Cinema has often served as a means for viewers to cope with overwhelming issues, so it is no surprise that there have beenso many classic films made about war.There was a strong association between Hollywood and the official newsreels that were produced during World War II, so the two industries have always been linked. War tends to be a subject in many massively successful blockbuster franchises, such asStar Wars, The Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter,andThe Terminator, just to name a few.
Editing is critical to a great war film, as the audience must feel invested in the specific angle that the filmmakers are taking. In addition to developing a sense of authenticity, great war films should have profound ideas about whatheroism actually means.Here are the ten best war movies that are perfectly edited, ranked.
10‘Dunkirk’ (2017)
Directed by Christopher Nolan
Dunkirkis one of the most ambitious films that Christopher Nolan has directed, even if it did not include a complex science fiction plot likeInterstellarorInception.Dunkirkchooses to tell the story about one of the most important rescue missions in World War II, but plays with the nature of time to create aninteresting way to map out the different areas of combat.
Dunkirkexamines the conflict in the air, on the beaches, and on the commoner boats coming to rescue, offering a three-dimensional portrayal of all the efforts that were made to secure such an important victory. While a lesser filmmaker could have made this all feel very confusing, Nolan was able to find throughlines between the characters that allowed them to sync up in all the right places, leading to some unexpectedly moving (albeit wordless) sequences.
Allied soldiers from Belgium, the British Commonwealth and Empire, and France are surrounded by the German Army and evacuated during a fierce battle in World War II.
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9‘Apocalypse Now’ (1978)
Directed by Francis Ford Coppola
Apocalypse Nowisan essential war filmbecause it delves into the deeply dehumanizing nature of the Vietnam War,which many American filmmakers opposed as it was conducted. Although tackling a topic as significant and controversial as the Vietnam insurgency would have been overwhelming for most filmmakers,Francis Ford Coppolatold a very specific story about an American soldier (Martin Sheen) assigned to venture deep into the jungle to assassination the insane Colonel Kurtz (Marlon Brando), who has formed his own separatist movement.
Apocalypse Nowdoes a great job at transitioning from a straightforward “mission movie” to a more experimental arthouse film, as the final segment of the film featuring Brando reaches an ethereal level of psychological horror and dread. This was done by correlating key elements of the plot toJoseph Campbell’s highly influential novelHeart of Darkness, which gave Coppola a loose blueprint.
Apocalypse Now
A U.S. Army officer serving in Vietnam is tasked with assassinating a renegade Special Forces Colonel who sees himself as a god.
8‘Platoon’ (1986)
Directed by Oliver Stone
Platoonis perhaps the grandest achievement of Oliver Stone’s career, as itwon the Academy Award for Best Picture,and was hailed as one of the most defining films ever made about the Vietnam War. While the Academy Awards tend to offer rousing, exciting epics with their top prize,Platoonis a rather dour, depressing examination of the loss of humanity that occurs when invading a foreign country in the midst of its own civil war crisis.
Platoondoes an amazing job at balancing its very impressive cast, as the acting ensemble includes stars likeCharlie Sheen, Willem Dafoe, Tom Berenger,and a youngJohnny Depp.While not an easy film to watch by any stretch of the imagination,Platoonserves as an instructive film for future generations on why a calamity like the war in Vietnam can never happen again.
Chris Taylor, a neophyte recruit in Vietnam, finds himself caught in a battle of wills between two sergeants, one good and the other evil. A shrewd examination of the brutality of war and the duality of man in conflict.
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7‘Rescue Dawn’ (2006)
Directed by Werner Herzog
Rescue Dawnis crafted with the creativity one would expect from Werner Herzog, a filmmaker who has always cut corners in order to make dynamic films with a high degree of realism.Rescue Dawncenters on an American pilot (Christian Bale) who is shot down in Cambodia during the Vietnam War, and forced to survive with a group of prisoners-of-war in order to eventually return home.
Herzog drew insight from his own documentaryin order to makeRescue Dawnmore authentic, as it lacks the pastiche and prestige that many more traditional Hollywood films would have had. Although it begins as a straightforward action movie, Herzog is able to shape the story into one of survival and resilience, in which many of the soldiers are forced to question whether the war that they have been waging is justified in the first place.
Rescue Dawn
During the Vietnam War, a U.S. Navy pilot’s mission goes awry, leading to his capture and imprisonment in a Laotian POW camp. Amidst the harsh conditions and psychological torment, he befriends fellow prisoners and formulates a daring escape plan. The story captures his relentless struggle for survival, the bonds formed in captivity, and the sheer willpower required to overcome unimaginable obstacles in a quest for freedom.
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6‘Bridge on the River Kwai’ (1957)
Directed by David Lean
Bridge on the River Kwaiisone of the great World War II filmsbecause it shows how both physical and psychological warfare played a role in the Pacific theater of combat.Sir Alec Guinnesswon an Academy Award for Best Actor for his performance as a proud British military leader who is captured by the Japanese Army and forced to construct a massive bridge; unfortunately, he grows so invested in his new project that he begins to question where his loyalties lie.
Bridge on the River Kwaidoes a great job at letting the tension simmeras the soldiers are forced to work in labor camps, biding their time as they anticipate the moment in which they can revolt. This makes the final action sequence involving the destruction of the bridge one of the most riveting in the history of war cinema.
The Bridge On The River Kwai
British POWs are forced to build a railway bridge across the river Kwai for their Japanese captors in occupied Burma, not knowing that the Allied forces are planning a daring commando raid through the jungle to destroy it.
5‘The Thin Red Line’ (1998)
Directed by Terrence Malick
The Thin Red Lineis about as artistic and experimental as one would expect from Terrence Malick, a masterful filmmaker who has never been concerned if audiences leave his films entirely confused.The Thin Red Lineaimed to capture the essence of what the phrase “war is hell” really means rather than trying to specificallyrecount one historical event, and features many of the lyrical, existential moments that Malick likes to feature in his projects.
Although much of the film’s brilliance is in its visuals,The Thin Red Linedoes a great job at balancing its amazing cast of actors, which includesAdrien Brody, John Travolta, John C. Reilly, Jim Caviezel, Woody Harrelson, George Clooney, John Cusack, Nick Nolte, Sean Penn, Ben Chaplin, Jared Leto, John Savage, Thomas Jane, Nick Stahl,andTim Blake Nelson, just to name a few.
The Thin Red Line
4‘From Here To Eternity’ (1953)
Directed by Fred Zinnemann
From Here To Eternitywas a very bold World War II movie, as it attempted to capture the mindset of an entire generation of young soldiers leading to the attack on Pearl Harbor in December of 1941, which inspired President Franklin D. Roosevelt to officially enter the United States into World War II to join forces with France and Great Britain to form the Allied Powers.
From Here To Eternityis able to build suspense because the audience knows what is coming, but can still get caught up in the interpersonal relationships between the characters. Although the more intimate focus on anxiety and romance may classifyFrom Here To Eternityas a drama first and foremost,the brilliant destructive sequence that concludes the film certainly ensures its place among the greatest works ever made about World War II and the “Greatest Generation.”
From Here To Eternity
At a U.S. Army base in 1941 Hawaii, a private is cruelly punished for not boxing on his unit’s team, while his commanding officer’s wife and top aide begin a tentative affair.
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3‘Braveheart’ (1995)
Directed by Mel Gibson
Braveheartis a revenge epic inspired by true history, and features some of the greatest medieval battle sequencesever seen on screen. WhileMel Gibsongives what is arguably his greatest performance to date as the Scottish revolutionary hero William Wallace, it’s even more impressive to see what he does as a director, asBraveheartwas able to intertwine Christian imagery in order to turn the real events into an intensive Biblical allusion.
Despite being around three hours in length,Braveheartis so packed with action that there is never a moment to get bored.While it may be difficult to praise Gibson in wake of his many controversies, he is undeniably one of the best directors of war films, and has continued to push the genre forward with his Mayan epicApocalpytoand the Oscar-nominated World War II filmHacksaw Ridge.
Braveheart
Scottish warrior William Wallace leads his countrymen in a rebellion to free his homeland from the tyranny of King Edward I of England.
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2‘Lawrence of Arabia’ (1962)
Lawrence of Arabiaisone of the greatest epic masterpieces of all-time, as it is hard to imagine a modern filmmaker conceiving of a new film that could even hint at the ambition thatDavid Leanmastered with his best work ever. While much of the praise heaped upon the shoulders of both Lean andLawrence of Arabiais centered around its incredible scope and scale, it’s also a masterwork of editing that manages to make over three hours of running time fly by.
Lawrence of Arabiaspends just enough time in each segment of Lawrence’s life, allowing for a “rise and fall” story that offers a complete and mostly well-rounded consideration of his character. Although there have been many director’s cut versions released with additional footage, any version ofLawrence or Arabiafeatures terrific editing that somehow managed to distill the grandiose vision that Lean had into a complete package.
Lawrence of Arabia
The story of T.E. Lawrence, the English officer who successfully united and led the diverse, often warring, Arab tribes during World War I in order to fight the Turks.
1‘Saving Private Ryan’ (1998)
Directed by Steven Spielberg
Saving Private Ryanis an unflinching examination of the cost of war, whichSteven Spielbergused as a way to honor his father,who had actually served in the conflict.Anyone that doubted that a director like Spielberg, known for working on mainstream entertainment likeRaiders of the Lost ArkandE.T. the Extra Terrestrial, could pull off a riveting war thriller needed to watch no further than the amazing opening sequence recounting the critical battle on D-Day.
Saving Private Ryandoes a great job at keeping the story focused on the relationships, as the dynamic between Captain Steve Hiller (Tom Hanks) and Private James Ryan (Matt Damon) allows the film to introduce interesting questions about what service really means, and whether victory can ever be truly justified in such a horrible situation where so many innocent lives are lost.
Saving Private Ryan
Following the Normandy Landings, a group of U.S. soldiers go behind enemy lines to retrieve a paratrooper whose brothers have been killed in action.
