The Best War Movie From Every Year of the Past Decade
War movies have been popular for over a century, with filmmakers generally producing many different options every year. As is to be expected, many miss the mark entirely and come off as lazy, disingenuous, or, in some rare cases, disrespectful. But to counter that, there’s always one or two that completely knock it out of the park and do a fantastic job of portraying various conflicts throughout human history. Sometimes these films are inspirational, other times they show the darker parts of human nature, but they’re all fantastic.
Of course, only one film per year can reign supreme in the war genre, and it can be very hard to pick, especially considering all of the good stuff that’s come out over the last 10 years. While it can be difficult to choose a single film, somebody’s got to do it. These are the best war films from every year of the last decade. However, do note that this is not a ranked list, but rather presented in chronological order.
10
‘Hacksaw Ridge’ (2016)
Mel Gibson‘s Hacksaw Ridge is a true story about Desmond Doss (Andrew Garfield), a conscientious objector who signed up to be a medic in the United States military. To be a conscientious objector means that Doss refused to touch a weapon or harm anyone, in this case, due to religious reasons. The movie explores how he fought hard to enter the war while maintaining his beliefs, and how he surprised everyone with his singular act of heroism during the Battle of Okinawa in World War II.
After his company retreated, Doss stayed behind, working all by himself through the night to rescue 75 wounded soldiers, both American and Japanese. This feat earned him a Medal of Honor, making him the first conscientious objector to receive the highly coveted medal. This is a rather heartwarming movie, exploring the themes of humanity in times of war and emphasizing the importance of always being true to yourself and never losing your way.
9
‘Dunkirk’ (2017)
Christopher Nolan‘s Dunkirk is set in 1940, after France surrenders to the rapidly expanding Third Reich during World War II. This surrender leaves hundreds of thousands of Allied forces stranded on France’s northern shores, desperately awaiting evacuation. It’s painful knowing that they’re just across the English Channel from the land they call home but can do nothing about it as German forces slowly begin to close in behind them. The movie takes audiences to the sea, the ground, and the air with varying viewpoints, depicting all aspects of the battle.
This is one of the most intense movies ever made, really letting the audience feel the urgency and sense of desperation felt by the stranded Allied troops. This is supplemented by a ticking clock sound effect embedded in the soundtrack, clearly implying that every minute, heck, every second is precious, and that every moment spent waiting on shore is another moment the Germans grow ever closer. This movie is honestly kind of suffocating with the way it does this, but in a good way, because it provokes an emotional response.
8
‘A Private War’ (2018)
A Private War is a bit of an underrated film, but it’s one that definitely rose above the others the year it came out. This true story is set during the first years of the Syrian Civil War, following the life of American journalist Marie Colvin (Rosamund Pike). Colvin lost an eye during a previous assignment and would later be tragically killed during her final assignment to Syria, which is what the movie explores.
Colvin was one of the most prolific and renowned war journalists of all time, known for her extensive coverage of frontline combat and her extreme dedication to her craft. This is one of those movies that isn’t so much about soldiers, but rather about civilians, exploring the nightmare journalists have to endure just to keep their homeland informed. It’s a poignant and sad biopic that doesn’t really get the love that it so deserves.
7
‘1917’ (2019)
1917 is set on the Western Front of World War I and is shot in such a way that makes it seem like one continuous take. This is perfect for throwing the audience straight into the action, not giving them a moment to breathe as they closely follow the characters and the dangers they face. The story follows two British Lance Corporals who are assigned to deliver a vital set of orders to another battalion somewhere along the Western Front. Failure to do so will cost the lives of thousands of men.
George MacKay takes the leading role here, supported by Dean Charles-Chapman as they make their way through No-Man’s Land and search for a path to the other battalion. This is a movie that gets the heart racing and depicts the sense of isolation that field runners felt as they made their way down the line. Perhaps the best part about this movie is that there are some huge A-list actors in it, but they only have minor roles, allowing the less popular actors to shine instead. 1917 is an essential movie for fans of the genre, no question about it.
6
‘Greyhound’ (2020)
Greyhound is a fictional story set during World War II’s Battle of the Atlantic, a near-constant series of battles that began in 1939 and ended in 1945, lasting for almost the entire war. The movie stars Tom Hanks as Ernest, a United States Navy officer in charge of a destroyer codenamed “Greyhound.” His mission is to protect an Allied supply convoy that is being sent to Liverpool, England. What should be business as usual quickly turns to a nightmare, however, as German U-boats begin pursuing the convoy and Greyhound herself.
The drama in this film mostly comes from the overwhelming tension, as a surface-level vessel is left at a severe disadvantage against the submersibles. Tom Hanks does a great job in it, as always. Truth be told, there weren’t a whole heck of a lot of good war movies to come out during 2020 due to COVID, but of the few that did release, this one is probably the best, even if it isn’t a totally true story.
5
‘Operation Mincemeat’ (2021)
Operation Mincemeat is set during World War II and is one of only a few good war movies to come out in 2021. This is primarily due to the pandemic, with many movies having to delay filming. Rather than taking audiences to the frontlines, this movie shows what the war effort at home was like, centering on the British operation of the same name. Based on a 2010 book by Ben MacIntyre, it tells the story of a British effort to deceive Axis forces and keep them unaware of the coming Invasion of Sicily in 1943.
Much of the film is about espionage and distraction operations rather than in-your-face action, but this only makes it that much better. Perhaps the best part of the scheme is how outrageously ridiculous the whole thing seemed, leading to some surprisingly comedic moments. But this isn’t any work of fiction, as this is reportedly pretty close to what actually happened. In any event, this is a war drama that has been sadly forgotten and deserves a second chance.
4
‘All Quiet on the Western Front’ (2022)
Netflix’s All Quiet on the Western Front is the third adaptation of Erich Maria Remarque‘s 1929 novel of the same name. This film is a masterpiece, winning four Oscars just a few months later. Many consider this World War I epic to be one of the only true anti-war films because it heavily emphasizes the futility of death during war. There are no great crusades, no moments of heroism, no glory — just death and trauma as far as the eye can see.
In this film, Felix Kammerer plays Paul Bäumer, a German youth who falls for propaganda and volunteers for the war with his friends from school, none of them having any idea what they’ve gotten themselves into. While the film did receive some criticism for the way it deviated from the source material, the overall message of the original book is still the same, and some aspects are actually better represented in this movie than in previous adaptations. This is a truly bleak and unflinching movie that doesn’t hesitate to paint an honest picture of the brutality of war.
3
‘Oppenheimer’ (2023)
Christopher Nolan’s biopic Oppenheimer made waves when it came out, both on the internet and at the Oscars just a few months later, where it won seven awards, including Best Picture. The three-hour-long epic drama follows J. Robert Oppenheimer (Cillian Murphy), an American scientist who was assigned to lead the Manhattan Project in the final days of World War II. The Manhattan Project’s purpose was to create a weapon of such destructive power that the remaining Axis forces would have no choice but to surrender.
Of course, we now know that this resulted in the atomic bomb, two of which were dropped on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, killing tens of thousands of people. The movie expertly portrays the guilt and moral conflict Oppenheimer experienced from creating such a weapon, something he was known for in real life, too. This is a harrowing deep dive into the psyche of an intelligent but profoundly troubled man that simply demands to be seen.
2
‘Civil War’ (2024)
Alex Garland‘s Civil War follows a group of journalists reporting on the rapidly escalating civil war in the United States. But this is about a fictional Second American Civil War, not about the first that actually did happen. A lot of people found themselves disappointed by this movie because it’s less action-oriented and is more about the things journalists go through to keep people up to date on the conflict. While the disappointment is understandable, it’s perhaps unjustified because this is a very good movie, indeed.
The story occurs right at the end of the conflict, as Western Forces push into the capital of Washington, D.C., with the intent to kill the current president. What little action does occur in the movie is stellar, but more importantly, the movie sends a vital message about the press. Alex Garland stated that he made the movie because he hates how the press is demonized by politicians, especially when there are war correspondents risking their lives to bring truthful stories home. Of course, the best way for people to understand what they go through is to bring the conflict home, in a sense. Despite the message, the film remains apolitical, not taking any particular side. It’s a unique and essential war movie with a lot to say, one that nobody should skip out on.
1
‘Warfare’ (2025)
Alex Garland strikes again with Warfare, a movie set during the Iraq War. This recent conflict is still a bit of a soft spot for the American public, which is why movies about it rarely work or do well. Garland really nailed it with this one, though, doing an even better job of things than Civil War just a year prior. Of course, Alex Garland isn’t the only director here, as Ray Mendoza also co-directs and doesn’t disappoint. The story is set in 2006, during the Battle of Ramadi, following the lives of US Navy SEALs during the engagement.
While it’s too early to say whether this movie will end up going to the Oscars or not, one cannot deny the immense quality it contains. Critics praised the film for the way it evokes the terror of active firefight, depicting the fight-or-flight response with shocking accuracy. Critics also loved how immersive and engrossing it felt, forcing the viewer to confront all the unpleasantness of modern warfare without letting up. This movie is a recent diamond in the rough that needs some more love.
Warfare
- Release Date
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April 11, 2025
- Runtime
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96 minutes
- Director
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Ray Mendoza, Alex Garland
- Writers
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Ray Mendoza, Alex Garland
