Want to know what the best war movies are on Netflix?
There are some excellent war movies out there. Sure, these were all horrific times, but some films are giving us a great insight into it. Well, I’ve never been to war, so I will never be able to completely understand how it really was. And, I don’t want too either.
I used to avoid war movies when I was younger because they weren’t my cup of thee. However, lately, I appreciate them more and more. I have to admit that cinema does a great job of showing these events.
Some movies feel so real that they’re incredible to watch. And if you have a Netflix account, you can watch one of those movies right now!
This list contains my recommendations in no particular order. It could be that there’s a great war movie that isn’t on it because I haven’t seen it yet. You can always suggest that movie in the comment section.
The best war movies on Netflix
Hacksaw Ridge
Director: Mel Gibson
Writers: Robert Schenkkan, Andrew Knight
Cast: Andrew Garfield, Sam Worthington, Luke Bracey, Vince Vaughn
Desmond T. Doss was a real-life soldier who worked as an American Army Medic. He refused to use a gun in war as he wasn’t willing to take someone else’s life. Instead, he devoted himself to saving the lives of other soldiers.
He became the first man to receive a Medal of Honor without firing a single shot. A truly inspiring story if you ask me.
I still can’t believe how amazing Mel Gibson is as a director. His movies are all excellent, and this one made me silent. On top of that, I appreciated this man who did those brave things for real. It’s unbelievably good. And, this is also one of Andrew Garfield’s best performances.
Inglorious Basterds
Director: Quentin Tarantino
Writer: Quentin Tarantino
Cast: Brad Pitt, Diane Kruger, Eli Roth, Christopher Waltz, Michael Fassbender
I love Quentin Tarantino movies, so it’s no surprise that this would be on my list.
This film follows a group of Jewish U.S. soldiers who are plotting to take down the Nazis. I swear to god, this movie has one of the best opening scenes ever. Christopher Waltz even won an Oscar for that.
I would definitely recommend Inglorious Basterds as it’s one of the best war movies on Netflix. It’s maybe hard to believe, but all Quentin Tarantino’s films are connected, and this one isn’t an exception. Click here to see a full guide on Quentin Tarantino’s shared universe.
American Sniper
Director: Clint Eastwood
Writers: Jason Hall, Chris Kyle
Cast: Bradley Cooper, Sienna Miller, Kyle Gallner
War can scar people emotionally for life. That was the case for the sniper Chris Kyle (Bradley Cooper,) who saves countless lives on the warzone.
Navy S.E.A.L. sniper Chris Kyle’s pinpoint accuracy saves countless lives on the battlefield and turns him into a legend. Back home with his family after four tours of duty, however, Chris finds that it is the war he can’t leave behind.
This happens to many soldiers so it’s an interesting story to watch.
Fury
Director: David Ayer
Writer: David Ayer
Cast: Brad Pitt, Shia LaBeouf, Logan Lerman, Michael Peña, Jon Bernthal
This movie was a pleasant surprise. I didn’t expect much of it, but ended up being a great watch.
It’s a tank with his commander and his crew fighting their way across Germany. It’s filled with awesome action, but also excellent dialogue. Even Shia LaBeouf is amazing in this film.
Some scenes still give me chills, like the “this is war” scene. What a tremendous scene of showing how horrifying war can be. And in some scenes, we can see a glimpse of humanity, which I love when they do that in war films.
Beast of No Nation
Director: Cary Joji Fukunaga
Writers: Cary Joji Fukunaga, Uzodinma Iweala
Cast: Abraham Attah, Emmanuel Affadzi, Ricky Adelayitor, Idris Elba
A film that should have had an oscar nomination, in my opinion, but it didn’t.
This time, it takes place in an African country, where we follow the experiences of a kid named Agu. As you can probably guess, he’s a child soldier.
It always hits me when kids are involved because they’re supposed to have fun times. Instead, they’re fighting in wars. On top of that, in this film, Agu’s family gets killed.
Also, if you’re a fan of Idris Elba, expect one of his best performances!
The King
Director: David Michôd
Writers: David Michôd, Joel Edgerton
Cast: Timothée Chalamet, Robert Pattinson, Tom Glynn-Carney, Gábor Czap, Tom Fisher
The King is a Netflix Original Movie about Hal, the son of King Henry V, who has to deal with the war his father left behind.
I love medieval history, and this is a movie adaptation of the famous story of Hal, who fought in Agincourt (France) while having a huge disadvantage.
Timothée Chalamet shines in this film and gives me high hopes for his future career.
Click here for a movie review.
The Last Samurai
Director: Edward Zwick
Writers: John Logan, Edward Zwick, Marshall Herskovitz
Cast: Tom Cruise, Ken Watanabe, Billy Connolly
It’s been a while since I’ve seen The Last Sumari, but it’s on Netflix right now. Maybe I’ll give it another watch if I feel like it, but I have to say it’s an excellent film.
Tom Cruise gives one of his best performances as an American military advisor who embraces the Samurai culture. Which is ironic because he was sent to destroy it.
Sicario
Director: Denis Villeneuve
Writer: Taylor Sheridan
Cast: Emily Blunt, Josh Brolin, Benicio Del Toro
Not many people I know have heard about this film, and it’s a shame. It’s honestly great. I was blown away from it.
A government task force is investigating an escalating drug wars between the borders of the U.S. and Mexico. And I won’t say more than that, the rest you should see it for yourself.
Emily Blunt and Benicio Del Toro are both impressive in Sicario.
300
Director: Zack Snyder
Writers: Zack Snyder, Kurt Johnstad, Michael B. Gordon
Cast: Gerard Butler, Lena Headey, David Wenham
Zack Snyder’s take on the legendary King Leonidas and his 300 mercenaries.
It’s a beautiful visual movie based on the well-known graphic novel “300” from Frank Miller. Prepare yourself for a bloody movie.
It’s obvious that Zack Snyder loves to comic book adaptations.
Outlaw King
Director: David Mackenzie
Writers: Bathsheba Doran, David Mackenzie, James MacInnes, Mark Bomback
Cast: Chris Pine, Stephen Dillane, Rebecca Robin
Okay, maybe not the greatest film on this list. However, I did enjoy it a lot. And, that’s mostly thanks to my backpacking trip to Scotland. I find their history to be very interesting.
It’s a story on Robert The Bruce (Chris Pine) on how he uses his bravery to defeat a larger and better-equipped enemy. I love to see stories about brave men, especially when they’re Scottish. They typically have a stubborn, proud attitude that everyone seems to enjoy.
So if you love Scotland, give this movie a try.
The Pianist
Director: Roman Polanski
Writers: Ronald Harwood
Cast: Adrien Brody, Thomas Kretschmann, Frank Finlay
I’ve seen this film at school, and it somehow made us all quiet. It was something I wasn’t used to seeing in schools as most of the time, and some would make a fuzz about it. But no, not this time.
The Pianist is a gripping story about a Polish Jewish musician (Adrien Brody) who tries to survive World War II. I should definitely rewatch this film. Oh yeah, and obviously he plays the piano, hence the title.
And for my Peaky Blinders fans, it’s with the guy who played Luca Changretta.
Forrest Gump
Director: Robert Zemeckis
Writers: Winston Groom, Eric Roth
Cast: Tom Hanks, Robin Wright, Gary Sinise
Okay, this one is an outsider. I don’t really regard this as a war movie, but some of the events do take place during the war. So you know what, I’ll include it into my list of the best war movies on Netflix.
It’s one of the sweetest stories ever, and this film doesn’t need a summary as we all know the story. If you haven’t seen it yet, I’ll recommend you stop whatever you’re doing and watch the film.
Da 5 Bloods
Director: Spike Lee
Writers: Danny Bilson, Paul De Meo, Kevin Willmott, Spike Lee
Cast: Delroy Lindo, Jonathan Majors, Clarke Peters, Norm Lewis, Isiah Whitlock Jr., Chadwick Boseman
Looking for something new? Da 5 Bloods is now out on Netflix. Like Forest Gump, this one is also an outsider. They’re not in the war anymore. Instead, they’re four African American vets who are returning to Vietnam.
Back in the war, their leader got killed, and they buried some golden fortune. Now, they want to retrieve their leader’s remains and the hidden gold.
I loved this film as it’s more about the characters than the actual plot. It’s always interesting to see how a human has to deal with the after-effects of war.
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