Since the days of classic movies like the often-remade All Quiet On the Western Front, War
has been at the forefront of cinema, with directors crafting iconic depictions of conflict. The genre often attracts the best directors, stars, and writers, and is responsible for some of the most impressive ensemble casts in film, only further cementing the success of some titles. Naturally, audiences are spoiled for choice when it comes to finding a great war movie, let alone settling on the best.
As with any genre, audiences and critics alike are divided when it comes to deciding what constitutes the best war film of all time. While the genre has no shortage of truly brilliant films, some are more commonly discussed and debated than others. A great war movie can ensure its relevance in pop culture in a variety of ways, from memorable dialogue to stunning visual experiences, and still stand as a testament to just how great cinema can be.
5
Hacksaw Ridge (2016)
Directed By Mel Gibson
Hacksaw Ridge
7/10
- Release Date
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November 4, 2016
- Runtime
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139minutes
While war heroes are typically remembered for their prowess in combat, others earned their place in history through different courageous acts. Few men represent this fact as well as Desmond Doss, a man who enlisted in the U.S. Army despite the conviction that he’d never pick up a gun. In 2016, Mel Gibson’s would-be career comeback, Hacksaw Ridge, dramatized the veteran’s true story, one defined by love, faith, and patriotism.
|
IMDb Rating |
8.1 |
|
Rotten Tomatoes Score |
84% |
For some, Hacksaw Ridge spends too much time focusing on Desmond’s family life, with almost the entire first half feeling more like a family drama than a war movie. When the protagonist finally ships out, audiences are given a complete tonal and visual shift, something particularly jarring when it comes to the gory action sequences. At the same time, the film is an immersive, gruesome look at combat that doesn’t hold back. Naturally, the movie’s youth and Mel Gibson’s past controversies have precluded critics from holding it in the same regard as decided classics.
4
Dunkirk (2017)
Directed By Christopher Nolan
Dunkirk
9/10
- Release Date
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July 21, 2017
- Runtime
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106 minutes
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IMDb Rating |
7.8 |
|
Rotten Tomatoes Score |
92% |
From thrillers like Memento to science fiction epics like Interstellar, Christopher Nolan has made his mark as one of the defining directors of 21st-century cinema. In 2017, he was able to bring his unique approach to the war genre with Dunkirk, wherein he told the story of Britain’s infamous defeat in France that was spun into a victorious rescue. Assembling an all-star line-up of actors, including Tom Hardy, Cillian Murphy, Kenneth Branagh, and Barry Keoghan, the movie lands audiences in the heart of the chaos.
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Dunkirk combines the stunning visuals of Nolan’s earlier films with a somber look at war, capturing the mood around the failed operation brilliantly. However, some find the movie more a showcase of Nolan’s style over a substantive look at the characters involved. While the film is a standout piece of cinema that conveys the chaos of the invasion, it doesn’t quite have the heart and soul of its peers. For audiences who love the sense of visual immersion, the movie is spectacular, while those who crave raw emotion may be left wanting.
Directed By Stanley Kubrick
Full Metal Jacket
8/10
- Release Date
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July 10, 1987
- Runtime
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116 minutes
Full Metal Jacket focuses on a platoon of Marines during the Vietnam War, following their story from enlistment and boot camp to the front lines. In standard Stanley Kubrick fashion, the movie maintains a bleak and disturbingly realistic tone, particularly in the dynamic between its characters. Exploring the psychological impact of the Marine Corps’ rigorous training and a brutal drill instructor, audiences are shown the pitfalls of war, and how the experience changes a person before they even see combat.
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IMDb Rating |
8.2 |
|
Rotten Tomatoes Score |
90% |
Full Metal Jacket appeals to war movie buffs on two fronts: While the actual combat sequences capture the bleak attitude Americans had towards the Vietnam War, it’s actually the boot camp scenes that made the movie iconic. In particular, R. Lee Ermey’s performance as the drill instructor conveys the intensity of basic training. The film isn’t without issue, from characters who fail to earn emotional investment to the overall message being debated.
2
Apocalypse Now (1979)
Directed By Francis Ford Coppola
Apocalypse Now
10/10
- Release Date
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August 15, 1979
- Runtime
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147 minutes
|
IMDb Rating |
8.4 |
|
Rotten Tomatoes Score |
90% |
War movies can make an impression on audiences for a variety of reasons, from realistic battle sequences to all-star ensemble casts. In the case of Apocalypse Now, it’s the movie’s endlessly quotable script and Odyssey-like journey into the heart of the Vietnam War that elevated Francis Ford Coppola’s film. Telling the story of a special forces operative tasked with finding a rogue officer who’s waging his own private war, the film explores the psychology of war as much as the violence itself.
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When it comes to how viewers perceive the Vietnam War, no movie has been as defining as Coppola’s adaptation, creating a genuine touchstone of cinema that will forever be credited as a definitive war epic. However, for some others, the length of the movie can feel incredibly alienating, especially for the director’s cut. The film also had a notoriously difficult and controversial production, which still weighs it down in discussions about the best genre offerings.
1
Saving Private Ryan (1998)
Directed By Steven Spielberg
Saving Private Ryan
10/10
- Release Date
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July 24, 1998
- Runtime
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169 minutes
When it debuted in 1998, Steven Spielberg’s Saving Private Ryan became an instant sensation, in large part due to its harrowing depiction of the landings on D-Day. The film takes inspiration from a true story, sending its heroes on a quest to find and rescue the last surviving son of a woman who lost her other three boys in combat. At every turn, the film’s progression reminds the audience of one simple fact: in war, nobody is safe. Although this message is vital, it doesn’t give key elements of the story room to breathe.
|
IMDb Rating |
8.6 |
|
Rotten Tomatoes Score |
94% |
Saving Private Ryan earned the respect of veterans and critics alike, receiving universal praise for its dedication to realism in showing the horror of war. While the movie’s depiction of death as a reality of conflict is difficult, its ultimate message of valuing all life serves as a reminder of what victory in World War II meant. Despite the film’s narrow plot focus losing the scale of the wider backdrop of D-Day, it is a strong contender for the best war film of all time, meriting much debate, even if it is mostly positive.