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.

181. The Wind Rises

The Wind Rises
Drama Animation Romance War History
7.8
20132h 6minJapan
Director: Hayao Miyazaki

Overview

A lifelong love of flight inspires Japanese aviation engineer Jiro Horikoshi, whose storied career includes the creation of the A-6M World War II fighter plane.

Themes

Illness as catalyst, Romance under hardship, Artistry vs warfare, Industrial ascent and failure, War-driven technology, Dream as legacy

Available on

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

182. The Patience Stone

The Patience Stone
Drama War
7.1
20131h 42min
Director: Atiq Rahimi

Overview

In a war-ridden country, a woman watches over her husband, comatose from a bullet in the neck and abandoned by Jihad companions and brothers. One day, the woman decides to say things to him she could never have done before.


183. Lore

Lore
Drama War Thriller Historical Drama World War II
7.1
20121h 49minAustralia, Germany
Director: Cate Shortland

Overview

After being abandoned by their Nazi parents at the end of World War II, five German siblings embark on a harrowing journey across their war-torn country. Led by the eldest, 14 year-old Lore, the children are forced to confront their parents’ actions and the reality of a new world.

Themes

World war ii legacy, Sibling relationship pressure, Nazi memory burden, Mother daughter relationship tension, Children in wartime resilience, Displacement and family survival

Available on

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

184. Emperor

Emperor
Drama History War Historical Event World War II
6.5
20121h 45minJapan, United States
Director: Peter Webber

Overview

As the Japanese surrender at the end of WWII, Gen. Fellers is tasked with deciding if Emperor Hirohito will be hanged as a war criminal. Influencing his ruling is his quest to find Aya, an exchange student he met years earlier in the U.S.

Themes

War crimes accountability, Decisions under pressure, Ceremonial power vs governance, Duty under authority, Postwar reconstruction negotiations, Personal loyalty vs public duty

Available on

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

185. Twice Born

Twice Born
Drama Romance War Historical Drama Bittersweet Romance
7.3
20122h 7minItaly, Spain
Director: Sergio Castellitto

Overview

Full-throttle melodrama about an ill-starred romance set against the backdrop of the siege of Sarajevo. A mother brings her teenage son to Sarajevo, where his father died in the Bosnian conflict years ago.

Themes

Trauma and resilience, Deception within family, Identity and belonging under conflict, Mother-child bond under crisis, War and family strain, Loss and memory of war

Available on

Google Play Movies
YouTube
Starz Apple TV Channel
Data provided by JustWatch.Availability may vary by region.

186. Rurouni Kenshin Part I: Origins

Rurouni Kenshin Part I: Origins
Adventure Action Fantasy War History
7.4
20122h 14minJapan
Director: Keishi Otomo

Overview

In 1868, after the Bakumatsu war ends, the ex-assassin Kenshin Himura traverses Japan with an inverted sword, to defend the needy without killing.

Themes

Trauma from violence, Restraint in violence, Protecting the vulnerable, Duty vs mercy, Oppression by wealth, Loyalty and crime

Available on

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

187. Into the White

Into the White
War Action Drama World War II Historical Drama
7.1
20121h 44minGermany, France
Director: Petter Næss

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.

188. Act of Valor

Act of Valor
Action Thriller War Military Action Kidnapping & Captivity Thriller
6.4
20121h 50minUnited States
Director: Mike McCoy

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.

189. Rose

Rose
Drama History War
7.6
20121h 30min
Director: Wojtek Smarzowski

Overview

This harrowing tale of survival centers on Rose, a Masurian woman, whose German soldier husband was killed in the war, leaving her alone on their farm. A single woman had no defense against Russian soldiers who raped as a form of revenge, nor against plundering Poles who found themselves in desperate straits. Help arrives for Rose in the form of Tadeusz, a former officer in the Polish Home Army who deserted after he saw his wife raped and murdered by Russian troops and is attempting to hide his identity.


190. The Invisible War

The Invisible War
Documentary War Crime
7.6
20121h 33min
Director: Kirby Dick

Overview

An investigative and powerfully emotional documentary about the epidemic of rape of soldiers within the US military, the institutions that perpetuate and cover up its existence, and its profound personal and social consequences.