You don’t have to like firearms to like war movies, but I would guess that most of us gun lovers appreciate a good war movie. For me, it’s not just about action and guns, it’s about our history and remembering what others have done.
I have my favorite gun flicks like John Wick, and Lord of War, and those are great movies. But a war movie has a special meaning to me. Both of my grandfathers were in WWII, my uncle was in Vietnam, both my cousins served in Iraq, and my son is in the Marines. My plan was to join the military like the rest of my family. But life took a different turn, and I ended up in law enforcement instead.
Movies are meant to entertain us, and the big-box producers are great at what they do. When a movie is based on a real person or event, that movie has more meaning than the fiction flicks we all pay to see.
So, regardless of your reasoning, if you like a good war movie, here are five of my favorites.
1. Warfare (2025)
Warfare is the newest on the list and was just released this year. It was directed by Ric Roman Waugh, who is known for his realistic and gritty action sequences. What makes this movie a little different is that it covers one intense battle.
What’s even cooler about this movie is that some of the actual soldiers were on the set. They were able to help the producers recreate the events from their own memories.
This movie was intense to say the least, and it really shows the complexities and harsh realities faced by soldiers during combat. It’s one of the most accurate depictions of modern weaponry, tactical strategies, and explosive battlefield drama.
The cast includes Gerard Butler and Frank Grillo, who both played excellent roles in this movie. Warfare’s narrative follows a specialized military unit navigating challenging missions against hostile forces. It shows how chaotic and stressful things become, even for highly trained soldiers.
The runtime is about 120 minutes, so it’s a bit shorter than most other movies today. But again, it’s showing an entire battle from the memories of people who were in it.
If you haven’t seen this one yet, you need to check it out.
2. Lone Survivor (2013)
Lone Survivor, directed by Peter Berg, depicts the real-life Operation Red Wings mission from 2005. Released on December 25, 2013, this film is based on the memoir by Marcus Luttrell, a Navy SEAL who was the only survivor. He is portrayed in the movie by Mark Wahlberg.
The story follows four Navy SEALs deployed on a reconnaissance mission to track Taliban leader Ahmad Shah. When their position is compromised, they face an overwhelming Taliban assault on the side of a mountain. Besides Mark Wahlberg, other actors include Taylor Kitsch, Ben Foster, and Emile Hirsch. They all did an excellent job portraying four Navy Seals.
At the beginning of the movie, you see a few quick shots of the training the SEALs go through to prepare them for missions like this one. They made a point to show the soldiers reloading, sharing ammo, and even losing their guns at times.
Most action movies portray nearly untouchable heroes. This movie, however, shows what real heroes look like. People who throw themselves down the side of a mountain, break bones, get shot in the head, and keep fighting to the end.
I’m not sure how many times I’ve seen this movie, as it’s on my annual watch list, but I plan to keep watching it every year.
3. We Were Soldiers (2002)
There are not nearly as many movies about the Vietnam conflict as there are about WWII or more modern wars.
We Were Soldiers, however, is one of the best movies I’ve seen, and is a must-watch for anyone who likes war movies. It was directed by Randall Wallace and released on March 1, 2002.
The movie is based on the true story of the Battle of Ia Drang during the Vietnam War. Adapted from Lieutenant General Hal Moore’s book, it provides a deeply personal view of the sacrifices made by soldiers and their families.
Mel Gibson delivers an emotional performance as Lt. Colonel Hal Moore, who leads the 1st Battalion, 7th Cavalry Regiment in the early engagement of the Vietnam conflict.
The movie also features Greg Kinnear, Sam Elliott, and Barry Pepper, as they learn to jump from a helicopter behind enemy lines. Just before the fighting starts, Gibson gives a speech on the parade field to his men. After that, a song begins to play (many men have guns) as helicopters come flying around the side of a mountain. No matter how many times I watch it, my eyes get watery at this part.
For those who love the 1911 handgun, you will like Sam Elliott’s role. He carries one all through the movie as he refuses to use one of the “new” M16s. The movie does a great job of showing a wide range of small arms. This includes a mixture of M60 machine guns, grenades, AK-47s, and SKS rifles.
4. 12 Strong (2018)
I was fortunate enough to meet Will Summers, one of the original twelve soldiers this movie was made about. 12 Strong, directed by Nicolai Fuglsig and released on January 19, 2018, is a true story of “Task Force Dagger,” the first Special Forces team deployed to Afghanistan following 9/11. Based on Doug Stanton’s book Horse Soldiers, the film stars Chris Hemsworth, Michael Shannon, and Michael Peña.
The film focuses on the mission of twelve American soldiers who form an uneasy partnership with local Afghan warlords. Chris Hemsworth plays Captain Mitch Nelson, leading his team on horseback through dangerous mountain terrain to combat Taliban forces.
With all the technology we have today, these twelve soldiers found themselves riding on horses with some Afghan rebels.
While Summers mentions that some Hollywood drama was added to the movie, it correctly depicts their journey and mission.
12 Strong showcases unique warfare tactics from Special Forces ODA 595. They fight with small arms on horseback and call in air strikes when possible. This movie is full of AK-47s, M4s, and a slew of tanks, RPGs, and more. At the end of the movie, a picture of the real team is displayed. The guy in the photo below (center) is the fourth one from the left of that photo.
Another cool bit of information is that most of those twelve soldiers started the Horse Soldier Bourbon company. The metal used to make molds for their glass bottles is from the World Trade Center.
5. Midway (2019)
Midway isn’t as much about a specific soldier or incident as it is a turning point in WWII. Directed by Roland Emmerich, the movie was released on November 8, 2019. It tells the true story of the Battle of Midway, near the Midway Islands in the Pacific Ocean. The movie opens with a dramatic scene of the attack on Pearl Harbor and how shocked everyone was.
The movie features a great cast, which includes Ed Skrein, Patrick Wilson, Woody Harrelson, and Luke Evans. It meticulously portrays strategic military decisions by American naval commanders like Admiral Chester Nimitz, played by Harrelson, and intelligence officer Edwin Layton, portrayed by Wilson.
This movie shows a lot about naval aviation warfare and the bravery of pilots engaging enemy forces. You see a lot of weaponry, including aircraft-mounted machine guns, torpedoes, and anti-aircraft artillery throughout the movie.
Like many of the others, this movie shows photos of the real soldiers at the end. It gives a brief explanation of what happened to them during or after the war.
Watch and remember
There are a lot of other great movies that could be on this list, but these are five of my favorites. While I like watching a good war movie any time, we tend to watch all these around Memorial Day. Saving Private Ryan, Black Hawk Down, 13 Hours, and others are also great war movies.
If you have some time and want to binge-watch something, try Band of Brothers and The Pacific series. Those are two classics that everyone needs to see.
Enjoy the movies, the stories, and use them as a way to remember what people have endured to keep our country free.
