War and Anti-War Films
"War and Anti-War Films" often acknowledge the horror and heartbreak of war, letting the actual combat fighting or conflict (against nations or humankind) provide the primary plot or background for the action of the film. Typical elements in the action-oriented war plots include POW camp experiences and escapes, submarine warfare, espionage, personal heroism, "war is hell" brutalities, air dogfights, tough trench/infantry experiences, or male-bonding buddy adventures during wartime. Themes explored in war films include combat, survivor and escape stories, tales of gallant sacrifice and struggle, studies of the futility and inhumanity of battle, the effects of war on society, and intelligent and profound explorations of the moral and human issues.
Listed below are all the very best of this genre. Scroll yer heart out....
The Wall (2017)
6.2/10
Director: Doug Liman
Starring: Aaron Taylor-Johnson, John Cena
U.S. soldiers Allan "Ize" Isaac and Shane Matthews answer a distress call in the desert of postwar Iraq. Suddenly, gunshots erupt, leaving Shane badly... Read more
The War (2007)
9.1/10
Director: Ken Burns, Lynn Novick
Ken Burns presents a fourteen-part documentary on World War Two, focusing on the impact it had on the people involved - the soldiers and the families... Read more
The War Bride (2001)
Director: Lyndon Chubbuck
Starring: Anna Friel, Brenda Fricker, Aden Young, Loren Dean, Julie Cox, Molly Parker
This endearing World War II drama stars Anna Friel as Lily, a vivacious girl in war-torn London. She falls in love with Charlie (Aden Young), a Canadi... Read more
The War File: The Memoirs Of Women Who Went To War (2004)
John Mills presents this first-hand account of the experiences of some of the women who were assigned to the Civil Defence, Hospital and Fire Auxiliar... Read more
The War Lover (1962)
6.7/10
Director: Philip Leacock
Starring: Steve McQueen, Robert Wagner, Shirley Anne Field
Steve McQueen fights his own private battle as a volatile "war lover" in this gripping story based on a novel by John Hersey and featuring spectacular... Read more
The Warlords (2007)
7.1/10
Director: Peter Ho-Sun Chan
Starring: Jet Li, Andy Lau, Takeshi Kaneshiro, Jinglei Xu
Far from the stylistic martial arts pics of recent times, this unrelentingly violent historical epic set during the Qing Dynasty of the late 19th cent... Read more
The Warlords ( Blu-ray ) (2007)
7.1/10
Director: Peter Ho-Sun Chan
Starring: Andy Lau, Jet Li, Takeshi Kaneshiro, Jinglei Xu
Far from the stylistic martial arts pics of recent times, this unrelentingly violent historical epic set during the Qing Dynasty of the late 19th cent... Read more
The Warring States (2011)
4.6/10
Starring: Francis Ng, Wu Jiang
Rival Chinese military strategists Sun Bin (Sun Hong-lei) and Pang Juan (Francis Ng) clash in this historic war adventure set during the Era of Warrin... Read more
The Water Diviner (2014)
7.1/10
Director: Russell Crowe
Starring: Russell Crowe, Olga Kurylenko, Yilmaz Erdogan, Cem Yilmaz, Jai Courtney, Ryan Co...
The Water Diviner is an extraordinary tale of love, faith and heroism. Starring Russell Crowe (Gladiator) and Olga Kurylenko (Oblivion), The Water... Read more
The Way Ahead (1944)
7.1/10
Director: Carol Reed
Starring: David Niven, James Donald, John Laurie, Peter Ustinov, Stanley Holloway, Trevor...
A.k.a. "The Immortal Battalion". Having seen a 44 minute training film called 'The New Lot', Winston Churchill approached actor David Niven about maki... Read more