War moviesare often products of their time, but some films manage to transcend the era out of which they are produced to explore universal themes around the human condition. While technology and political climates have evolved over the decades, these films have only grown in stature as they force viewers to confront the nature of war and bloodshed.
From thought-provokingdepictions of the First World Warto outstanding explorations ofthe conflict in Vietnam, warcinema has the power to be both wildly entertaining and politically relevant. These movies hold up so well because they go beyond the specific events to actually say something important about the universal struggles that soldiers and citizens experience during wartime.
The work of director David Lean is the benchmark by which all other epics are judged, and his war movie classicThe Bridge on the River Kwaiis the perfect example of his immense talent. With an outstanding performance from Alec Guinness, this story of misguided perseverance still strikes a chord almost seven decades later.
With the lines between pride and duty blurred and exploring themes of the futility of war versus the human drive for greatness, Commander Colonel Nicholson’s obsession with upholding British discipline ultimately blinds him to the bigger picture of the war. WhileThe Bridge on the River Kwaiwas set around the construction of the Burma Railway, its themes remain timeless.
The war movies consumed by Western audiences have generally focused on an Allied or American point of view, yetLetters from Iwo Jimashone a light on the Japanese experiences in World War II. Coming from director Clint Eastwood and with an almost entirely Japanese cast, this powerful war movie forced audiences to confront aspects of the conflict that they may not have considered.
As a companion piece toEastwood’sFlag of Our Fathers, these two films make up a cohesive statement on the circumstances surrounding the 1945 Battle of Iwo Jima. As a Best Picture nominee at the Academy Awards,Letters from Iwo Jimawas a sympathetic and poignant look at the humanity of the so-called enemyand that, during wartime, everyone suffers.
What makesPlatoonremain so relevant all these years later is that it was directly inspired by Oliver Stone’s actual experiences in the Vietnam War. As a harrowing, ground-level view of soldiers in active conflict,Stone was informed by his time as a veteran of the 25th Infantry Division from 1967 to 1968.
This meantPlatoonhas been praised as one of the most accurate and engaging pieces of wartime filmmaking ever made, and it’s stood the test of time because its account of low-ranking soldiers remains relevant for soldiers to this day. With great early-career performances from Charlie Sheen and Willem Dafoe,Platoonwas an honest plea for the end of violence and war in all its forms.
Director Wolfgang Petersen pulled off an astounding feat withDas Boot, a stunning catalog of life aboard the German submarine U-96 during World War II. What makesDas Bootstand out as a timeless classic is that it captured both the terror and the mundanities of everyday life at sea and ultimately was an epic cinematic experience unlike anything else.
As one of the greatest German movies of all time,Das Bootshowcased the crew’s hazardous patrol in the Battle of the Atlanticand the panic and terror that characterize a marine mission in a state of jeopardy. With incredible authenticity and realism,Das Bootstands the test of time because of its human characters and suspenseful action scenes.
The Vietnam War movie classicFull Metal Jacketwas separated into two halves, with the first depicting the trainees’ experiences in boot camp before being sent to war in the second. The earlier portion of the film remains the most acclaimed, asVincent D’Onofrio’s performance as Private Leonard Lawrence, nicknamed Gomer Pyle, remains captivating and terrifying.
As a bird’s-eye view into the hardships of military training, watching Private Lawrence unravel due to the ruthless practices of his drill sergeant (R. Lee Ermey) gave insight into coldhearted expectations placed on recruits. While military training practices have likely changed in the subsequent decades, Kubrick showcased how boot camp can often be as traumatic as the actual war.
Ultimately, the biggest victims of war are the innocent children who must survive in the midst of conflict. This was a powerful scene in the Studio Ghibli releaseGrave of the Fireflies, an animated film that told the story of two orphaned siblings who forced viewers to confront the hardships of conflict as experienced by blameless children.
As a thoroughly heartbreaking depiction of life during wartime,Grave of the Firefliesdidn’t shy away from the harrowing realities of waras its four-year-old protagonist dies surrounded by other malnourished survivors. With a tense and challenging atmosphere, director Isao Takahata pushed audiences outside of their comfort zones to see war for what it really is.
Despite being released almost 50 years ago,The Battle of Algiersremains one of the most radical war movies ever produced. As an intense docudrama, Gillo Pontecorvo shot the film on location using a cast of non-professional actors to accurately reflect the Algerian War, even casting veterans of the conflict in many roles.
With a unique approach to filmmaking,The Battle of Algiersblended fact and fiction to create a film that felt more real and urgent than anything before it. As a defining release in Italian neorealist cinema,The Battle of Algierswas an important commentary on urban guerrilla warfare that can easily be compared to many ongoing conflicts in the world today.
As not just one of the best war movies of all time, but one of the best films ever made, Francis Ford Coppola outdid himself withApocalypse Now. Not just a war movie, but a study on the psychological, spiritual, and emotional impact of conflict, this was more a meditation on the human condition than it was about any particular war.
From the psychological breakdown of Martin Sheen’s character to the harrowing depiction ofMarlon Brando’s Colonel Kurtz, the central themes of Apocalypse Now are as relevant today as they were back in 1979. Taking inspiration from Joseph Conrad’s iconic novellaHeart of Darkness, audiences will still be blown away by the power of Coppola’s masterpiece 100 years from now.
Stanley Kubrick’sPaths of Gloryhas aged incredibly well as it posits a deeply anti-war message that continues to resonate all these years later. With a career-defining performance from Kirk Douglas, this World War I movie told the story of Colonel Dax, a commanding officer who refuses to send his troops into a suicidal attack.
Having to defend himself and his men against accusations of cowardice,Paths of Gloryshowcased how those outside the battlefield have the heartlessness to needlessly sacrifice the lives of young soldiers. With a humanistic viewpoint and a powerful message of peace, as long as there’s war in this world,Paths of Glorywill remain relevant.
As perhaps the most powerfully anti-war movie ever made, the harsh realities of World War II were on full display in the Soviet classicCome and See.Set amid the German occupation of Byelorussia, this emotionally intense movie depicted the Nazi invasion from the perspective of a teenage boy named Flyora.
Having witnessed some of the most unspeakable acts human beings are capable of, Flyora’s psychological state reached its absolute limit as he joined the resistance movement and sought to end the cycle of violence. By bringing the realities of war into sharp focus,Come and Seehighlighted howwartransforms everyday life into an existential nightmare.
