War movies are often not good when they glorify winners v. losers. War sucks, so the more human we can depict the consequences or reasons for, the better,. You get me, kimosabe?
Master and Commander is a great call. "Letters From Iwo Jima" is the vastly superior of those 2 movies
Okay, I'll actually go for a "real" war movie this time. It's definitely my top war movie of all time, more than any other "real" war movies listed so far. Victory. Stallone, Michael Caine, and Pele, all at their finest. Also, The Great Escape was a pretty good war movie.
It is, but because it is a Jack Ryan movie I think of it more as a spy thriller than a war movie. Eh, it is a bit dated. And in German.
A few months ago I watched Das Boot and Greyhound back to back. While Das Boots special effects suffer compared to Greyhounds it’s a much better movie. The acting, atmosphere in Das Boot really takes you into the sub.
I saw a BBC historian rate Master and Commander as one of the most accurate historical war movies. The sets, tactics and reactions of the crew were very close to what was historically recorded.
This is why I think Das Boot is such a great movie. You know this is a Nazi submarine and that they are sinking allied ships but you feel their humanity and especially their fear. This is one of the most powerful scenes in all War movies. The German sub is sinking a British ship and they realize there are still men on it. The German captain is angry that the British didn’t rescue the men when the ship was first hit while one German officer open weeps. It brings home that the enemy isn’t faceless fighting machines or cannon fodder but people like them.
Dances With Wolves? Technically not a war movie (except the first five minutes). Does a great job at showing the brutality of American westward expansion.
Just to mention a few hat have not been mentioned. I don't know where I'd rank them but for me top two are Saving Private Ryan and Full Metal Jacket. Braveheart Enemy at the Gates The Patriot U-571
Just took a quick look and didn't see it, but maybe I missed... The Big Red One A few others I haven't see mentioned: The Boys in Company C The Siege on Firebase Gloria Casualties of War Heartbreak Ridge Memphis Belle Red Tails Fly Boys The Tuskegee Airmen
