Military Action backdrop

Military Action movies

Combat missions and tactical operations: assaults, rescues, sieges, and coordinated teamwork under fire.

G.I. Joe: Retaliation

1. G.I. Joe: Retaliation

Action Science Fiction Adventure Thriller Military Action
5.7
20131h 50min

Overview

Framed for crimes against the country, the G.I. Joe team is terminated by Presidential order. This forces the G.I. Joes into not only fighting their mortal enemy Cobra; they are forced to contend with threats from within the government that jeopardize their very existence.

Themes

Loyalty under duress, Deception in leadership, Technology-driven conflict, Covert operations and accountability, Civilian control of military power, Power under political pressure

Available on

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

Olympus Has Fallen

2. Olympus Has Fallen

Action Thriller Military Action Political Thriller
6.5
20132h

Overview

When the White House (Secret Service Code: "Olympus") is captured by a terrorist mastermind and the President is kidnapped, disgraced former Presidential guard Mike Banning finds himself trapped within the building. As the national security team scrambles to respond, they are forced to rely on Banning's inside knowledge to help retake the White House, save the President and avert an even bigger disaster.

Themes

Nuclear threat escalation, Resilience under siege, Interagency coordination under fire, Protective detail duty, Crisis leadership and improvisation, High stakes political pressure

Available on

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

Frankenstein’s Army

3. Frankenstein’s Army

Action Horror Military Action Body Horror
5.4
20131h 24min

Overview

Toward the end of World War II, Russian soldiers pushing into eastern Germany stumble across a secret Nazi lab, one that has unearthed and begun experimenting with the journal of one Dr. Victor Frankenstein. The scientists have used the legendary Frankenstein's work to assemble an army of super-soldiers stitched together from the body parts of their fallen comrades -- a desperate Hitler's last ghastly ploy to escape defeat

Themes

Deception and betrayal, Dehumanization through body modification, Power struggles under command, Propaganda versus reality, Unethical experimentation consequences, Survival under bombardment

Available on

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

Starship Troopers: Invasion

4. Starship Troopers: Invasion

Animation Action Science Fiction Military Action Alien Invasion Sci-Fi
5.8
20121h 29min

Overview

The troopers of two starships have joined forces to terminate a massive bug attack at a Federation outpost. Before the mission can be completed and the survivors evacuated, one ship abruptly departs and goes inexplicably dark. The remaining battle-hardened troopers race to the rescue only to discover that the threat from the bugs is about to hit home.

Themes

Deception and manipulation, Solidarity under pressure, Authority versus survival, Technology dependence under threat, Crisis leadership under fire, Control versus autonomy

Available on

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

The Expendables 2

5. The Expendables 2

Action Adventure Thriller Military Action Adventure Epic
6.6
20121h 43min

Overview

Mr. Church reunites the Expendables for what should be an easy paycheck, but when one of their men is murdered on the job, their quest for revenge puts them deep in enemy territory and up against an unexpected threat.

Themes

Deception and betrayal, Loyalty under pressure, Revenge as motive, Mercenary ethics, Black market weapons, Oppression of workers

Available on

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

Battleship

6. Battleship

Thriller Action Adventure Science Fiction Military Action
5.8
20122h 11min

Overview

When mankind beams a radio signal into space, a reply comes from ‘Planet G’, in the form of several alien crafts that splash down in the waters off Hawaii. Lieutenant Alex Hopper is a weapons officer assigned to the USS John Paul Jones, part of an international naval coalition which becomes the world's last hope for survival as they engage the hostile alien force of unimaginable strength. While taking on the invaders, Hopper must also try to live up to the potential that his brother, and his fiancée's father—an Admiral—expect of him.

Themes

Crisis leadership under pressure, Sacrifice for survival, Interservice cooperation under crisis, Technological reliance in warfare, Authority vs individuality, Adaptability in crisis

Available on

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

Red Dawn

7. Red Dawn

Action Thriller Military Action Survival Thriller
5.3
20121h 33min

Overview

A city in Washington state awakens to the surreal sight of foreign paratroopers dropping from the sky—shockingly, the U.S. has been invaded and their hometown is the initial target. Quickly and without warning, the citizens find themselves prisoners and their town under enemy occupation. Determined to fight back, a group of young patriots seek refuge in the surrounding woods, training and reorganizing themselves into a guerrilla group of fighters.

Themes

Betrayal and loyalty, Community resilience under pressure, Occupation resistance, Youth-led insurgency, Guerrilla infrastructure, Military improvisation

Available on

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

Into the White

8. Into the White

War Action Drama World War II Historical Drama
7.1
20121h 44min

Overview

During World War II, enemy fighter pilots find themselves face to face after shooting down one another's planes over a desolate landscape. In order to survive, they must set aside the rules of war.

Themes

Loyalty under pressure, Memory loss and identity, Survival under war rules, Deception and mythmaking, Fear as weapon, Rumors vs reality

Available on

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

Act of Valor

9. Act of Valor

Action Thriller War Military Action Kidnapping & Captivity Thriller
6.4
20121h 50min

Overview

When a covert mission to rescue a kidnapped CIA operative uncovers a chilling plot, an elite, highly trained U.S. SEAL team speeds to hotspots around the globe, racing against the clock to stop a deadly terrorist attack.

Themes

Loyalty under pressure, Protective sacrifice, Teamwork under threat, Duty vs family, Covert operations ethics, Secrecy and escalation

Available on

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

Red Tails

10. Red Tails

Drama Action Adventure History War
5.9
20122h 5min

Overview

The story of the Tuskegee Airmen, the first African-American pilots to fly in a combat squadron during World War II.

Themes

Based on true story promises, World war ii pressures, Tuskegee airmen legacy, Military hierarchy and bias, Fighter pilot identity, African american history lessons

Available on

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