jaunting and infectious march composed by Elmer Bernstein. 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. McQueen’s 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.

#6: “Platoon” (1986)

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

#5: “Paths of Glory” (1957)

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 troupe’s commanding officer, who attempts to defend his men against charges of cowardice, due to their failure of what’s essentially a mission of self-destruction. Stanley Kubrick’s filmography is crowded with classics, but the anti-war flick “Paths of Glory” may be one of the director’s more underrated efforts.

#4: “Das Boot” (1981)

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.

#1: “Saving Private Ryan” (1998)

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 film’s 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. Spielberg’s 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 Ryan”’s top position as the greatest war movie ever.

Did we forget another amazing war film? Let us know in the comments below.