The 15 best war movies streaming on Netflix

From harrowing recreations of world wars to sobering modern-day documentaries, Netflix has all manner of war films.

There has been a rich tradition of war movies since the silent days of the silver screen. Films in this genre can captivate our senses with sweeping battlefields and graphic depictions of combat, enlightening us with tales of human triumph — and the worst humanity has to offer.

Modern films are especially able to bring the visceral imagery of century-old wars to life, such as in Oscar winners like 1917 (2019) and All Quiet on the Western Front (2022). Others use war to tell more expansive human stories and play in multiple genres, like Da 5 Bloods (2020) and Starship Troopers (1997).

Here are Entertainment Weekly’s recommendations for the best war movies streaming on Netflix right now.

1917 (2019)

In 1917, director Sam Mendes fully engages the audience in the harrowing journey of a pair of British soldiers during World War I. Tasked with communicating an important message to a commander in person, lance corporals Will Schofield (George MacKay) and Tom Blake (Dean-Charles Chapman) navigate the chaos of the trenches and an onslaught of enemy fire.

Roger Deakins won an Oscar for his masterful cinematography, with long, unbroken takes, which, as Entertainment Weekly’s critic writes, “effectively drops the viewer into the center of the story and compels them to stay there, fully immersed in every muddy step, hunger pang, and rifle click.” —Kevin Jacobsen

Where to watch 1917: Netflix

EW grade: A– (read the review)

Director: Sam Mendes

Cast: George MacKay, Dean-Charles Chapman, Mark Strong, Andrew Scott, Richard Madden, Colin Firth, Benedict Cumberbatch

Related: 1917 cast, crew on getting 'lost' in the beauty of Sam Mendes' visual wartime poem

All Quiet on the Western Front (2022)

The classic novel All Quiet on the Western Front has been adapted to film twice before, but this version by director Edward Berger is the first in the book’s native German. Newcomer Felix Kammerer plays Paul Bäumer, a young German soldier who eagerly signs up to fight in World War I but gradually loses his innocence upon experiencing the hellishness of trench warfare.

Unlike the book and its previous adaptations, this version includes a storyline featuring the officials involved in ending the war. With stunning visuals and an ominous Oscar-winning score, EW’s critic observes that All Quiet on the Western Front is “​​an antiwar drama that transcends the bombast of propaganda mostly just because it's so artfully and indelibly made.” —K.J.

Where to watch All Quiet on the Western Front: Netflix

EW grade: A– (read the review)

Director: Edward Berger

Cast: Felix Kammerer, Albrecht Schuch, Daniel Brühl

Related: British Academy snubs Michelle Williams, All Quiet on the Western Front storms 2023 BAFTA nominations

Beasts of No Nation (2015)

It’s the film that started the Netflix original movie storm. Beasts of No Nation, directed by Cary Fukunaga, follows Abu (Abraham Attah), a child soldier fighting in a civil war in an unnamed African country. Idris Elba costars as the Commandant, a despotic leader who preys on Abu.

The movie gained the spotlight after many major theaters boycotted it over the rise of VOD, a fight of the past now. But, regardless of its contentious entry into the cinematic sphere, it’s a film that “deserves to be seen,” writes EW’s critic. “The movie becomes a gut-level portrait of exactly how a person’s soul and psyche can be dismantled, brick by brick.” The cast is phenomenal, especially Elba, who terrifies and takes away the humanity of Abu. Despite the positive critical reception, Beasts earned no Academy Award nominations but remains a must-see. —Robert English

Where to watch Beasts of No Nation: Netflix

EW grade: A (read the review)

Director: Cary Fukunaga

Cast: Idris Elba, Kurt Egyiawan, Jude Akuwudike, Emmanuel "King King" Nii Adom Quaye, Abraham Attah

Related: Idris Elba says he smoked 'a lot of weed' after dark Beasts of No Nation role

Da 5 Bloods (2020)

Spike Lee has already proven himself as a legend of the big screen, so it’s no surprise that his tribute to Vietnam War veterans was another hit for the Oscar winner. Da 5 Bloods weaves the present and past as four vets return to Vietnam to seek the remains of their fallen squad leader (Chadwick Boseman in one of his final film roles) and their buried treasure.

The film manages to juggle two themes: the emotional toll on the soldiers and a conversation about race in the 1970s and America’s role in the war. The result is stunning, with EW’s critic calling the director “a filmmaker who remains in total control of his once-in-a-generation gifts and utilizes them to synthesize story and history into something new.” —R.E.

Where to watch Da 5 Bloods: Netflix

EW grade: A– (read the review)

Director: Spike Lee

Cast: Chadwick Boseman, Delroy Lindo, Jonathan Majors, Norm Lewis, Isiah Whitlock Jr.

Related: The Awardist podcast: Delroy Lindo on his titanic performance in Da 5 Bloods

The Forgotten Battle (2021)

Described as the “Dutch version of Dunkirk,” The Forgotten Battle is a 2020 war drama directed by Matthijs van Heijningen Jr. Set in 1944 and centered around the Battle of the Scheldt during World War II, the movie follows a soldier in the Germany army (Gjis Blom), a Brtiish glider pilot (Jamie Flatters), and a Dutch woman (Susan Radder) who ends up fighting in the resistance.

When these three disparate characters find themselves on a collision course, their actions will have an impactful effect on the worldwide conflict. Based on a true story and shot primarily in Dutch and English with some German, the film tells a little known war story in a terse, thrilling, and character-driven style. —Ilana Gordon

Where to watch The Forgotten Battle: Netflix

Director: Matthijs van Heijningen Jr.

Cast: Gijs Blom, Jamie Flatters, Susan Radder, Tom Felton

Related: Tom Felton recalls the 'worst three minutes of improv' with Anthony Hopkins in awkward audition

The King (2019)

William Shakespeare’s plays Henry IV and Henry V take the backseat for a new look at the wartorn and political landscape of Henry V’s rise to power. Timothée Chalamet stars as the young king, bowl-cut and all, as he navigates the fight for the crown across feudal England and France. Chalamet and costar Robert Pattinson are the film’s standouts, with eccentric looks and passionate monologues.

The action is gritty, “a series of grand battleground set pieces,” EW’s critic cites, recalling images of Game of Thrones’ Battle of the Bastards. And according to Chalamet, these war scenes and duels are suffocating and intense, “properly messy and dangerous.” —R.E.

Where to watch The King: Netflix

EW grade: B (read the review)

Director: David Michôd

Cast: Timothée Chalamet, Robert Pattinson, Joel Edgerton, Lily-Rose Depp, Ben Mendelsohn, Sean Harris

Related: The 15 best Timothée Chalamet movies, ranked

Mosul (2019)

Set in war-torn Mosul, this Arabic-language war movie centers on the skirmishes fought between an Iraqi SWAT team and ISIS insurgents during the 2016 Battle of Mosul. After 21-year-old police officer Kawa survives an ISIS attack, he agrees to accompany a SWAT team on their quest to free Mosul from militants. As Kawa navigates the ravaged city and fights alongside the other officers, he struggles to find answers to his questions about the purposes of the SWAT team’s secret mission. 

Inspired by a 2017 article about the battle within Iraq to destroy ISIS, Mosul premiered at the Venice Film Festival in 2019, and received positive feedback for offering a new perspective on the violence in the region. Nuanced and thoughtful in spite of the violence, the film ends with a surprisingly heartwarming twist. —I.G.

Where to watch Mosul: Netflix

Director: Matthew Michael Carnahan

Cast: Suhail Dabbach, Adam Bessa, Is'Haq Elias

Related: The 20 best Civil War movies of all time, ranked

Munich — The Edge of War (2021)

Munich — The Edge of War is a fictional accounting of a pivotal historical period. Based on Robert Harris’ bestselling novel, the film follows two old college friends — Hugh Legat, a British civil servant, and Paul von Hartmann, a German diplomat — as they find themselves drawn into the center of Europe’s political powder keg.

A good, old-fashioned spy story with deep stakes, the film examines Neville Chamberlain’s (Jeremy Irons) role in the time leading up to World War II in a new light. A historical thriller that is sure to captivate, you won’t regret devoting two hours of your time to Munich — The Edge of War.  —I.G.

Where to watch Munich — The Edge of War: Netflix

Director: Christian Schwochow

Cast: George MacKay, Jannis Niewöhner, Jeremy Irons, Sandra Hüller, Liv Lisa Fries, August Diehl, Jessica Brown Findlay

Related: The 10 best spy movies to stream on Netflix

Operation Mincemeat (2022)

What do you get when you combine two former Mr. Darcys and a war drama? You get Operation Mincemeat starring Colin Firth and Matthew Macfadyen, based on real events that took place during World War II. 

Without giving too much away, imagine what it would look like if James Bond writer Ian Fleming helped the British Army to pass misinformation to the Nazis intended to convey a plan to invade Greece. Add in a love triangle and some high-stakes wartime strategy, and you have a story so absurdly engaging, it’s hard to remember that it’s true. Featuring excellent performances from both Firth and Macfadyen, Operation Mincemeat is well-written and self-aware enough to find humor within the horrors of war. —I.G.

Where to watch Operation Mincemeat: Netflix

Director: John Madden

Cast: Colin Firth, Matthew Macfadyen, Kelly Macdonald, Penelope Wilton, Johnny Flynn, Jason Isaacs

Related: The utterly bizarre true-life inspiration for World War II movie Operation Mincemeat

Outlaw King (2018)

This medieval war drama transports us back to the early 1300s in Scotland, where Robert the Bruce (Chris Pine) gradually ascends to King of Scots. Hoping to free Scotland from England’s tyranny, he leads his country in battle against the English army.

While not groundbreaking in its approach, Outlaw King is a reliably bloody (and muddy) epic full of heavy skirmishes. Director David Mackenzie “films it beautifully in the natural light of candles, torches, and overcast skies,” writes EW’s critic, “and there’s a solidness to the old-fashioned conventions of his storytelling.” —K.J.

Where to watch Outlaw King: Netflix

EW grade: B+ (read the review)

Director: David Mackenzie

Cast: Chris Pine, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Florence Pugh, Billy Howle, Sam Spruell, Tony Curran, Callan Mulvey, James Cosmo, Stephen Dillane

Related: Chris Pine on bringing Robert the Bruce's story to Netflix in Outlaw King

Starship Troopers (1997)

What if Star Wars was a politically-charged cult classic? That’s the result of Starship Troopers, a 1997 sci-fi movie set in a fascist, militaristic future where the human race battles giant alien bugs. Based on the book by Robert A. Heinlein, the film has action stars, gross creatures, tons of slime, and nonstop thrills.

Much of its budget went to the VFX department to create the “film’s razor-taloned, plasma-spewing intergalactic beasties,” and it pays off visually. While it may not be the greatest war film or even the best sci-fi one, Starship Troopers is a lot of guns-blazing fun and worth checking out for an action-packed movie night. —R.E.

Where to watch Starship Troopers: Netflix through Oct. 31

EW grade: B+ (read the review)

Director: Paul Verhoeven

Cast: Casper Van Dien, Dina Meyer, Denise Richards, Jake Busey, Neil Patrick Harris, Patrick Muldoon, Michael Ironside

Related: A close read of the Starship Troopers shower scene

Unbroken (2014)

Unbroken chronicles the real-life story of Olympic distance runner Louis Zamperini and his harrowing survival during World War II. Zamperini was on a search-and-rescue mission in 1943 when his plane experienced engine failure and crashed in the ocean, leaving him stranded at sea with two crewmates for weeks. Japanese sailors captured him and he subsequently was made a prisoner of war.

Jack O'Connell plays Zamperini in a performance EW’s critic calls “totally hypnotic,” and director Angelina Jolie’s production is handsomely mounted, netting Oscar nominations for its cinematography and sound. —K.J.

Where to watch Unbroken: Netflix

Director: Angelina Jolie

Cast: Jack O'Connell, Domhnall Gleeson, Miyavi, Garrett Hedlund, Finn Wittrock

Related: See Louis Zamperini's story continue in Unbroken: Path to Redemption trailer

War Machine (2017)

A satirical war comedy that EW’s critic calls a “smart, sharp spitball of a film,” War Machine spoofs the United States’ conflict in Afghanistan. Loosely inspired by a 2010 article profiling the military leader responsible for commanding America’s forces in the region, War Machine stars Brad Pitt as a fictitious character named Gen. Glen McMahon who has been personally assigned by President Obama to lead America’s war efforts.

McMahon believes the war can be won, but struggles to get the troops he needs to complete the task. Pitt leads an accomplished cast of comedic and character actors, and while the film’s satire doesn’t always accomplish its goal, the performances make up for the movie’s uneven moments. —I.G.

Where to watch War Machine: Netflix

EW grade: B+ (read the review)

Director: David Michôd

Cast: Brad Pitt, Anthony Michael Hall, Anthony Hayes, Topher Grace, Will Poulter, Tilda Swinton, Ben Kingsley

Related: War Machine trailer: Brad Pitt heads for Afghanistan to 'clean up the mess'

The White Helmets (2016)

This sobering documentary short film centers on the efforts of Syrian Civil Defence volunteers to save innocent civilians in the country’s ongoing civil war. Known as the White Helmets, these everyday heroes risk their lives to get victims of missile strikes and bombings to safety.

Following three men from the organization, the film provides a gripping on-the-ground account as they train in Turkey and venture into unpredictable territory in Syria. As one of the volunteers states in the film — which won the 2017 Oscar for Best Documentary Short: “In the White Helmets we have a motto: To save a life is to save all of humanity.” —K.J.

Where to watch The White Helmets: Netflix

Director: Orlando von Einsiedel

Cast: Khalid Farah, Mohammed Farah, Abu Omar, Raed Saleh

Related: White Helmets filmmaker will attend Oscars after Trump travel ban controversy

World War Z (2013)

When you take away a zombie's one weakness — its tendency toward slow-motion movement — you get World War Z, a film in which the villains don't so much stagger as swarm. Brad Pitt stars as Gerry Lane, a former UN Investigator with the skills and connections necessary to save his wife and two young daughters — but only if he agrees to identify the origin of the outbreak, and help humanity survive a planet-wide zombie apocalypse.

EW says the film may be "the most entertaining and accomplished zombie thriller since George A. Romero's Dawn of the Dead," and if that's not incentive enough, you get to see Pitt in a role that has him exemplifying "feral grace under pressure." —I.G.

Where to watch World War Z: Netflix (through Oct. 31)

EW grade: A– (read the review)

Director: Marc Forster

Cast: Brad Pitt, Mireille Enos, James Badge Dale

Related: David Fincher's canceled World War Z sequel would have been 'a little like The Last of Us'

Read the original article on Entertainment Weekly.