Top 10 Best War Movies of All Time You Must Watch

Best War Movies of All Time – One of the film genres that is never empty of fans is war films. The best war films not only display pain for the audience but also teach how war is never the right solution, even for the victorious side.

10 Best War Movies of All Time

Well, from hundreds of films, Flexadia has made a list of recommendations for the best war films that you must watch. Here’s the list.

1. Saving Private Ryan (1998)

Surely almost everyone would agree that this film is the best war film ever made of all time. The film is about a group of soldiers who are sent on a mission to save one person from behind enemy lines during World War II.

This film is depicted very realistically and horribly. In addition, you will be treated to the best performances from the cast, such as Tom Hanks and Matt Damon.

2. The Deer Hunter (1978)

This film with the setting of the Vietnam War has a premise centered on a group of soldiers who are captured and held as prisoners of war.

The Deer Hunter is the best war film that explores the true horror of war. The Vietnam War has indeed become one of the darkest chapters in world history, including for the United States itself.

Here you will see the brilliant acting of veteran actors, such as Robert De Niro and Christopher Walken.

3. The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957)

This classic war film is set in World War II and revolves around a group of British POWs who are forced to build a bridge for their Japanese captors.

The Bridge on the River Kwai was controversial because it insulted Japan and glorified Western dominance with the presence of British soldiers building bridges. The iconic scene from the film, starring Alec Guinness and William Holden, is the detonation of a bridge that sends a train crashing into a river.

4. Schindler’s List (1993)

Talking about a good war film, this film, based on the true story of Oskar Schindler, is a must on your watch list. Oskar was a German businessman who saved the lives of more than 1,000 Jews during the Holocaust.

Schindler’s List is also a very touching and powerful war film in the story department. This multi-award-winning film stars Liam Neeson and Ralph Fiennes.

5. Platoon (1986)

Just like the previous film, Platoon has a Vietnam War setting with a focus on the story of a group of American soldiers fighting in the jungle. You must watch this film because it won the Best Picture, Best Director, Best Film Editing, and Best Sound awards.

The greatest war film of all time is also star-studded with Willem Dafoe, Charlie Sheen, Forest Whitaker, and Johnny Depp.

6. Letters from Iwo Jima (2006)

The battle of Iwo Jima is one of the saddest war stories in human history. However, Clint Eastwood is quite ambitious in the director’s chair by presenting a different approach.

Eastwood presents stories from both sides in the best war film Letters from Iwo Jima, both from the American and Japanese sides. The story centers on Ken Watanabe who leads his troops when the United States forces invade the Asia Pacific.

The Japanese troops were initially able to survive the allied attack at Iwo Jima, but slowly they suffered a terrible defeat. Eastwood described the Allied forces as overwhelmingly superior opponents and their escape seemed impossible.

7. 1917 (2019)

This best war film is one that you must watch at least once in your life. 1917 takes place during World War I when German troops were about to invade the Hindenburg Line.

The premise centers on two young British soldiers who are assigned to deliver an important message to a British army regiment about German plans. This vital message is claimed to be able to prevent the fall of many victims. Of course, their journey is not easy because they have to pass through enemy lines.

The cinematography used in this film is called one shot. Besides being complicated to execute, this technique can also take a very long time to prepare.

However, the consequence is that you will see non-stop tension that will make you feel like you are directly on the battlefield.

The film, made by Sam Mendes, won the Oscar for Best Picture.

8. Full Metal Jacket (1987)

The next best war film of all time is Full Metal Jacket. The story is actually not about war, but more centered on a marine training camp.

In this film directed by Stanley Kubrick, you will see the training of future marines at Parris Island, South Carolina. Not the usual physical training, the marines were tortured by the super torturous mental pressure from their trainers.

This best war film won an Oscar for the Best Adapted Script category.

9. Hackshaw Ridge (2016)

This best war film also offers a different story from a war. Uniquely, this film is based on the true story of Pfc. Desmond T. Doss. The soldier, played by Andrew Garfield, won the Congressional Medal of Honor despite refusing to take up arms in World War II.

Doss is told as a devout Christian who refuses to take up arms during war. Amazingly, even though he didn’t hold a weapon, he managed to become a character who was remembered during the war because he managed to save 75 soldiers in the Battle of Okinawa.

10. Dunkirk (2017)

Dunkirk is a new film, but it immediately occupied the position as one of the best war films. The film is directed by Christopher Nolan, who previously worked on the successful Batman Trilogy.

The film with the Dunkirk setting tells the story of soldiers from England, Belgium, and France who want to escape from the city of Dunkirk while fighting against the German army.

It would not be Nolan if he was not ambitious in bringing technology to the audience. In this film, he uses a large-format camera to deliver an immersive experience on the big screen.