12 best war movies of all time

From the malice to the courage behind a war, movie-goers have departed a speck of their hearts to the sacrifice and seen the sight of destruction that war has brought on this doomed planet before, war movies have time and again given due honour to the ones that have lost as well as questioned the ones that have robbed the innocent.

Whether it may be on the battlefield or behind closed doors, war movies have continued to bring to the commoners the essence of what it means to live in truly dark times. However, not all movies on war wave their patriotic flags, some dig deeper and suspect minute details of written history itself while some take it to a different plane altogether and focus on the fantastical gods and supernatural victors. These productions light the audiences' dormant blood pumps on fire, which is why most develop a fascination with the genre.

On a search for the best war movies of all time? You have landed on the right site. From the classics to the twisters, we have here a gala of what we like to call the best collection. If you are trying to play it safe or maybe venture out into the darkest noirs, we have it all lined up below for you. From the political commentaries to the patriotic fuelers, the industry has produced some of the greatest war movies of all time with lauded stars who helm the project with nothing short of perfection. Scroll down further to select the best war movies for your movie night.

Here are the 12 best war movies of all time:

Darkest Hour

A 2017 war drama directed by Joe Wright based on the political conflict that arose in Britain in 1940 after the Nazis rose to power in Germany. The film revolves around the then Prime Minister Winston Churchill played by Academy Award winner Gary Oldman. Churchill at the time was dealing with the direst dilemma in history which was to either sign a peace treaty with the Nazis or to go to war with them. Oldman in the movie has given one of his best performances yet. His gripping portrayal of the political leader won him his first Oscar for the Best Actor category. 

The Hurt Locker

A suspenseful thriller based on the life of Sergeant William James (Jeremy Renner) who joins an army bomb disposal team during the Iraq war but his maverick way of handling the job leads to conflicts with his teammates. This Kathryn Bigelow movie won the Best Picture Academy nod for its artful excellence and was even called a near-perfect production by critics. Pairing the two greats together with Renner beside Anthony Mackie, the movie became one of the best in the game. The actors and their chemistry was highly lauded by critics and movie-goers alike and has remained till now a pair fit to quote.

Schindler's List 

A film inspired by the life of a hero who saved more than a thousand Jews from the Nazi Holocaust by employing them in his factories at the time of World War II. Oskar Schindler, a German industrialist, was a godsend for the Polish Jew refugees who were doomed to die in the Holocaust and his only regret was, "I could've saved more." Joined by a stellar cast the movie has been branded as a masterpiece with Liam Neeson as Oskar Schindler along with, Ralph Fiennes as Amon Goeth, Ben Kingsley as Itzhak Stern and more. Unlike his contemporaries of the time, director and producer Steven Spielberg kept the film mostly a black and white feature which gave a unique sense of authenticity to the film.

Lincoln

Another Steven Spielberg masterstroke, this 2012 historical drama is not about war. It is about the man who stood up to end the war. Based on United States President Abraham Lincoln's life and his goal to abolish the heinous laws of slavery and reunite the nation against the backdrop of the civil war. Actor Daniel Day-Lewis who essayed the character of Lincoln in the movie was praised for his performance and was also awarded the Best Actor of the year by the Academy. Besides Lewis, the film also had other big names involved, Tommy Lee Jones, Sally Field, David Strathairn, Joseph Gordon-Levitt were some of the stars who were part of the cast.

300

Steering away from modern-day war epics, this 2006 historical war film was built on the Battle of Thermopylae (480 BC) in the Persian Wars. Inspired by Frank Miller and Lynn Varley's comic series, the movie is directed by Zack Snyder. The plot revolves around the big battle between the Spartans and the Persian "God-King" Xerxes (Rodrigo Santoro), led by King Leonidas (Gerard Butler) the Spartan army marched into a death chamber to fight an army of 300,000 Persian soldiers. A tale of chivalry and courage in all its glory, the film uses fantastical elements to emulate the intensity of the situation.

Seven Days in May

Set 6 years in the future, this film follows a military-political cabal who plan to overthrow the government of the time in fear that while the President pushes for a nuclear demilitarization treaty, the Soviet Union is on its toes waiting to make a sneak attack on the country. A political thriller based on the titular novel by Charles W. Bailey II and Fletcher Knebel, the film captures the tensions of the cold war. Starring Burt Lancaster, Kirk Douglas, Fredric March, and Ava Gardner, the film is directed by John Frankenheimer. Lauded for the brilliant performance of the actors, the film has been a timeless favourite of the genre and a must-watch for all war film enthusiasts.

1917

Directed and produced by Sam Mendes, this war movie has been time and again branded as the best film in the genre by critics and movie-goers alike. This World War I film takes place when the Germans reel back to the Hindenburg Line and two soldiers are trusted with the crucial task of delivering an essential message to the other battalion and risk their lives to save these soldiers from entering the death trap set to ambush them. Lauded as the Best Film at the BAFTAs, the film stars George MacKay as one of the soldiers who have to put their lives on the line for the job along with Dean-Charles Chapman as his companion on the task.

Alone in Berlin

A couple who rallied against Hilter, an unheard tale of a German working-class married couple who after their son dies in France during the Second World War stand against the Nazi regime and plan to topple Hitler's Germany through postcards. A gripping tale of grief based on the fictionalized story of Otto and Elise Hampel's real life in Berlin, the film is inspired by Hans Fallada's novel Every Man Dies Alone. Starring Daniel Brühl, Brendan Gleeson, Emma Thompson, Mikael Persbrandt and more. A movie about the implications of loss in war and how humanity is driven by their grief and courage even in the darkest of times.

A Hidden Life

War brings with it destruction on the battlefield and outside it too. An Austrian farmer and devout Catholic, Franz Jagerstatter (August Diehl), refuses to fight for the Nazis in the Second World War. Inspired by true events, Terrence Malick's A Hidden Life is a tale of a family that stood against Hilter. Supported by his family, Franz goes through numerous trials and tribulations yet remains adamant about his decision to not be part of the mass destruction. The tragic story of Frans is a true inspiration and depicts the dilemma of thousands who were forced to kill for the Nazi regime at the risk of their own as well as their families' lives.

Dunkirk

One of the most celebrated war films of all time, this Christopher Nolan production is based on the lives of those who were part of the Dunkirk evacuation during the Second World War. British, French and Belgian soldiers put their lives on the line to evacuate the town of Dunkirk while the German tries to destroy it. Making his acting debut in the film, Harry Styles stunned audiences with his performative prowess. Besides Styles, the movie casts a slew of stellar actors including Fionn Whitehead, Tom Glynn-Carney, Jack Lowden, Barry Keoghan, Kenneth Branagh, Cillian Murphy, Mark Rylance, and Tom Hardy.

The Thin Red Line

An adaptation of James Jones' autobiographical novel, the movie revolves around the conflict at the Guadalcanal during World War II. Another Terrence Malick monument, the film takes place in 1942 when commanding officer Sgt. Welsh (Sean Penn) finds Private Witt (Jim Caviezel) who had gone AWOL in exchange for living peacefully with the Melanesian natives in the South Pacific. Witt is forced to resume his rank for the Battle of Guadalcanal as the American troops wait to ambush the Japanese. The movie is a philosophical take on war as the characters explore their own psyches. Starring big industry troops, Sean Penn, Jim Caviezel, Nick Nolte, Elias Koteas Ben Chaplin and more.

Jojo Rabbit

A rather amusing take on war and its implication on the people left behind. Set in the fictional city of Falkenheim, this Taika Waititi masterpiece is unlike any war film. The story follows a ten-year-old Johannes "Jojo" Betzler who joins a Hilter Youth group where he is indoctrinated with Nazi ideals. Though Jojo has a secret, his imaginary friend is a satirical avatar of Adolf Hitler played by Waititi himself. Jojo eventually begins to question his Nazi beliefs after he finds a Jewish girl in his attic. Through Jojo, the film comments on the grimiest parts of war which is not just destruction of the body but also of the mind. Starring Roman Griffin Davis as Jojo, Scarlett Johansson as Rosie Betzler beside Thomasin McKenzie, Sam Rockwell, Rebel Wilson and more.

Want to add your own favourite picks to our list of best war movies? Share your views in the comments down below.

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