23 Best War Movies (That Have More Heart Than You'd Expect)

    "War is Hell" is its own genre.

    Jeremy Hayes
    by Jeremy Hayes

    BuzzFeed Contributor

    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.

    Soldiers march together through fog
    Joe Raedle / Getty Images

    Here are 23 war movies that have more heart than you'd expect:

    1. Full Metal Jacket

    a soldier walks through ruins
    Warner Bros.

    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

    a man screams out of a shattered window
    Huayi Brothers

    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

    three soldiers sit on a beach
    Warner Bros. Pictures

    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

    An army of Scottish men
    Paramount Pictures

    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

    a man stands before an army of people
    Sony Pictures Releasing

    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

    a nazi holds a rifle
    Netflix

    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 soldier walks by a car
    Netflix

    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

    a soldier covered in scars
    Universal Pictures

    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

    a group of Black pilots
    20th Century Fox

    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

    Matt Damon and George Clooney at a bat
    20th Century Fox

    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

    a soldier raises his arms as he's being attacked
    MGM

    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 woman and man talk to each other, emotionally
    Warner Bros.

    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 soldier looks back while following other soldiers
    Nordisk Film Distribution

    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

    Tom Hanks as a soldier
    DreamWorks Pictures

    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 boy covered in mud
    Warner Bros. Pictures

    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 man salutes in front of the US flag
    20th Century Fox

    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

    Denzel Washington in northern attire for Civil War
    Tri-Star Pictures

    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

    Jeremy Renner as a soldier
    Summit Entertainment

    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

    Yellow smoke rises on a beach
    United Artists

    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

    a soldier runs away as bombs explode
    Universal Pictures

    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

    Liam Neeson in a tie
    Universal Pictures

    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

    Ken Watanabe as a Japanese soldier
    Warner Bros. Pictures

    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 man smokes while holding a hammer
    Warner Bros. Pictures

    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.

    Do you have a favorite war movie? Share it in the comments below!