Diksha Sundriyal
Ever since humans evolved to the point where they realized that they could have territories and since the inception of the idea of civilization, there have always been wars. Take any century or any decade, and you’ll find that in some part of the world, there were always two armies killing each other. The war against terrorism, the war against communism, the war against the Nazis, the war against foreign forces, the war against the country on the other side of the hill — no matter how big or small, there has always been a reason for humans to indulge themselves in the bloodbath that never ends well for anyone. And yet, despite the misery of such times, we manage to make stories that inspire strength, heroism, and perseverance, and some of the best in genre are available on Hulu right now.
13. K-19: The Widowmaker (2002)
Directed by Kathryn Bigelow, ‘K-19: The Widowmaker’ takes place at the height of the Cold War. The film follows Captain Alexi Vostrikov (Harrison Ford), who is ordered, no matter the cost, to take the Soviet Union’s newly launched submarine, K-19 (of the Project 658 class, Soviet Union’s first generation of nuclear submarines), on a patrol. Unfortunately, problems arise within the sub, which may lead to a core meltdown and detonate the nuclear missiles, killing all on board in an instant.
It is up to Vostrikov to decide if he should follow the orders given to him or do what it takes to protect the lives of his men onboard. A gripping military drama that brilliantly dramatizes real events, the film perhaps laid the blueprint for Bigelow for her next venture, ‘The Hurt Locker,’ which earned her the Oscar for Best Director (she became the first woman to win the award). You can watch ‘K-19: The Widowmaker’ here.
12. One Shot (2021)
Directed by James Nunn, ‘One Shot’ follows a Navy SEALs squad that is tasked with retrieving a prisoner from a CIA black site for interrogation regarding a potential terrorist attack. The squad is led by Lieutenant Jake Harris and CIA analyst Zoe Anderson, who find it tough to convince site manager Jack Yorke to let them take the detainee. Soon, all of them find themselves targeted by insurgents and have to protect not only themselves but also the prisoner. The film stars Scott Adkins, Ashley Greene Khoury, Ryan Phillippe, and Emmanuel Imani. You can watch ‘One Shot’ here.
11. WarHunt (2022)
Directed by Mauro Borrelli, ‘WarHunt’ combines war and fantasy horror. The movie stars Mickey Rourke, Robert Knepper, Aglaya Tarasova, and Jackson Rathbone. It is set during World War II, the movie tells the story of Major Johnson and his squad, who spot the crash of an American military cargo plane from their spot in Germany’s Black Forest. Upon making their way towards the wreckage to recover the intel and see if they can find any survivors, they come across something sinister that seems to be hunting them individually. To find out what that is, you can watch the movie right here.
10. Black Site (2022)
‘Black Site’ is directed by Sophia Banks and stars Michelle Monaghan, Pallavi Sharda, Jai Courtney, and Jason Clarke. In the movie, we meet CIA Agent Abby Trent and her team, who manage a high-security military facility that holds the world’s most dangerous criminals. The team’s latest catch is a guy codenamed Hatchet, who is known for his gruesome killing methods. Unfortunately, he escapes from his holding cell, targeting and killing the guards as well as releasing the other inmates. It is only a matter of time before he gets his hands on Abby, and thus, she has to find a way to stop him. The catch is that she has one hour, after which the security protocol, activated by Hatchet, will alert the higher authorities, who will then send a drone to wipe out the entire facility along with those within it. You can stream ‘Black Site’ here and find out what fate awaits Abby and her team.
9. Hot Shots! (1991)
Directed by Jim Abrahams, this ‘Top Gun’ spoof stars Charlie Sheen as Topper Harley, a US Navy aviator suffering from mental health issues. However, he agrees to be a part of a secret mission by his commander Block, who intends to use him as a pawn in the mission that is planned to fail. This will allow Block to replace the Navy’s planes with new ones that will bring him personal profit. Whether Topper can dig up the truth and save the lives of his co-pilot/friends is what we find out in this cult comedy that takes a dig at not only ‘Top Gun’ but also many other films, including ‘Superman,’ ‘Rocky,’ ‘9½ Weeks,’ ‘Dances with Wolves,’ and ‘Gone with the Wind.’ The movie co-stars Valeria Golino, Kevin Dunn, Lloyd Bridges, Cary Elwes, and Jon Cryer. You can watch ‘Hot Shots!’ here.
8. Midway (2019)
‘Midway’ depicts the Battle of Midway, a major naval battle fought between the US Navy and the Japanese Navy from June 4-7, 1942 (World War II). Directed by Roland Emmerich, the film offers a brilliant and gripping depiction of the war that took place merely months after the attack on Pearl Harbor.
When the Japanese forces execute a second surprise attack on Midway Island, the U.S. Navy retaliates with brute force, applying strategic planning to take the Japanese by surprise in return. Starring Ed Skrein, Luke Evans, Patrick Wilson, and Aaron Eckhart, ‘Midway’ has some of the best and most realistic naval combat ever depicted in film. You can watch it here.
7. The East (2021)
‘The East’ (‘De Oost’) is a Dutch war film directed by Jim Taihuttu and stars Martijn Lakemeier, Denise Aznam, Marwan Kenzari, and Joenoes Polnaija. Set during the Indonesian National Revolution that took place from 1945 to 1949, it centers on twenty-year-old Dutch soldier Johan de Vries, who struggles with his conscience amid a war where he doesn’t know who is good and who is bad and if he is doing the right thing. As time passes, he sees himself changing for the worse until he is charged with treason and has to flee to avoid death. To find out if he survives, you can stream the film here.
6. Courage Under Fire (1996)
Directed by Edward Zwick, ‘Courage Under Fire’ is a moving war drama that is both large-scale and personal. Denzel Washington stars as Lieutenant Colonel Nathaniel Serling, who is tasked with scanning the merit of the dead female chopper commander, Captain Karen Emma Walden, played by Meg Ryan, for the Medal of Honor. As tough as it is, Serling is weighed down by his own mistake on the battlefield, one that cost his close friend’s life, a mistake that was covered up. Now, in order to even begin deciding the worthiness of a fellow soldier’s bravery, he first has to come to terms with his guilt. However, what he doesn’t know is that Walden and he are connected in a strange way. Besides being a box office success, ‘Courage Under Fire’ was appreciated by esteemed film critic Roger Ebert, which itself is a Medal of Honor for a film. You can watch it here.
5. Behind Enemy Lines (2001)
Set during the ethnically rooted Bosnian War (April 1992-December 1995), ‘Behind Enemy Lines’ follows US Navy Lieutenant Chris Burnett, who is shot down by Serbian soldiers, along with his co-pilot, during an aerial reconnaissance mission. Stuck in the middle of a genocide, he somehow escapes from the enemy while his co-pilot is killed. Chris eventually manages to contact his senior commanding officer, Leslie Reigart. However, the latter is ordered to stand down as trying to rescue Chris from a demilitarized zone would compromise peace talks. So, on the one hand, we have a soldier trying to stay alive behind enemy lines. On the other hand, we have an officer trying to find a way to rescue him remotely. With Owen Wilson playing Reigart and Gene Hackman playing Leslie Reigart, ‘Behind Enemy Lines’ is directed by debutant John Moore. A box-office success, ‘Behind Enemy Lines’ got three spiritual sequels, namely ‘Behind Enemy Lines II: Axis of Evil’ (2006), ‘Behind Enemy Lines: Colombia’ (2009), and ‘SEAL Team 8: Behind Enemy Lines’ (2014). You can watch the film here.
4. 3 Days in Malay (2023)
Based on the events of the Guadalcanal Campaign, AKA Operation Watchtower (1942-1943: World War II), the Thai war drama is directed by Louis Mandylor. The campaign was the first major attack by the Allied Powers against Japan. The film showcases a three-day battle between a group of U.S. Marines and hordes of Japanese soldiers at a Malay airfield. Without any hope for support, the handful of Marines, led by Ex-Marine John Caputo (Mandylor), are forced to protect the civilians inside the airfield and defend it on their own. Brutal and entertaining, ‘3 Days in Malay’ does a commendable job as a military drama. Alongside Mandylor, we have Quinton ‘Rampage’ Jackson, Peter Dobson, and Donald Cerrone. You can watch the film here.
3. Men of Honor (2000)
Directed by George Tillman Jr., ‘Men of Honor’ is based on the life of Carl Brashear, who became the first African American master diver in the United States Navy. Brashear enlisted in the Navy in 1948 and graduated in 1954 from the United States Navy Diving & Salvage School. In the film, Cuba Gooding Jr. plays the role of Carl Brashear. We get to see the racism and discrimination Brashear faced during his training, especially by Master Chief Billy Sunday, played by Robert De Niro, and how he overcame it all to achieve his dream. Then he would go on to become a master diver (the highest warfare qualification in the U.S. Navy diving community), the first African-American to hold the title, in 1970 despite getting his leg amputated in 1966. You can stream ‘Men of Honor’ here.
2. Predator (1987)
Directed by John McTiernan, this cult classic sci-fi action movie stars Arnold Schwarzenegger, Carl Weathers, Sonny Landham, Shane Black, Bill Duke, Richard Chaves, Jesse Ventura, and Elpidia Carrillo. The movie takes place in an unspecified South American country. It follows a group of highly trained commandos, led by Major Alan “Dutch” Schaefer (Schwarzenegger), as they embark on a mission to rescue a foreign cabinet minister. However, they encounter an invisible predator that has nothing to do with the minister but is bent on ruthlessly killing them all one by one for sport. The catch? It is not from this planet. We get to see how the team deals with this extraterrestrial entity in this exciting action flick that kickstarted the ‘Predators’ franchise. You can stream ‘Predator’ here.
1. Zero Dark Thirty (2012)
‘Zero Dark Thirty’ is a dramatization of the manhunt carried out by the CIA to track down Al-Qaeda head Osama bin Laden in the aftermath of the 9/11 terror attacks in New York City. Directed by Kathryn Bigelow, the film traces the more-than-eight-year-long search for the terrorist and shows how the CIA found bin Laden’s location and carried out a manhunt that led to his killing.
Jessica Chastain stars as a CIA intelligence analyst (fictional), along with Jason Clarke, Mark Strong, Joel Edgerton, and Kyle Chandler. Appreciated for its detailing and true-to-form dramatization of strategic events, ‘Zero Dark Thirty’ was nominated for five Academy Awards (winning one), five BAFTAs, and four Golden Globes (winning one), among many other accolades. You can watch it here.
Read More: Best Western Movies on Hulu
