While somewar movieshave an undeniable impact on popular culture, other excellent explorations of conflict have been completely underrated and deserve far more attention. Whether throughaccurate dramatizations of World War II, intense insights into the complexities of the Vietnam War, or evenreleases that deal with lesser-known conflicts, war movies have the power to entertain and inform audiences.
Thebest war movieswere not necessarily the most popular, as truly impactful films challenge viewers in ways box office hits often don’t, and all of these hidden gems, underappreciated classics, or forgotten triumphs spread an impactful message around the horrors of war, the importance of peace, and the value of fighting for what’s right. With releases from some of the greatest directors who ever lived,all of these movies deserve to reach a far larger audience.
The epic historical war dramaGlorytold the story of the 54th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment, one of the Union Army’s first African American regiments in the American Civil War. With Matthew Broderick as the regiment’s commanding officer, Colonel Robert Gould Shaw, andDenzel Washington in an early Oscar-winning role, the film depicted the regiment’s formation and their heroic actions at the Second Battle of Fort Wagner.
Featuring stunning cinematography and a story that shone a light on an underrepresented aspect of American history,Glorydid what the best war movies do and was both entertaining and informative. From his performance here, it was clear that Washington was well on his way to becoming a major movie star, and Broderick gave perhaps the most mature performance in his entire career. As one of the greatest American Civil War movies ever made,Glorydeserves to reach a far larger audience.
In 2006, director Clint Eastwood released two back-to-back movies based on the World War II Battle of Iwo Jima in 1945. WhileFlags of Our Fathersdepicted the conflict from an American perspective,Letters from Iwo Jimaexplored the Japanese experience, which was told almost entirely in Japanese through a story that honored the fortitude of that country’s soldiers. With heart and humanity, the film had a powerful message that no matter what side of the divide people stand on, at its core, warfare just leads to needless death.
AlthoughFlags of Our Fatherswas made with a much higher budget,Letters of Iwo Jimawas more successful artistically as it explored WWII from a side rarely heard from in Western cinema.Eastwood took viewers right in the midst of the brutal battleand avoided the racial stereotypes that normally undermine Hollywood productions like this. As yet another acclaimed addition to Eastwood’s incredible body of directorial work,Letters from Iwo Jimamay not be one of his best-known films, but it was certainly among his most accomplished works.
While viewers will know Brad Pitt from big-budget historical war movies likeTroyor modern classics such asInglourious Basterds, one under-the-radar release that’s worth watching wasFury. Written, directed, and co-produced by David Ayer, Fury starred Pitt as Don “Wardaddy” Collier, a tank commander who faces dire challenges and tough decisions as he moves across the war-torn lands of Nazi Germany in April 1945. By avoiding the normal distinctions of heroes and villains,Furyshifted its focus to the sheer brutality of war.
With a sense of claustrophobia,Furysaw its five main characters all confined to one tankas Shia LaBeouf, Logan Lerman, Jon Bernthal, and Michael Peña gave incredible performances alongside Pitt.Furyshowcased the high-pressure situation of active warfare while highlighting the tragically disposable nature of soldiers on the frontline. As a glimpse into the soul-crushing expectations put on soldiers during the war,Furywas an insightful and accomplished piece of filmmaking.
Lifeboatwas one of Alfred Hitchcock’s most underrated movies and a strong insight into the filmmaker’s growing talent for narrative and suspense-driven stories throughout the 1940s. As a survival film set entirely on a lifeboat launched from a freighter torpedoed and sunk by a Nazi U-boat,Lifeboatshowcased WWII from a unique perspective. WhileLifeboatwas criticized at the time for its sympathetic portrayal of a German U-boat captain, this empathetic viewpoint has helped it stand the test of time.
With trailblazing creativity,Lifeboatlaid the groundwork for Hitchcock’s later limited-setting movies such asRope,Dial M for Murder, andRear Window. With strong characterizations,Lifeboatshowcased the complexities of Allied infighting, lack of cooperation, and general bickering, which acted as an appropriate metaphor for warfare in general. With an almost theatrical-like presentation,Lifeboatwas a hidden gem in Hitchcock’s acclaimed filmography.
Nestled in between his time playing Han Solo inStar WarsandThe Empire Strikes Back, Harrison Ford gave a highly underrated performance in the criminally underseen action war movieForce 10 from Navaronein 1978. Joined by the likes of Carl Weathers, Barbara Bach, and Franco Nero, this sequel to the 1961 movieThe Guns of Navaronesaw an oddly assorted team of military experts aim to raid and destroy a vital enemy bridge during the Second World War.
While this plot point will bring to mind war movie classics likeBridge on the River Kwai,Force 10 from Navaronewas more focused on action and characterization to deliver a solid crowdpleaser from a group of talented actors. From director Guy Hamilton, the filmmaker behind fourJames Bondmovies, in a way,Force 10 from Navaronefelt like a reunion for 007 enthusiastsas it featured many returning actors from that franchise, including Richard “Jaws” Kiel.
The Siege of Jadotvillehighlighted a seldom-represented moment in military history as it explored the Irish army unit’s role in the United Nations Operation in the Congo. WithJamie Dornan as the Irish Army commander Patrick Quinlan, this nail-biting account depicted the standoff between Irish soldiers and French and Belgian mercenaries. As a tribute to the brave soldiers who never got the recognition they deserved at the time and were treated as cowards for their surrender,The Siege of Jadotvillehighlighted their impossible situation as they only conceded defeat when they had no food, ammunition, or water left.
With spectacular battle scenes and enough quiet moments that showcase the everyday experiences of the soldiers,The Siege of Jadotvillehad a hyperfocus on a particular historical event that was wholly misunderstood at the time. Dornan gave a fantastic performance as Quinlan, and the entire cast’s excellent work served to pay tribute to the young men who showed real heroism in the face of unimaginable challenges.
While plenty of Vietnam War movies likeApocalypse Now,The Deer Hunter, andPlatoonhave received widespread acclaim, there were many more that have just flown under the radar. One example of a film that deserves more love isHamburger Hill, a movie that has not gained the same kind of widespread, ubiquitous pop culture relevance as those other films. However, those who have seenHamburger Hillunderstand its power, and it boasts an impressive 100% score on Rotten Tomatoes.
Taking place during the Battle of Hamburger Hill, a May 1969 assault during the Vietnam War by the U.S. Army’s 3rd Battalion, this John Irvin movie was a thrilling look at the platoon’s challenges during that conflict. As a box office success at the time of its release, grossing an impressive $13.8 million (viaBox Office Mojo), it’s a shame thatHamburger Hillhas never gotten its due from modern viewers. Despite being extremely underrated,Hamburger Hillholds up incredibly well, and it’s worth checking out for those looking for a lesser-known war movie to add to their watchlist.
The Wind that Shakes the Barleypresented an authentic portrayal of Irish rebellion as it painted an uncompromising and gripping portrait of Ireland’s long-sought fight for independence. From director Ken Loach and starring future Best Actor winner Cillian Murphy,The Wind that Shakes the Barleytold the story of two brothers who join the fight for Irish independence against the British. By exploring this conflict as a social revolution that allowed the Irish to gain independence in all ways of living, this underseen war drama showcased just how demoralizing and eroding British rule was on Irish culture, language, and traditions.
As the winner of the Palme d’Or at the 2006 Cannes Film Festival,The Wind that Shakes the Barleyrepresented Loach’s biggest success, yet in the grand scheme of popular culture, it was still quite an obscure release. However, its powerful narrative managed to capture the complexities of the Irish Civil War in a microcosm that made even those unfamiliar with the conflict understand its impact.The Wind that Shakes the Barleywas the definitive Irish war movie and deserves to reach a much bigger audience.
While director Joel Schumacher was a talented filmmaker, he was also at the receiving end of some extreme creative and commercial failures, most notably his divisive superhero movieBatman & Robin,for which he was endlessly ridiculed. Another example of this wasTigerland, a commercial failure that made just over $148,000 against its $10 million budget (viaBox Office Mojo.) However, the truth was thatTigerlandwas an excellent movie bolstering a strong story, a talented cast, and an emotional, weighty narrative.
Despite bombing at the box office,Tigerlandremains a compelling look at a group of American soldiers preparing to fight in Vietnam. Set in 1971, just as public support in the war was faltering,Tigerlandoffered a fascinating glimpse into contemporary culture’s pervading anti-establishment political beliefsand the effects of soldiers being sent to a fight in a war they did not agree with. By taking viewers from boot camp into the heart of battle,Tigerlandwas a compelling and thought-provoking war film whose power disappointingly failed to translate into box office success.
The famed screenwriter Dalton Trumbo adapted his own 1937 novel to make this harrowing account of a World War I soldier’s experience after being hit by an artillery shell in battle.Johnny Got His Gunwas a powerful antiwar moviethat saw the American soldier Joe Bonham lose his eyes, ears, mouth, nose, and limbs. As a prisoner in his own body, doctors considered Joe to be in a vegetative state, although he made every effort to let them know of his terrifying plight as he banged his head against the pillow to spell out “help” in Morse code.
Johnny Got His Gunshowcased the true price ofwaras it shifted its focus from the battlefield to a hospital bed and stood as one of the most profound examples of antiwar filmmaking of all time. From encountering visions of Christ to being depicted as in a glass coffin in a freakshow demonstration, Trumbo managed to seamlessly transfer the internal psychological torment of his novel to the visual medium of film. As a movie that’s so harrowing it’s difficult to recommend to the average viewer, it’s no surpriseJohnny Got His Gunhas been extremely underrated.
