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.

USS Indianapolis: Men of Courage

1. USS Indianapolis: Men of Courage

Action War Military Action World War II
5.3
20162h 8min

Overview

The harrowing true story of the crew of the USS Indianapolis, who were stranded in the Philippine Sea for five days after delivering the atomic weapons that would eventually end WWII. As they awaited rescue, they endured extreme thirst, hunger, and relentless shark attacks.

Themes

Survival under threat, Leadership accountability, Duty under crisis, Five days survival, Media pressure and blame

Available on

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

The Siege of Jadotville

2. The Siege of Jadotville

War Drama Thriller Cold War & Proxy Conflicts Historical Drama
7.2
20161h 48min

Overview

Irish Commandant Pat Quinlan leads a stand off with troops against French and Belgian Mercenaries in the Congo during the early 1960s.

Themes

Bravery under siege, United nations pressure, Mining interests influence, Irish army discipline, Secrecy and reputation, Mercenary power dynamics, Duty versus politics

Available on

Netflix
Netflix Standard with Ads
Data provided by JustWatch.Availability may vary by region.

Anthropoid

3. Anthropoid

History Thriller War Historical Event World War II
7.2
20162h

Overview

In December 1941, Czech soldiers Jozef Gabčík and Jan Kubiš parachute into their occupied homeland to assassinate Nazi officer Reinhard Heydrich.

Themes

Occupation pressure, Betrayal loyalty, Covert action consequences, Tactical planning danger, Resistance risk, Civilian cost

Available on

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

Whiskey Tango Foxtrot

4. Whiskey Tango Foxtrot

Comedy Drama War Satire Political Drama
6.6
20161h 52min

Overview

In 2002, cable news producer Kim Barker decides to shake up her routine by taking a daring new assignment in Kabul, Afghanistan. Dislodged from her comfortable American lifestyle, Barker finds herself in the middle of an out-of-control war zone. Luckily, she meets Tanya Vanderpoel, a fellow journalist who takes the shell-shocked reporter under her wing. Amid the militants, warlords and nighttime partying, Barker discovers the key to becoming a successful correspondent.

Themes

Gendered access in war journalism, Embedded journalism ethics, Truth vs spectacle in news, Career ambition under risk, Disillusionment with war coverage, Local power dynamics in conflict reporting

Available on

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

Alone in Berlin

5. Alone in Berlin

War Thriller Drama World War II Political Thriller
6.5
20161h 43min

Overview

Berlin in June of 1940. While Nazi propaganda celebrates the regime’s victory over France, a kitchen-cum-living room in Prenzlauer Berg is filled with grief. Anna and Otto Quangel’s son has been killed at the front. This working class couple had long believed in the ‘Führer’ and followed him willingly, but now they realise that his promises are nothing but lies and deceit. They begin writing postcards as a form of resistance and in a bid to raise awareness: Stop the war machine! Kill Hitler! Putting their lives at risk, they distribute these cards in the entrances of tenement buildings and in stairwells. But the SS and the Gestapo are soon onto them, and even their neighbours pose a threat.

Themes

Propaganda vs truth, Surveillance and coercion, Moral courage under threat, Resistance through small acts, Collective risk and solidarity, Ordinary people as political actors

Available on

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

13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi

6. 13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi

War Action History Drama Thriller
7.3
20162h 24min

Overview

An American Ambassador is killed during an attack at a U.S. compound in Libya as a security team struggles to make sense out of the chaos.

Themes

Contractor-led security, Outsourcing ethics, Interagency coordination tension, Diplomatic risk in crisis, Local militia influence, Civilian protection under threat

Available on

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

Land of Mine

7. Land of Mine

War Drama History World War II Historical Drama
7.8
20151h 40min

Overview

In the days following the surrender of Germany in May 1945, a group of young German prisoners of war is handed over to the Danish authorities and subsequently sent to the West Coast, where they are ordered to remove the more than two million mines that the Germans had placed in the sand along the coast. With their bare hands, crawling around in the sand, the boys are forced to perform the dangerous work under the leadership of a Danish sergeant.

Themes

Trauma and resilience, Abuse of power, Group solidarity under duress, Survival under scarcity, Military discipline vs mercy, Dehumanization under command

Available on

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

Hyena Road

8. Hyena Road

War Drama Thriller Action Military Action
6.5
20152h

Overview

Three different men, three different worlds, three different wars – all stand at the intersection of modern warfare – a murky world of fluid morality where all is not as it seems. A unique and dramatic look at the Canadian Army in Afghanistan.

Themes

Deception and betrayal, Fragile alliances under strain, Loyalties under pressure, Civilian risk and rescue, Moral ambiguity in combat, Duty vs family obligations

Available on

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

Overview

Feature film adaptation of Shakespeare's Scottish play about General Macbeth whose ambitious wife urges him to use wicked means in order to gain power of the throne over the sitting king, Duncan.

Themes

Loyalty under pressure, Deception and concealment, Ambition and consequence, Legitimacy and succession, Prophecy and agency, Collective paranoia and power

Available on

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

Man Down

10. Man Down

Thriller Drama War Political Thriller Family Drama
6.0
20151h 30min

Overview

When a U.S. Marine returns home from Afghanistan, he finds that the place he once called home is no better than the battlefields he fought on overseas. Accompanied by his best friend, he searches desperately for the whereabouts of his estranged son and wife. In their search, the two intercept a man carrying vital information about his family.

Themes

Homecoming disorientation, Trauma and memory fragmentation, Deception and betrayal, Survival under collapse, Trust destabilization, Mental strain under pressure

Available on

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