What’s the first thing that click your mind when you hear of the wars or war movies ?
Brutal, bloody, tanks, army, soldiers or something similar to it, right. War is a complete destroyer of lives, properties, culture and countries. It leaves an impact on our present, affects our future and shapes our past which depicts our war movies.
The world of war is complete world of fascination with has the elements of fear, misery, pain, bravado, agony and sheer courage attached to it and this is the reason why it looks so appealing to story tellers or film makers.
Since, the evolution of film making this genre had been so much looked upon and countless film on this subjects are made each with different perspective, some cover the pacifist side, some cite it to be revolutionary, some focusses on world leaders perspective. Some had different way of narrating, some have different style of filming.
Here in this article we will see 10 of the finest war movies and serials(mandatory to mention in this digital era) that landed on this planet which included some traditional choices along with some under rated movies which are not much discovered.
SO, LET’S GET STARTED!!
LIST OF AMAZING WAR MOVIES AND SERIES
- DUNKIRK
- 1917
- SCHINDLER’S LIST
- APOCALYPSE NOW
- THE THIN RED LINE
- THE BRIDGE ON THE RIVER KWAI
- THE VIETNAM WAR
- BAND OF BROTHERS
- THE PACIFIC
- HIROSHIMA MON AMOUR
INDIAN WAR MOVIES
WAR MOVIES AND SERIES
1. DUNKIRK
Released on 21 July 2017. Directed and written by the legend Christopher Nolan. This film is based upon the time of world war 2. It deals with the evacuation of allied soldiers from Britain and France who were cut off and surround by their enemies Germany from beaches of Dunkirk in France during 1940 during the battle of France.
This war movie is based upon a true story of Commander Charles Lightoller at Dunkirk and it won several awards which included 3 Oscars as well.
Star cast included Cillian Murphy, Fionn Whitehead, Barry Keoghan, Mark Rylance and the ONE DIRECTION sensation Harry styles.
2. 1917:
Released in 2019. This brilliant masterpiece was directed by Sam Mendes and was also written by him and Krysty wilson Cairns.
This war movie is based in the world of april 1917 of the western front during World War 1. It revolves around 2 British soldiers who are sent to deliver an urgent message to an isolated regiment crossing the enemy territory and if they fail to do so their regiment will fall into a trap and will be massacred and all they have is limited time. It won oscar for Best picture in 2020.
Star cast included Dean-Charles Chapman, George Mackay, Daniel Mays.
3. SCHINDLER’S LIST:
This war movie is gruelling and a heart breaking sensational film that portrayed Holocaust during World War 2.
Directed by mogul Steven Spielberg and written by Thomas Keneally and Steven Zaillian.
The film is based on real life of German industrialist Oscar Schindler who initially was a womaniser, cold hearted and greedy businessman but seeing the barbaric German Nazi reign he feels compelled to turn his factory into refuge for Jews and manages to save about 1100 of them from being gassed at concentration camp. This was a black and white film which reflected accurately conditions of that reign.
Star cast included actors like Liam Neeson, Ralph Fiennes and Ben Kingsley.
It is one of the highest rated war movie of all time.
4. APOCALYPSE NOW:
This is another sensational war movie which changed the art of film making. Directed by Francis Ford Coppola and written by him along with John Milius.
Background of the story is height of US-Vietnam war where a captain is sent into an unofficial mission that never exited on paper of eliminating one of the most decorated special force officer of US that had gone insane and is running hit and run missions against Vietnam congress. This war movie records their hair – raising encounters in which is full of mystery, drama and action in the Vietnamese jungle.
Star cast included Martin Sheen, Marlon Brando, Robert Duvall etc.
5. THE THIN RED LINE:
Released on 28 February, 1999
Based on autobiography of James Jones. Directed by Terrence Malick is an unconventional movies.
This war movie questions about meaninglessness of war regardless the outcome. Based again in premises of second world war. It follows a company of American rifleman brought in to consolidate their grip on Pacific island of Guadalcanal in 1942 in the face of Japanese invasion, but the place could be anywhere where the war is fought is a tale of nail biting redemption.
Star cast included Jim Caviezel, Sean Penn and Nick Nolte.
6.THE BRIDGE ON THE RIVER KWAI:
Released in 1957 this film is a masterpiece.
Directed by David lean and written by Pierre Boulle and Carl Foreman(screenplay).
During the second world war, the allied prisoners of war in Japanese internment camp are ordered to build a bridge to accommodate the Burma- Siam railway. At first their colonel Nicholson was not willing to compromise on his principles of not helping enemy Japanese soldiers but as soon as he realises the bridge is to be built to lift the morale spirit, he halts the sabotage and dives into it.
Star cast of this war movie included William Holden, Alec Guinness and Jack Hawkins.
7.THE VIETNAM WAR:
The Vietnam war is a 10 part TV series released in 2017 which is a documentary of comprehensive history of US involvement in armed conflicts in south-east Asia especially Vietnam.
The brilliant serial tells the epic story of one of the most consequential, diverse and controversial events in American history, it explores human dimensions of war through testimony of nearly 80 war veterans as well as combatants of north and south Vietnam. It includes some of never or rarely seen footage not only this it features 100 iconic musical recordings from great artist of that era.
Peter Coyote narrated it. Believe me you don’t want to miss this at any cost.
8. BAND OF BROTHERS:
Again, this a TV series aired in 2001.
This is a story of Easy company from their initial training starting in 1942 to the end of second world war(biggest war of 20th century) a fascinating tale of comradeship and in the end a tale of normal men who did great things.
Airborne troops landed behind enemy lines in support of landing at Utah beach and again parachuted into action during operation market garden. Not only this they also liberated a concentration camp.
Star cast included Scott Grimes, Damian Lewis, Ron Livingston and Shane Taylor.
Band Of Brothers is one of the highest rated TV show and is surely recommended.
ALSO LEARN ABOUT : COLD WAR
9.THE PACIFIC:
Aired in 2010
Made by the makers of Band of brothers, this TV mini series follows same line of thoughts.
Background of this series is world war 2. It follows lives of US Marine cops during the campaign in Pacific against the Japanese. It outlines hardships of a common man during war.
All kind of viewers can watch this piece of art. It has a fast action side and a slow sensitive side embedded into each other. It also depicts the life cycle of soldiers from initial feeling proud and joyous then to feeling of regret and shame which wars fill in them.
Star cast included James Badge Dale, Joseph Mazzello, Rami Malek and Jon Seda.
10. HIROSHIMA MON AMOUR:
Directed by Alain Resnais and written by Marguerite Duras. This war movie was release in 1959.
This is a story of a French women, who went to japan for filming the war but eventually fell in love with a Japanese man who happened to be an architect and suddenly how Hiroshima bomb blast shatters their world into pieces.
She remembers her German lover and what follows after this catastrophic incident.
Star cast includes Emmanuelle Riva, Eiji Okada and Stella Dassas.
INDIAN WAR MOVIES:
Some of Bollywood war movies too deserve to be in this list for their amazing storyline, screenplay and direction.
1. RAAZI:
Meghna Gulzar directed this movie and was based on real life incidents of book called ‘calling Sehmat’. It’s release date is 11 MAY 2018.
It is a spy thriller based around 1970s (INDO PAK WAR background) in which Shemat is drops her college and marries a Pakistani army personnel in order to retrieve information and did so because of her father. She undergoes extensive RAW training as slowly world complicates for her.Bouncing between personal life and her national duty she somehow manages to complete the task.
Star cast of this war movie included Alia Bhatt, Vicky Kaushal, Jaideep Ahlawat, Rajit Kapoor etc.
2.URI: THE SURGICAL STRIKE:
Directed and written by Aditya Dhar. This 2019 release war movie is based on real life incident of URI terrorist attack and Indian army avenging the killing of their fellow army men by undergoing a special operation.
STAR CAST included Vicky kaushal, Mohit raina and Paresh Rawal. It was one of the biggest commercial success of 2019.
3.1971 :
Amrit Sagar directed 1971 and Piyush Mishra wrote it.
Set up six years after 1971 war, this war movie was based on true story of indian prisoners of war who were not returned to their motherland despite of international pressure and their struggle to somehow reach India.
Star cast included Manoj Bajpayee, Deepak dobriyal, Ravi kishan, Manav Kaul, Kumud mishra and Piyush Mishra.
HONOURABLE MENTIONS WAR MOVIES
- GHAZI ATTACK
- KESARI
- LOC: KARGIL
- BORDER
- SAJAN SINGH RANGROOT
- CHITTAGONG
- THEY SHALL NOT GROW OLD
- NANKING
- AMERICAN FACTORY ( about US CHINA TRADE WAR)
