23 Best War Movies (That Have More Heart Than You'd Expect)
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There are plenty of battle scenes in action movies, but when we're talking about war films, they should have plenty of commentary and heart, opening a door for the viewer into the lives of soldiers and those affected by war.
Here are 23 war movies that have more heart than you'd expect:
1.Full Metal Jacket
A US Marine recruit witnesses the horrors of the Vietnam War.
If you're looking for gritty performances, look no further than Stanley Kubrick's Full Metal Jacket. It has action, commentary, and the most intense Gunnery Sergeant performance you'll ever see.
2.The Eight Hundred
Witness Chinese soldiers' four-day defense of a Shanghai warehouse during a Japanese attack.
The element of having draft dodgers in this adds layers to the characters. Whether you agree with the film's message or not is another story.
3.Dunkirk
With land, air, and seas all blocked off, hundreds of thousands of allied soldiers try to survive being fish in a barrel.
Tremendous acting and beautifully shot. A Christopher Nolan gem that left some disappointed, but there are a lot of human elements to this war film.
4.Braveheart
William Wallace leads his Scottish countrymen against the tyrannical King Edward I.
Braveheart will bring out all the emotions if you're more of a "sword and shield" war movie fan.
5.The Bridge on the River Kwai
During World War II, Japanese soldiers force a British Colonel and his troops to build a bridge.
Many people view this film as one of the Top 100 ever made. It's a brilliant performance by Alec Guinness and has one of the most famous explosions in film.
6.Blood & Gold
Nazis hunt for hidden gold, but a German deserter and a woman find themselves in the crossfire.
If you're looking for a more modern take on WWII, this film is a mix of dark comedy and western disguised as a war crime drama.
7.Sand Castle
A reluctant American private witnesses the horrors of war when his unit is sent on a dangerous mission.
Give it a shot if you're a Nicholas Hoult or Henry Cavill fan. Not the most original, but it still has a lot of commentary.
8.Lone Survivor
In this true account military survival story, Navy SEALS must escape after their dangerous mission is compromised by civilians.
I've only seen it once, but I liked it. It's less of a "battle" war movie and focuses more on the characters and the difficult decisions they face on missions.
9.Red Tails
Based on the true story of the Tuskegee Airmen, the Black cadets who broke the color barrier for fighter pilots in the US Army.
It's weird, but this feels like a war movie for kids. It's meant to be a history lesson, so don't expect the most profound dialogue.
10.The Monuments Men
A unit of men seeks to retrieve stolen pieces of art from Nazis.
An impressive cast and a truly fantastic story. That said, don't expect too much commentary about war.
11.Platoon
During the Vietnam War, infighting within an Army unit pits everyone against one another.
A solid look at the clash of ideals within a platoon makes this an essential watch as far as war films — plus, it has one of the most famous death scenes in any movie.
12.This Land Is Mine
A man speaks out after he is accused of murder in a Nazi-occupied European nation.
Looked at as one of the first great war movies, it relies more on its words than its action.
13.A War (2015)
A Danish commander's bad judgment leads to a trial.
This film brings challenging, thought-provoking situations that make it an engaging war story.
14.Saving Private Ryan
A group of soldiers search for Private James Ryan, and they go on a journey that tests their character and courage.
Probably the best war film if you ask me. Groundbreaking at the time and still holds up today.
15.Empire of the Sun
A young English boy living in Shanghai experiences a Japanese invasion.
You'll love this young Christian Bale in a movie that follows war through the eyes of a boy.
16.Patton
A biography taking a look at the controversial World War II US General George S. Patton.
A biopic needs a sympathetic performance, and George C. Scott delivers just that.
17.Glory
The United States' first all-Black regiment works together to prove that they can fight for their country.
Denzel Washington is worth the price of admission. A great performance, and the rest of the cast is not too far behind.
18.The Hurt Locker
Two men in the US bomb-disposal unit look to survive the final weeks of their tour.
Jeremy Renner's breakout and best performance. The film truly has some great moments of both action and characters.
19.Apocalypse Now
In Vietnam, a captain and company go on a terrifying hunt to terminate a colonel.
One of the most expressive and trippy "war is hell" films ever made. The perfect war film if you love the smell of napalm in the morning.
20.1917
Two British soldiers are tasked to deliver a message that could save thousands of lives — including one of the soldier's brothers.
Save the war talk. This film wows with its seemingly single shot throughout the film that makes it nonstop thrilling.
21.Schindler's List
A businessman witnesses the horrors of the Holocaust.
A significant film that doesn't hold back when showing audiences the terrors Jewish people faced. One of the toughest watches you'll ever have to sit through, but it is an important history lesson.
22.Letters from Iwo Jima
Japanese troops defend Iwo Jima and prepare for their inevitable fates.
Ken Watanabe's breakout role. The film gives the audience a unique perspective from behind Japanese lines.
23.Pan's Labyrinth
A young girl explores an ancient maze while staying with her sadistic new stepfather.
Closer to a horror/fantasy than a war movie, but like Empire of the Sun, it succeeds in showing the horrors of war through the eyes of a child.
