War backdrop

War movies

Gritty and poignant depictions of conflict, focusing on the bravery, tragedy, and humanity found on the battlefield.

Subgenres include: Age of Sail & Early Modern Warfare, 19th Century Wars, World War I.

171. Corn Island

Corn Island
Drama War
7.5
20141h 40min
Director: Giorgi Ovashvili

Overview

The Inguri River forms a natural border dividing Georgia from Abkhazia. One of the spring floods has created a little island in the middle of the river, as if made for the cultivation of corn. At least, this is the belief of an old peasant, whose sunburned face resembles the landscape he has trodden for dozens of years.


172. Last Days in Vietnam

Last Days in Vietnam
War Documentary
7.6
20141h 38min
Director: Rory Kennedy

Overview

During the chaotic final weeks of the Vietnam War, the North Vietnamese Army closes in on Saigon as the panicked South Vietnamese people desperately attempt to escape. On the ground, American soldiers and diplomats confront a moral quandary: whether to obey White House orders to evacuate only U.S. citizens.


173. The Admiral: Roaring Currents

The Admiral: Roaring Currents
War Action Drama History Age of Sail & Early Modern Warfare
7.1
20142h 6minSouth Korea
Director: Kim Han-min

Overview

Admiral Yi Sun-sin faces a tough challenge when he is forced to defend his nation with just 13 battleships against 300 Japanese enemy ships in the Battle of Myeongryang.

Themes

Sacrifice and endurance, Morale under siege, Battleship tactics, Naval warfare resilience, Betrayal and treachery, Underdog leadership

Available on

Amazon Video
Apple TV
Data provided by JustWatch.Availability may vary by region.

174. Diplomacy

Diplomacy
Drama History War Historical Drama World War II
7.1
20141h 24minFrance, Germany
Director: Volker Schlöndorff

Overview

On the night of August 24, 1944, the fate of Paris rests with General von Choltitz, who plans to destroy the city on Hitler's orders. As the general prepares to detonate explosives throughout the capital, Swedish consul Raoul Nordling uses diplomacy in a desperate bid to convince him to defy the orders and save Paris.

Themes

Duty under pressure, Leadership accountability, Civilian protection, Negotiation under duress, Moral cost of war, Obedience and restraint

Available on

Kanopy
OVID
Chai Flicks
Data provided by JustWatch.Availability may vary by region.

175. 300: Rise of an Empire

300: Rise of an Empire
Action Drama War Epic Action Historical Drama
6.2
20141h 42minBulgaria, United States
Director: Noam Murro

Overview

Greek general Themistocles attempts to unite all of Greece by leading the charge that will change the course of the war. Themistocles faces the massive invading Persian forces led by mortal-turned-god, Xerxes and Artemesia, the vengeful commander of the Persian navy.

Themes

Betrayal and loyalty, Leadership under pressure, Allied cohesion under threat, Naval warfare strategy, Divine legitimacy and conquest, Resource scarcity and decision-making

Available on

Amazon Video
Apple TV
Google Play Movies
Data provided by JustWatch.Availability may vary by region.

176. The Monuments Men

The Monuments Men
War Drama History Action World War II
6.1
20141h 58minGermany, United States
Director: George Clooney

Overview

Based on the true story of the greatest treasure hunt in history, The Monuments Men is an action drama focusing on seven over-the-hill, out-of-shape museum directors, artists, architects, curators, and art historians who went to the front lines of WWII to rescue the world’s artistic masterpieces from Nazi thieves and return them to their rightful owners. With the art hidden behind enemy lines, how could these guys hope to succeed?

Themes

Shared labor across disciplines, Cultural heritage under threat, Duty in wartime, Power dynamics in occupation, Moral ambiguity of rescue, Restitution and ownership

Available on

Amazon Video
Apple TV
fuboTV
Data provided by JustWatch.Availability may vary by region.

177. Lone Survivor

Lone Survivor
War Action Drama Modern Conflicts Military Action
7.5
20132h 1minUnited States
Director: Peter Berg

Overview

Four Navy SEALs on a covert mission to neutralize a high-level Taliban operative must make an impossible moral decision in the mountains of Afghanistan that leads them into an enemy ambush. As they confront unthinkable odds, the SEALs must find reserves of strength and resilience to fight to the finish.

Themes

Trust under pressure, Survival under siege, Duty under fire, Camaraderie under risk, Moral decision in conflict, Loyalty amidst chaos

Available on

Netflix
Amazon Video
Apple TV
Data provided by JustWatch.Availability may vary by region.

178. Tangerines

Tangerines
Drama War Tragic Drama Modern Conflicts
8.1
20131h 27minEstonia, Georgia
Director: Zaza Urushadze

Overview

War in Abkhazia, 1992. An Estonian man Ivo has stayed behind to harvest his crops of tangerines. In a bloody conflict at his door, a wounded man is left behind, and Ivo is forced to take him in.

Themes

Mutual restraint under threat, Shared humanity under fire, War pressure on hospitality, Honor amid conflict, Promises under duress, Temporary alliance against outsiders

Available on

Amazon Prime Video
Amazon Video
Apple TV
Data provided by JustWatch.Availability may vary by region.

179. Time and the Wind

Time and the Wind
Drama History War
6.7
20132h 7min
Director: Jayme Monjardim

Overview

Based on Érico Verissimo's literary trilogy, Time and the Wind follows 150 years of the Terra Cambará family and their opponents, the Amaral family. The struggles between the two families begin in the missions and lasts until the end of the 19th century. The film also features the period of formation of the state of Rio Grande do Sul and the dispute of territory between the Portuguese and Spanish crowns.


180. How I Live Now

How I Live Now
Drama Action Thriller War Modern Conflicts
6.4
20131h 41minCanada, United Kingdom
Director: Kevin Macdonald

Overview

An American girl, sent to the English countryside to stay with relatives, finds love and purpose while fighting for her survival as war envelops the world around her.

Themes

Trauma and resilience, Displacement and belonging, Survival under war, Family bonds under stress, Authority in crisis, Coming of age in chaos

Available on

Amazon Video
Apple TV
fuboTV
Data provided by JustWatch.Availability may vary by region.