11 Best Modern War Movies, Ranked
"War! What is it good for?" That classic song's chorus raises a good point about the futility of war and what's really accomplished through all those bombs and bullets. One potential answer to that question is that war can make for an evocative backdrop to a motion picture. Dating back to the days of "Wings" and "All Quiet on the Western Front," the cinema of war has been a creatively fruitful field, jam-packed with striking classics that make the horrors of battle incredibly tangible.
However, it's not just grim corners of humanity that get explored within the war movie space. Some of these films use real-world conflicts for purely light-hearted escapist material. There's really no end to the kind of stories that can be told within this genre.
In terms of modern war movies produced after 2005, there's been a tremendous number of standout titles released, covering conflicts ranging from World War I to World War II to the Iraq War and many more. The visual aesthetics and tonal ambitions of these films vary greatly, which just underscores the innate variety within the category. None of these modern war films (ranked below from least best to greatest) are exact doppelgangers of each other, just as how no two wars are ever the same.
Read more: 15 Best Period Piece Movies Ever, Ranked
(Warner Bros.)As the Lapland War rages on circa 1944, "Sisu" begins with Aatami Korpi (Jorma Tommila) trying to uncover gold. He proves successful when he discovers a treasure trove of gold nuggets, but comes face-to-face with SS officers soon afterward. The Germans try to kill Korpi for his gold, only for him to reveal that he's basically John Wick/Rambo in his lethality. So begins a lengthy chase movie where German troops try to slaughter Korpi, only for this relentless older man to keep getting the better of them. The wartime backdrop in "Sisu" eventually becomes even more important as it turns out the SS men are desperate for that gold because the Third Reich has lost World War II.
Trying to collect that treasure only unleashes endless problems for these fascists as writer-director Jalmari Helander keeps conjuring up imaginative new ways for Korpi to dispatch the baddies. Cornerstones of this specific war (namely landmines) are creatively deployed to give "Sisu" more of a distinctive personality, compared to so many other "John Wick" pastiches of the 2020s. Tommila's stirring physicality is also quite transfixing as he admirably commits to portraying a classic dialogue-free action hero. Plus "Sisu" has the good sense to realize that every action film is improved with a bunch of women grabbing guns and fighting baddies.
Cast: Jorma Tommila, Aksel Hennie, Jack Doolan
Director: Jalmari Helander
Rating: R
Runtime: 91 minutes
(Lionsgate)Speaking of over-the-top World War II action movies, turn your gaze to director Julius Avery's 2018 feature "Overlord." Penned by Billy Ray and Mark L. Smith, "Overlord" follows Private First Class Edward Boyce (Jovan Adepo) and his fellow soldiers as they get stranded in Germany. Stuck in enemy terrain, the group is already in over their heads before it becomes clear that they've wandered into a new kind of Third Reich depravity. Turns out, these Germans have created a serum to create unkillable mutant soldiers.
"Overlord" has a kooky premise, but Avery plays everything straight-faced, particularly in the first half before the over-the-top horror elements come into play. Juxtaposing a standard World War II movie with zombie soldiers proves thrilling. Adepo, meanwhile, is a great anchor to center the story around, while Wyatt Russell steals the show as Corporal Lewis Ford. Modern arthouse cinema fixture John Magaro, meanwhile, puts on a thick accent for an amiable turn as Private First Class Lyle Tibbet.
Best of all, the frequently nasty visual effects in "Overlord" are exquisitely executed. You'll inevitably squirm at the on-screen carnage, but also cheer in the exciting crowdpleaser moments. "Overlord" is far from alone in the pantheon of over-the-top World War II features, but its richly detailed performances and commitment to nutso material put "Overlord" in a class of its own.
Cast: Jovan Adepo, Wyatt Russell, Mathilde Ollivier
Director: Julius Avery
Rating: R
Runtime: 110 minutes
(Paramount Pictures)Wisely, Marvel Studios and director Joe Johnston introduced the live-action movie incarnation of Captain America/Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) to the general public through a period piece — specifically, one set in the 1940s, the same era in which Cap first graced comic book pages decades earlier. Both that era and Johnston's experience on classic blockbusters like "The Rocketeer" meant " Captain America: The First Avenger " was a pleasantly retro action feature. This irony-free take on clinging to the goodness of humanity even in times of turmoil had the radiant costumes, pronounced emotional beats, and extravagant flourishes (like a musical number montage) that other war or comic book movies might be too self-conscious to embrace.
Instead, there's an underlying confidence to "Captain America" that's incredibly charming. It even manages to have a tangible beating heart amidst all the old-school fun through the romantic connection between Rogers and Peggy Carter (Hayley Atwell). That impressive tonal balance is one of many benefits of "Captain America" thoroughly dedicating itself to being a period piece war picture.
Cast: Chris Evans, Hugo Weaving, Hayley Atwell
Director: Joe Johnston
Rating: PG-13
Runtime: 124 minutes
(Marvel Studios)Making it a period piece worked wonders for the inaugural "Captain America" solo movie, so why not go the same route for "Wonder Woman?" This Patty Jenkins directorial effort finally gave an iconic superhero her own movie, and making World War I the backdrop turned out to be an inspired choice. Diana Prince/Wonder Woman (Gal Gadot) is the physical embodiment of goodness, which contrasts sharply with a grimy, disturbing conflict like World War I. Jenkins wrung tremendous power out of juxtaposing this beacon of hope with such harrowing circumstances, particularly in the now-seminal sequence where Wonder Woman strolls into No Man's Land alone.
That set piece also soars as a fascinating reconstitution of war movie iconography to make something brand new, an ode to humanity rather than bullets. The film's principal supporting players being Steve Trevor (Chris Pine) and his ragtag group of soldiers (who could have been plucked from any number of period piece men-on-a-mission films) further reinforces the movie's intriguing remixing of war cinema norms. Even if viewers aren't well-versed in the finer intricacies of war movies, "Wonder Woman " is still an empowering experience packed with memorable details — and no "Captain America" clone despite its period setting.
Cast: Gal Gadot, Chris Pine, David Thewlis
Director: Patty Jenkins
Rating: PG-13
Runtime:141 minutes
(Warner Bros.)Throughout his career, director Steven Spielberg has extensively explored World War II with projects like "1941," "Empire of the Sun," "Saving Private Ryan," and even two of the original "Indiana Jones" adventures. For 2011's "War Horse," an adaptation of both the novel and play of the same name, Spielberg set his sights on making a grand World War I feature. The conflict is told through the eyes of the horse Joey, who is separated from his owner Albert (Jeremy Irvine) as The Great War breaks out. Joey, like countless other lost animal protagonists throughout cinema history, tries to venture home while encountering different owners and peculiar souls along the way. Not even barbed wire in No Man's Land can stop this steed in his unstoppable quest.
Nobody will accuse of "War Horse" of being subtle with its unabashedly sentimental script, grandiose Janusz Kamiński cinematography, and bombastic John Williams score. However, those outsized qualities are so well-realized that it's hard to mind. Assembling a soulful cast of actors like Tom Hiddleston, Emily Watson, and Benedict Cumberbatch to execute this material certainly doesn't hurt. Plus, few filmmakers are as adept at epic wartime spectacle as the genius behind the opening Omaha Beach sequence in "Saving Private Ryan."
Cast: Jeremy Irvine, Emily Watson, Tom Hiddleston
Director: Steven Spielberg
Rating:PG-13
Runtime: 146 minutes
(Touchstone Pictures)Kathryn Bigelow's "Zero Dark Thirty" follows Maya (Jessica Chastain) and her CIA associates as they spend nearly 10 years trying to find Osama bin Laden. In pursuing one of the most evil men who ever existed, what will Maya and her team become? "Zero Dark Thirty," told through Bigelow's grounded cinema-verite style, is very much not a resplendent depiction of this manhunt.
Instead, it's all about the frustrating dead ends, the near-misses, and all the ceaseless problems Maya and others face in trying to find anything resembling a lead in this case. That unflinching gaze extends to unnerving depictions of torture by U.S forces, with the film forcing audiences to reckon with the horrific human rights violations committed in response to a devastating terrorist attack.
It's all incredibly gripping in Bigelow's hands, while this material is also handled impeccably well by an impressive ensemble cast. Everyone from James Gandolfini to Joel Edgerton to even brief appearences from future stars like Jeremy Strong leave a profound impact. The tremendously involving nature of 2012's "Zero Dark Thirty" extends to its unforgettable final shot, depicting Maya at her most vulnerable. It's an aching moment both unlike any other war movie conclusion and the only way this title could have wrapped up.
Cast: Jessica Chastain, Joel Edgerton, Jason Clarke
Director: Kathryn Bigelow
Rating: R
Runtime:157 minutes
(Columbia Pictures)"1917" detractors may grumble that Sam Mendes' film is largely riding the coattails of its visual conceit of executing the story in (simulated) unbroken single shots. But what's wrong with movies that feature neat camerawork? The imagery executed by Mendes, cinematographer Roger Deakins, and the rest of the "1917" crew truly is stupendous and helps make the relentless journey of Lance Corporal William "Will" Schofield (George MacKay) feel extra grueling.
There is no escape for this young lad as he navigates the perils of World War I, which manifest in everything from roaring rivers to surprise enemy soldiers to racing across a battlefield. Capturing it all through unblinking images accentuates the tension and places the audience directly in the shoes of Schofield and other World War I soldiers. There isn't another war movie out there quite like "1917," which makes the oft-trodden cinematic terrain of World War I feel brand new again thanks to its unique visual flourishes.
Even beyond this quality, however, "1917" is still an engaging, stripped-down war yarn. Among its many admirable qualities is wringing maximum effectiveness out of brief appearances from revered British performers like Andrew Scott and Benedict Cumberbatch, as Schofield trudges past them in his compelling "1917" journey.
Cast: George MacKay, Dean-Charles Chapman, Colin Firth
Director: Sam Mendes
Rating: R
Runtime:119 minutes
(Universal Pictures)"The Messenger" doesn't take place on a battlefield. Instead, it's concerned with what happens when loved ones of fallen soldiers must hear the news that someone close to them isn't coming home. That task falls to casualty notification officers like Captain Tony Sloane (Woody Harrelson) and Staff Sergeant Will Montgomery (Ben Foster). The latter is new to this profession as "The Messenger" begins, but he quickly realizes this is a harrowing and brutal task.
Casualty notification officers are forbidden from displaying any affection or counseling to the bereaved, which means Montgomery and Sloane must develop an aloofness to the most horrible news people can ever hear. Writer-director Oren Moverman's "The Messenger" is about those messy emotions that make existence both a nightmare and worth living.
It's not easy to grapple with questions about why your child is now in a box or whether or not you'll ever feel a true romantic connection. Movies like "The Messenger" remind us that we're not alone in navigating those impossible quandaries. Moverman's raw filmmaking is complemented by excellent lead performances from Foster and Harrelson. Be on the lookout too for superb small turns from the likes of Steve Buscemi as people whose lives are forever upended by Sloane and Montgomery's arrival. These mesmerizing moments cement "The Messenger" as a hard but essential watch.
Cast: Ben Foster, Woody Harrelson, Samantha Morton
Director: Oren Moverman
Rating: R
Runtime:113 minutes
(Oscilloscope Laboratories)It's not surprising that Quentin Tarantino's "Inglourious Basterds" is rife with lively dialogue and vivid personalities — those are traits that have defined his trailblazing film career. What is unexpectedly impressive, though, is just how deft Tarantino is at incorporating those elements in a World War II setting without coming off as trivializing or diminishing the horrors that marginalized populations like the Jewish community endured during this era.
Right away in the first scene (in which the murder of Jewish people hiding under floorboards is kept off-screen), Tarantino demonstrates tact and appropriate gravitas for real-life horrors. From there, Tarantino weaves a compelling tableau of various subplots, all driven by slow-simmering vengeance and transfixing suspense. A murderer's row of outstandingly conceived performances, particularly from Diane Kruger and Brad Pitt, make "Basterds" an especially engrossing spectacle.
Plus nobody else but Tarantino could have come up with some of the film's most quotable lines as well as its peak displays of violence. Though "Basterds" was an arduous movie to shoot, the result was a tonally deft war movie to remember.
Cast:Brad Pitt, Diane Kruger, Christoph Waltz
Director: Quentin Tarantino
Rating: R
Runtime: 153 minutes
(The Weinstein Company)Among Christopher Nolan's very best achievements as a director is his 2017 film "Dunkirk," which explored the incredible evacuation of more than 300,000 Allied troops from a French beach during World War II. Naturally, Nolan doesn't just present a straightforward narrative: he weaves together three separate storylines, each happening over different stretches of time.
What sounds like a distractingly complex concept in theory proves instantly gripping in execution. Rather than undercutting the drama of "Dunkirk," this approach strengthens the project. The scope of this event, and how many lives are at stake, truly comes alive through this expansive canvas. Meanwhile, the tension surrounding the limited amount of time available to save these stranded soldiers emerges with similar verve.
Impressively, Nolan juggles all these plotlines without sacrificing how terrified and determined the various "Dunkirk" characters are. Everyone from Cillian Murphy's shell-shocked soldier to Tom Hardy's uber-dedicated pilot resonate as real, intricate human beings reacting in profoundly understandable ways to the unthinkable. Even in a filmography crowded with winners, "Dunkirk" — a jaw-dropping spectacle that looked especially astonishing in 70mm IMAX — is still standout Nolan material.
Cast: Fionn Whitehead, Tom Hardy, Mark Rylance
Director: Christopher Nolan
Rating: PG-13
Runtime: 106 minutes
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(Warner Bros.)In Terrence Malick's "A Hidden Life," Austrian farmer Franz Jägerstätter refuses to fight for the Third Reich during World War II. Thus begins an endless deluge of misery for Jägerstätter that starts with him becoming a social pariah and ends with him incarcerated, waiting to be executed for not being a loyal soldier.
Typical war movies are concerned with the bravery of soldiers firing their guns for their homeland. In 2019's understated "A Hidden Life," Malick suggests that a true war hero sticks to his principles in refusing to take a life. As the closing on-screen text in "A Hidden Life" reminds viewers, there will never be statues erected to Jägerstätter's conviction. His name won't be on the tongues of people around the planet. He will vanish into history, yet his refusal to bend to fascism remains vital.
"A Hidden Life" is a powerful examination of everyday resolve against impossible odds, rendered extra absorbing thanks to Malick's trademark dream-like filmmaking approach. Glorious imagery, ingeniously utilizing elements like natural light and distinctive lenses, abounds throughout "A Hidden Life." Such radiant visuals lend fitting majesty to a quiet wartime rebellion centered on the simplest of things: refusing to fight.
Cast: August Diehl, Valerie Pachner, Matthias Schoenaerts
Director: Terrence Malick
Rating: R
Runtime:174 minutes
(Fox Searchlight)11 Best Modern War Movies, Ranked
"War! What is it good for?" That classic song's chorus raises a good point about the futility of war and what's really accomplished through all those bombs and bullets. One potential answer to that question is that war can make for an evocative backdrop to a motion picture. Dating back to the days of "Wings" and "All Quiet on the Western Front," the cinema of war has been a creatively fruitful field, jam-packed with striking classics that make the horrors of battle incredibly tangible.
However, it's not just grim corners of humanity that get explored within the war movie space. Some of these films use real-world conflicts for purely light-hearted escapist material. There's really no end to the kind of stories that can be told within this genre.
In terms of modern war movies produced after 2005, there's been a tremendous number of standout titles released, covering conflicts ranging from World War I to World War II to the Iraq War and many more. The visual aesthetics and tonal ambitions of these films vary greatly, which just underscores the innate variety within the category. None of these modern war films (ranked below from least best to greatest) are exact doppelgangers of each other, just as how no two wars are ever the same.
Read more: 15 Best Period Piece Movies Ever, Ranked
(Warner Bros.)The war movie has been around for decades, yet just in the last few years, there have been at least 11 such films that could already be called classics.
