Shubhabrata Dutta
War is a vast genre in movies that covers various sub-genres, including romance, spy, action, and thriller. However, what makes war movies so appealing is the backdrop of a war that shows humanity at its worst while the plot addresses the good that still exists. Amidst all the tragedy we are subjected to, there lingers hope, which is what we cling to with all our might. And the more tightly we cling to it, the more influential the movie is. We can say that war movies are like life itself; we search for the positive among the negative. Hulu has a compelling collection of war movies that will change your perspective on life.
8. K-19: The Widowmaker (2002)
Starring Harrison Ford and Liam Neeson, ‘K-19: The Widowmaker’ is set during the Cold War era. It centers on the Soviet Hotel-class K-19, a first-generation nuclear submarine built in response to America’s nuclear developments in the arms race. When Captain Alexi Vostrikov (Ford), tasked with patrolling the sub, encounters issues that can lead to a core meltdown and ignite the missiles in their chambers, killing all onboard, he is forced to decide between following his orders and saving his crew. Neeson plays the role of executive officer Mikhail Polenin. Directed by Kathryn Bigelow, ‘K-19: The Widowmaker’ is based on true events and does a good job blending reality and drama, giving us a thrilling war movie experience. You can watch the film here.
7. Pearl Harbor (2001)
Michael Bay’s war drama stars Ben Affleck, Josh Hartnett, and Kate Beckinsale. With a fictionalized depiction of the attack of the Japanese forces on Pearl Harbor (Honolulu, Hawaii) in December 1941 (World War II) as the backdrop, the film explores a love triangle between best friends Rafe (Affleck) and Danny (Hartnett), both of whom are pilots, and Evelyn (Beckinsale), a nurse.
The presumed death of Rafe on the battlefield brings his lover Evelyn close to Danny, who offers comfort. As love blooms, Rafe returns, and hatred takes shape, threatening to destroy his friendship with Danny and affection for Evelyn. The question is: can they afford personal issues when the country’s freedom is at stake? A must-watch for war fanatics, ‘Pearl Harbor’ is a quintessential war movie presented in Bay’s signature style and can be streamed here.
6. Burial (2022)
This underrated war thriller is set in West Poland after the Fall of Berlin. It follows a group of Russian soldiers who have been tasked with taking Adolf Hitler’s remains to Moscow, where Joseph Stalin awaits. However, their journey is slowed down by their personal scruples, the Polish resistance and Nazi “werewolf” soldiers. Whether they manage to reach Moscow is what we find out in this ghoulish drama. Directed by Ben Parker, the ‘Burial’ cast includes Charlotte Vega, Tom Felton, Barry Ward, Dan Renton Skinner, and Harriet Walter. You can watch the film here.
5. Medieval (2022)
Turning the wheel of time backward even further, we arrive in the 14th century and meet Jan Zizka, a Bohemian military commander who existed for real. Directed by Petr Jákl, it shows how Zizka became the commander he is today known as and what he had to endure to achieve this feat. This includes getting involved in dangerous politics, facing conflict, and showing courage in the face of fear. The movie’s cast includes Ben Foster as Jan Zizka, Michael Caine, Matthew Goode, Sophie Lowe, Til Schweiger, William Moseley, and Roland Møller. You can watch ‘Medieval’ here.
4. Tigerland (2000)
Joel Schumacher’s ‘Tigerland’ is set in a training camp, beating soldiers out of men before sending them to the Vietnam War. At the Advanced Infantry Training Center at Fort Polk, Louisiana, soldiers are tested beyond their limits, both physical and psychological. The film gives us a true-to-form BTS of how soldiers spend their training days, how they are treated, and how they treat each other. Naturally, everything has a good and bad side. Starring Colin Farrell, Cole Hauser, Clifton Collins Jr., and Matthew Davis, ‘Tigerland’ is a gritty war-propelled drama that feels like a lite version of Stanley Kubrick’s ‘Full Metal Jacket.’ You can watch it here.
3. The Arctic Convoy (2023)
Henrik Martin Dahlsbakken’s Norwegian war drama ‘The Arctic Convoy’ is set in 1941 (World War II) and focuses on a convoy that is taking supplies to a Norwegian outpost to be delivered to the Allied Forces. However, it has to cross the enemy-infested waters, which means getting attacked by the German Air Force and Navy. Whether and how the 35 civilian merchant ships survive the onslaught has been depicted in a gripping manner, showing the conflict among the soldiers and their captains regarding the decision to continue moving forward despite it being clearly a suicide mission. Starring Tobias Santelmann, Adam Lundgren, Jon Ranes, Anders Baasmo, and Preben Hodneland, ‘The Arctic Convoy’ is a captivating film inspired by real events. You can watch it here.
2. Lee (2023)
Ellen Kuras’ biographical war drama ‘Lee’ is based on the life of World War II journalist Lee Miller. She became a war correspondent for Vogue after having a career as a fashion model. The film shows the different battles and events during the war from her POV, as well as how she was treated as a woman in the middle of all the men since the UK didn’t allow women to serve even near combat. From the Blitz to the Normandy landings to the Battle of Saint-Malo to Adolf Hitler’s Munich apartment, we get to see it all. Co-starring Alexander Skarsgård, Andy Samberg, and Marion Cotillard, ‘Lee’ is a visually striking drama elevated by Winslet’s powerful performance that earned her a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actress. You can watch the film here.
1. 3 Days in Malay (2023)
Directed by Louis Mandylor, ‘3 Days in Malay’ is inspired by events during the Guadalcanal Campaign (World War II). It shows how a group of U.S. Marines stationed at a Malay airfield took on an onslaught by Japanese forces, leading to a 3-day battle. With reinforcements unapproved, the odds are overwhelming, and the Marines give it their all to protect the innocents at the base. Evocative and compelling, ‘3 Days in Malay’ stars Mandylor, Donald Cerrone, Quinton ‘Rampage’ Jackson, Kelly Lynn Reiter, Peter Dobson, and Kelly B. Jones. You can watch the film here.
Read More: Best War Movies on HBO Max
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