There are a lot of war movies out there, with most of them being produced by Hollywood or other film industries from Western Europe, North America, or Australia. These are also the movies that break into the mainstream the most thanks to their tales of sacrifice and historic retellings of actual events. But to be honest, these great films don’t deserve all the credit.
In fact, most countries, regardless of their location in the world, have produced war movies that portray the plight of their nations during times of war, and some of these are even better than anything Hollywood has produced.Hailing from the other side of the Cold War’s Iron Curtain, these are the greatest non-Western war movies ever, which help to shine a light on the struggle of individuals who may not always get the credit they deserve.
10’Sniper: The White Raven' (2022)
Conflict: Russo-Ukrainian War (2014-)
Sniper: The White Ravenhails from Ukraine, a former Soviet nation that still is not entirely considered “the West” by the definitions established during the Cold War. This film takes place during the ongoing Russo-Ukrainian War, before the Russians launched a full-scale invasion of the country. At the time the movie was filmed (and the time it depicts), there were ongoing skirmishes in the Donbas region, so the war was still going on, albeit on a much smaller scale.
The plot follows Mykola (Pavlo Aldoshyn), a pacifistic high school teacher who is caught off-guard as Russia invades the Donbas and kills his wife in cold blood. Vowing revenge, Mykola enlists in the military, training to be a deadly sniper. It’s notthe best war movie of all timeby a long shot, however, it’s a film that is more relevant now than it likely ever will be, as it shows how modern warfare can change people entirely, depending on their circumstances.It’s exciting, but also a touch depressing, making this one of the best Ukrainian films in recent years.
Sniper: The White Raven
9’Operation Red Sea' (2018)
Conflict: Yemeni Civil War (2014-)
Operation Red Seaoccurs during the outbreak of the Yemeni Civil War in 2014. As combat erupts between warring factions, a few hundred Chinese nationals find themselves trapped in a nation under siege, prompting the Chinese government to respond. They send in a contingent of soldiers, whose sole purpose is to see the civilians safely home, though this is no easy feat with all the animosity and violence they face.
The movie has been noted for its stellar tank battle sequences, along with being selected for the Oscars that year, though it was not nominated. It may not be Oscar-worthy, but it’s exciting all the same, and helps bring some much-deserved attention to the heroic deeds committed by Chinese special forces to protect the innocent people of their country who are trapped at the opposite end of the continent.Underrated, thrilling, and action-packed,Operation Red Seais perfect for fans ofBlack Hawk Down, especially withthe war film’s desert and urban warfare setting.
Watch on Tubi
8’Beasts of No Nation' (2015)
Conflict: Unspecified West African Civil War (No exact dates given)
Beasts of No Nationdoesn’t exactly specify where or when it takes place, but at the same time, it really doesn’t need to. Inwhat is infamous for being the most disturbing Netflix original movie ever made,Beasts of No Nationtransportsviewers to West Africa, where an unnamed nation is caught in the middle of a civil war.
The reason the where or the when isn’t addressed is simple: because the problems the film illustrates happen all over the place, every day. The movie is about child soldiers, who have their youths ripped away from them, replaced by bombs and bullets, and are forced to kill in order to survive. It’s a crushing story that no living person should have to experience, much less children younger than ten like the ones who appear in the movie. This film isn’t just about action, but about one of the saddest issues plaguing the world today, which makes it not only an excellent watch, but a necessary one.
Beasts of No Nation
7’Letters from Iwo Jima' (2007)
Conflict: World War II (1939-1945)
Letters from Iwo Jimais actually an American-made movie directed byClint Eastwood, however, it decides to take the non-traditional approach and show the battle of Iwo Jima from the perspective of the Japanese soldiers stationed there. The movie features a group of soldiers, whose lives are retold through flashbacks, making them feel more human and real, much unlike some other American war movies that portray the Japanese as malevolent villains.
At the end of the day, the movie lends a sympathetic ear to a fallen enemy, which is now possible thanks to the United States and Japan being on friendly terms now, and since the conflict had ended over 60 years before the film’s release. Above everything else, it shows that soldiers are ordinary people who just want to go home and see their families again, regardless of what they believe, and it also shows that some individual American troopers weren’t entirely innocent and did commit some atrocities against unarmed enemy soldiers during the war. There are both heroes and villains on all sides in thisunderrated World War II flick,emphasizing the power of unity and individual thought during times of war, and that’s what makes it so brilliant.
Letters from Iwo Jima
Rent on Apple TV
6’Persepolis' (2007)
Conflict: Iran-Iraq War (1980-1988)
Persepolistakes place during the Iran-Iraq War, and the Iranian Revolution the year prior, and follows a young Iranian girl who lives in an animated, monochrome world. The absence of color really speaks to how the joy that every kid should feel has been completely drained out of this young girl’s world as she is forced to grow up in the shadow of war.
With its unique animation and melancholy storyline,Persepolisis one of the most beautiful yet disheartening movies of the 21st century, as it highlights a problem that continues to persist in certain parts of the world. Even though it is animated, it doesn’t detract from the movie’s quality or emotional impact at all; in fact, it only adds to it.If you’re looking for a war movie that’s a little bit different than the standard formula, look no further thanPersepolis.
Persepolis
5’Hotel Rwanda' (2004)
Conflict: Rwandan Civil War (1990-1994)
Hotel Rwandatakes place during the Rwandan Civil War and subsequent genocide, during which hotel managerPaul Rusesabagina(played byDon Cheadle) opens up his business to take in refugees in secret, risking his own life and the lives of his employees to make sure the victims of the conflict are safe. It’s a heroic true story from the perspective of an important man, one who was willing to put it all on the line to make a difference in his nation’s darkest hours.
Nominated, but ultimately snubbed of three Oscars,Hotel Rwandafound critical acclaim for its dramatic and tense retelling of a dark stain in the history of Rwanda. The movie doesn’t really like to overstep its boundaries and show the violence directly, but prefers to examine the human impact of the conflict, with the emotions and psyches of the survivors speaking to the horror of the war without directly showing the bloody violence. All in all, it is a little “safe,” but also inspiring and very emotional.
Hotel Rwanda
4’Ivan’s Childhood' (1962)
Ivan’s Childhood, known in some countries asMy Name is Ivanis about Operation Barbarossa, which was the codename used for the German invasion of the Soviet Union during World War II. Operation Barbarossa wound up being the deadliest military campaign in history, with millions upon millions of lives lost.Ivan’s Childhoodstars Ivan (Nikolai Burlyayev), a young Russian boy who has become orphaned as a result of this deadly campaign. Stumbling across a group of Soviet soldiers, he proposes that he spies on the Germans as a means of avenging his parents, which the Soviets allow.
This movie portrays a constant battle of trauma and innocence as Ivan tries to hold onto his youth while the war tries to rip it away from him. Forced to grow up faster than any child should,Ivan’s Childhoodpaints a picture of what war does to families, especially to young ones. The movie comes as the feature film debut of renownedRussian film directorAndrei Tarkovsky, but you wouldn’t know it, as the movie is made with all the care and finesse of a master filmmaker.
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3’Grave of the Fireflies' (1988)
Studio Ghibli is typically known for making whimsical, childish tales of adventure, presenting stories in an anime format that is palatable for all age groups.Grave of the Fireflies, however, is a movie that stepped away from the studio’s fantastical norm. The story takes place during World War II, following two children, Seita and Setsuko, who are left stranded in the Japanese wilderness after an American bombing raid destroys their home. As the war draws to a close, countless civilians are starving due to food shortages, with these two children sadly also suffering from malnutrition.
Grave of the Firefliesis one of the saddest,most depressing movies ever made, with its poignant reminder that war spares no one, least of all the innocent. What’s even sadder is that the film is based on a short story of the same name byAkiyuki Nosaka, who wrote the short story as a sort of memoir, and as an apology letter to his younger sister, who tragically died of starvation during the war. Though it’s not very action-packed, it doesn’t need to be, as its emotions run high and are sure to move even the most steadfast viewers to tears.
Grave of the Fireflies
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2’The Battle of Algiers' (1967)
Conflict: Algerian War (1954-1962)
The Battle of Algiersis a project that was way, way ahead of its time. In the months following release, many governments were none too pleased by it due to its undertones of criticizing imperialism and portraying a war that was still a hot-button issue in the 60s, especially in Europe. That said, it found immense success in America, mainly among audiences who disapproved of their nation’s interference in the Vietnam War.
Today, it is much more widely celebrated than it was and is considered one of the best war movies ever made. The story takes place during the eponymous battle during the Algerian War and is shot in a style that isn’t typical for most war films. Though many of the filmmakers and crew members were Italian, the actors, and thus, the perspectives, are all Algerian or from other Middle-Eastern and North African nations. It is not onlythe best African war movie, but alsoone of the best war movies ever made in general thanks to its timeless message and revolutionary technique.
The Battle of Algiers
1’Come and See' (1985)
Come and Seehails from the former Soviet Republic of Belarus, and is known for being one of the most brutally realistic depictions of war ever committed to film. It’s so visceral, in fact, that this is probably amovie you’re only going to want to watch once. Taking place on the Eastern Front during World War II, the story follows a young man’s journey as he becomes subject to the horrors of war, viewing things that no human being should ever see.
According to the director of the film, during a group discussion following a pre-screening event, a German veteran reportedly stood up and testified that everything in the film was one hundred percent true and that the violence and level of realism shown is not over or underplayed, but spot on. Because of this terrifying depiction of war,directorElem Klimovalso reportedthat some moviegoers had to be rushed away in ambulances because they were so emotionally distressed by the film’s content. Aside from its all-too-real depictions of war, it is an excellent, and emotionally moving piece of cinema, and is something that no war movie fan will want to miss.It has created a legacy for itself that is equal parts legendary and disturbing, which makes it the best non-Western war movie, no question about it.
