Battleground Archives

What is your favourite war movie, are you into modern warfare or some of the old classics?

1. 1917 (2019) – This film follows two British soldiers during World War I tasked with delivering a critical message to prevent a doomed attack.
2. Overlord (2018) – A horror-war film set on D-Day, where American paratroopers encounter supernatural forces behind enemy lines.
3. Dunkirk (2017) – Christopher Nolan’s depiction of the evacuation of Allied soldiers from the beaches of Dunkirk during World War II.
4. Hacksaw Ridge (2016) – The true story of Desmond Doss, a conscientious objector who served as a medic during World War II without carrying a weapon.
5. Fury (2014) – Brad Pitt leads a tank crew behind enemy lines in Germany during the final days of World War II.
6. The Monuments Men (2014) – Based on a true story, this film follows a team of art historians and museum curators attempting to recover stolen artworks during World War II.
7. War Horse (2011) – Steven Spielberg’s film about a young man and his horse, both of whom experience the trials of World War I.
8. Inglourious Basterds (2009) – Quentin Tarantino’s alternate history film about a group of Jewish-American soldiers on a mission to assassinate Nazi leaders during World War II.
9. The Hurt Locker (2008) – This film follows an elite Army bomb squad in Iraq, focusing on the psychological toll of their dangerous work.
10. Defiance (2008) – Based on a true story, this film follows Jewish brothers in Nazi-occupied Eastern Europe who escape into the Belarussian forests and join Russian resistance fighters.
11. Letters from Iwo Jima (2006) – Directed by Clint Eastwood, this film tells the Battle of Iwo Jima from the perspective of Japanese soldiers.
12. Black Book (2006) – A Dutch film about a Jewish woman who joins the Dutch resistance during World War II.
13. Flags of Our Fathers (2006) – Also directed by Clint Eastwood, this film tells the story of the six men who raised the flag at the Battle of Iwo Jima and the aftermath.
14. Tae Guk Gi: The Brotherhood of War (2004) – A South Korean war film depicting the Korean War and the story of two brothers forcibly drafted into the conflict.
15. Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World (2003) – Set during the Napoleonic Wars, this film follows the British Royal Navy’s pursuit of a French warship.
16. The Pianist (2002) – Roman Polanski’s film tells the true story of Władysław Szpilman, a Polish-Jewish pianist who survived the Holocaust in Warsaw.
17. We Were Soldiers (2002) – Mel Gibson stars in this film about the Battle of Ia Drang during the Vietnam War, one of the first major engagements between U.S. and North Vietnamese forces.
18. Black Hawk Down (2001) – Based on true events, this film depicts the U.S. military’s mission in Somalia gone awry, leading to a desperate battle for survival.
19. Enemy at the Gates (2001) – Set during the Battle of Stalingrad, this film tells the story of a Soviet sniper’s duel with a German marksman.
20. The Thin Red Line (1998) – Terrence Malick’s poetic and philosophical take on soldiers’ experiences during the Battle of Guadalcanal in World War II.
21. Saving Private Ryan (1998) – Following the invasion of Normandy, a group of soldiers led by Captain Miller search for a paratrooper whose brothers have been killed in action.
22. The English Patient (1996) – A romantic epic set against the backdrop of World War II, telling the story of a nurse caring for a badly burned patient.
23. Braveheart (1995) – Mel Gibson directs and stars in this epic about Scottish warrior William Wallace’s fight against English tyranny.
24. Schindler’s List (1993) – While not a traditional war film, it tells the true story of Oskar Schindler, a German businessman who saved the lives of over a thousand Jewish refugees during the Holocaust.
25. Gettysburg (1993) – A depiction of the pivotal Battle of Gettysburg during the American Civil War.
26. Stalingrad (1993) – A German film depicting the brutal Battle of Stalingrad from the perspective of German soldiers.
27. The Last of the Mohicans (1992) – While not strictly a war film, it is set during the French and Indian War and follows a frontier scout and a Mohican warrior.
28. Glory (1989) – Denzel Washington and Matthew Broderick star in this film about the first all-black volunteer company fighting in the American Civil War.
29. Full Metal Jacket (1987) – Stanley Kubrick’s intense portrayal of U.S. Marines during the Vietnam War, focusing on their training and experiences in combat.
30. Platoon (1986) – Oliver Stone’s film about a young soldier’s experience in the Vietnam War, torn between two sergeants with different approaches to the conflict.
31. The Killing Fields (1984) – While not a traditional war film, it depicts the Khmer Rouge regime’s brutalities in Cambodia during the 1970s.
32. A Bridge Too Far (1977) – An epic retelling of Operation Market Garden during World War II, focusing on the failed attempt to capture several bridges in the Netherlands.
33. The Deer Hunter (1978) – This film follows the lives of three friends before, during, and after their service in the Vietnam War.
34. Apocalypse Now (1979) – During the Vietnam War, Captain Willard is sent on a dangerous mission to assassinate a renegade Colonel.
35. Das Boot (1981) – A German film depicting life aboard a U-Boat during World War II, showcasing the claustrophobic and dangerous conditions.
36. Gallipoli (1981) – This film follows two young Australian sprinters who join the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC) during World War I, focusing on the Battle of Gallipoli.
37. The Big Red One (1980) – Samuel Fuller’s semi-autobiographical film follows a U.S. Army sergeant and his squad from North Africa to Europe during World War II.
38. The Deer Hunter (1978) – This film follows the lives of three friends before, during, and after their service in the Vietnam War.
39. The Boys in Company C (1978) – A film depicting the experiences of a group of Marine recruits from boot camp to Vietnam.
40. The Battle of Algiers (1966) – A powerful and gritty depiction of the Algerian struggle for independence from French colonial rule.
41. The Dirty Dozen (1967) – A group of imprisoned soldiers is given a chance at redemption if they undertake a dangerous mission behind enemy lines.
42. The Longest Day (1962) – A star-studded epic depicting the events of D-Day.
43. Lawrence of Arabia (1962) – While more of an adventure epic, it follows T.E. Lawrence’s experiences in Arabia during World War I.
44. The Guns of Navarone (1961) – A classic World War II film about a team of Allied commandos sent to destroy a pair of Nazi guns.
45. Sergeant York (1941) – A biographical film about Alvin York, one of the most decorated American soldiers of World War I.
46. All Quiet on the Western Front (1930) – A classic anti-war film based on Erich Maria Remarque’s novel, following German soldiers during World War I.
47. Paths of Glory (1957) – Stanley Kubrick’s early film about a French army unit’s mutiny during World War I and the subsequent trial.
48. The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957) – Set in a Japanese POW camp, this film tells the story of British prisoners forced to build a bridge for their captors.
49. The Burmese Harp (1956) – A Japanese film about a soldier in Burma at the end of World War II, grappling with his role and the war’s aftermath.
50. Attack (1956) – A World War II drama focusing on a U.S. Army officer who clashes with his superiors over a mission.
51. From Here to Eternity (1953) – While not strictly a war film, it follows soldiers stationed in Hawaii in the months leading up to the attack on Pearl Harbor.
52. The Cruel Sea (1953) – A British film depicting the dangers faced by Royal Navy sailors in the Battle of the Atlantic during World War II.
53. The Caine Mutiny (1954) – More of a courtroom drama set during World War II, focusing on the officers of a U.S. Navy minesweeper.
54. MAS*H (1970) – A black comedy set during the Korean War, following the antics of the staff at a Mobile Army Surgical Hospital.
55. The Great Escape (1963) – Based on a true story, this film follows Allied prisoners planning a massive escape from a German POW camp during World War II.
56. The Battle of Britain (1969) – A historical war film about the air battle between the RAF and the Luftwaffe during the summer of 1940.
57. The Train (1964) – Set in German-occupied France, this film follows a French Resistance fighter trying to stop a train full of stolen art.
58. The Alamo (1960) – While not strictly a war film, it depicts the famous battle for Texan independence against Mexico.
59. Von Ryan’s Express (1965) – Frank Sinatra stars in this World War II film about Allied POWs attempting a daring escape from a German prison camp.
60. Zulu (1964) – Based on true events, this film tells the story of the Battle of Rorke’s Drift between British soldiers and Zulu warriors in 1879.
61. The Manchurian Candidate (1962) – More of a thriller with political themes, it involves brainwashing and a conspiracy during the Korean War.
62. The Bridge at Remagen (1969) – A World War II film about the race between American and German troops to capture a strategic bridge intact.
63. The Red Badge of Courage (1951) – Based on Stephen Crane’s novel, this film follows a young Union soldier’s journey during the American Civil War.
64. To Hell and Back (1955) – The true story of Audie Murphy, one of the most decorated American combat soldiers of World War II.
65. Battleground (1949) – A World War II film depicting the Battle of the Bulge and the experiences of an American infantry unit.
66. Breaker Morant (1980) – A courtroom drama set during the Second Boer War, following the trial of Australian soldiers accused of war crimes.
67. Cross of Iron (1977) – A German war film set on the Eastern Front during World War II, showing the brutalities of war from the German perspective.
68. Hope and Glory (1987) – While more of a coming-of-age story, it’s set during the Blitz of World War II in Britain.
69. A Midnight Clear (1992) – A World War II film following a group of American soldiers who encounter a German platoon while on a Christmas Eve patrol.
70. The Blue Max (1966) – A World War I film focusing on a German fighter pilot’s quest to win the Blue Max, the highest military honor.
71. The Enemy Below (1957) – A World War II film about the cat-and-mouse game between an American destroyer and a German U-boat.
72. They Were Expendable (1945) – A World War II film depicting PT boat crews in the Philippines during the Japanese invasion.
73. Sahara (1943) – Bogart stars in this film about a tank crew in the desert during WWII.
74. Bataan (1943) – A World War II film about a small group of American soldiers holding off the Japanese in the Philippines.
75. Sands of Iwo Jima (1949) – John Wayne stars in this World War II film about the U.S. Marines’ battle to capture the island of Iwo Jima.
76. La Grande Illusion (1937) – A French film depicting the experiences of French prisoners of war during World War I.
77. In Which We Serve (1942) – Directed by Noël Coward, this film follows the crew of a British destroyer during World War II.
78. The Dawn Patrol (1938) – A World War I film about British pilots facing the realities of aerial combat.
79. Mrs. Miniver (1942) – While more of a drama, it depicts life in Britain during the early days of World War II.
80. 49th Parallel (1941) – A British war film about a German U-boat crew stranded in Canada during World War II.
81. Command Decision (1948) – A World War II film focusing on the difficult decisions faced by a U.S. bomber group commander.
82. Objective, Burma! (1945) – A World War II film following an American military unit’s mission behind enemy lines in Burma.
83. So Proudly We Hail! (1943) – This film follows a group of U.S. Army nurses in the Philippines during World War II.
84. Guadalcanal Diary (1943) – Based on the book by Richard Tregaskis, it depicts the U.S. Marines’ campaign to capture Guadalcanal during World War II.
85. Wake Island (1942) – A World War II film about the defense of Wake Island by U.S. Marines against the Japanese.
86. The Fighting Sullivans (1944) – Based on a true story, it follows the five Sullivan brothers who served together on the USS Juneau during World War II.
87. Mrs. Miniver (1942) – While more of a drama, it depicts life in Britain during the early days of World War II.
88. The Dawn Patrol (1938) – A World War I film about British pilots facing the realities of aerial combat.
89. The Charge of the Light Brigade (1936) – A film about the Crimean War.
90. Wings (1927) – One of the first major war films, it’s a silent film about two World War I pilots in love with the same woman.
91. Napoleon (1927) – Directed by Abel Gance, this silent film is an epic historical drama about the life of Napoleon Bonaparte. It is known for its innovative filmmaking techniques and extensive use of multiple exposures and split-screen effects.
92. The Big Parade (1925) – Another silent film about World War I, following a young American soldier’s experiences in France.
93. The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse (1921) – A silent film about an Argentinian family torn apart by World War I.
94. J’accuse (1919) – A silent French film directed by Abel Gance, it’s one of the earliest anti-war films, depicting the horrors of World War I.
95. The Battle of the Somme (1916) – This silent documentary film is one of the earliest films about real warfare, documenting the British Army’s preparations for and execution of the Battle of the Somme during World War I. It includes actual footage from the battlefield, providing a glimpse into the realities of war. The film was a significant achievement in documentary filmmaking and is considered an important historical record of the conflict.
96. Intolerance (1916) – Also directed by D.W. Griffith, this epic film weaves together several historical periods, including the fall of Babylon and the St. Bartholomew’s Day massacre, to illustrate the destructive power of intolerance throughout history.
97. The Birth of a Nation (1915) – While controversial for its depiction of race, it’s a Civil War epic directed by D.W. Griffith.