The only thing one can think of when it comes to wars is destruction and the misery that follows. Through soft power, aka war movies, different narratives of different parties tend to be sold. But one thing is that these movies provide great insight and entertainment for sure! Read this compilation we’ve put up for your convenience of war, The Best Military Movies on Amazon Prime. This list has something for everyone, whether they’re interested in epics set on the battlefield, comedies about war, or anything in between. Choose the one that best suits your tastes, and settle for quality viewing.
Windtalkers (2002)
The first film on the list of The Best Military Movies on Amazon Prime is Windtalkers (2002). Battle scenes in this 2002 film directed by John Woo, one of the most proficient action directors of his time, are excellent examples of his skill. Plus, cinematographer Jeffrey L. Kimball does a fantastic job capturing all of the action in Windtalkers, but his wide images of the invasion of Saipan are especially impressive. Unfortunately, the screenwriters depict the true story of the code talkers in the US Army from the perspective of Nic Cage’s Sergeant Joe Enders. For lack of any truly original story ideas, Windtalkers needs to improve on this creative decision. The film excels at what it does best: action sequences.
Release Date: June 14, 2002
Director: John Woo
Cast: Nicolas Cage, Adam Beach, Peter Stormare, Noah Emmerich, Mark Ruffalo
Character name: Joe Enders, Ben Yahzee, Hjelmstad, Chick,Pappas, Harrigan
IMDb Rating: 6.1/10
Famous Dialogue: “Remember, Marine, ours is not to question why. Ours is but to do or die. “
Shooting location: Hawaii and Southern California
Pearl Harbour (2001)
The second film on the list of The Best Military Movies on Amazon Prime is Pearl Harbour (2001). Screenwriter Randall Wallace puts a lot of effort into the love triangle involving Ben Affleck, Kate Beckinsale, and Josh Hartnett. You’ll learn from the plot that Japan launched an attack on the United States. However, things turn around dramatically during the protracted scene that gives the film its title, “Pearl Harbor.” Michael Bay is at home at the helm of big, exciting action sequences, and the notorious 1941 air strike provides the perfect opportunity to do so. As cinematographer John Schwartzman’s camera swoops from the fighter planes in the sky to the battleships below, and Bay orchestrates the on-screen destruction as only he can, it is clear that this is some impressive work.
Release date: May 25, 2001
Director: Michel Bay
Cast: Ben Affleck, Josh Hartnett, Kate Beckinsale, William Lee Scott
IMDB Rating: 6.2/10
Character name: Rafe McCawley, Evelyn Johnson, Danny Walker, Billy, Anthony Fusco
Famous Dialogue: “Victory belongs to those who believe in it the most and the longest. We’re gonna believe it. We’re gonna make America believe too.”
Shooting location: California
Allied (2016)
Even though it was a well-rounded film with elements of romance and suspense, covering the story of Max and Marianne, two World War II operatives, marrying after falling in love. But their marriage is troubled when he gets a call telling him that his wife is working for the enemy. Pitt and Cotillard and their performances are outstanding nonetheless. Don Burgess’s stunning photography and Joanna Johnston’s meticulously researched costumes also do a wonderful job of recreating the opulent atmosphere of classic epics of the same era. When you factor in Alan Silvestri’s always superb score, it’s easy to see that Allied is a cinematic campaign worth revisiting.
Director: Robert Zemeckis
Release Date: November 23, 2016
Genre: Action, Drama, Romance, Thriller, War
Cast: Brad Pitt, Marion Cotillard, Jared Harris
Characters Names: Max Vatan, Marianne Beauséjour, Frank Heslop,
Famous Dialogue: “Being good at this kind of work is not very beautiful.”
IMDb rating: 7.1/10
Shooting Location: Parque Natural de Corralejo, Fuerteventura, Canary Islands, Spain
We Were Soldiers (2002)
We Were Soldiers, released in 2002, is an excellent film adaption of Lieutenant Colonel Hal Moore’s memoir of his time serving in 1965, during the initial stages of the Vietnam War, when Lieutenant Colonel Hal Moore commands a battalion of US soldiers fighting Vietnamese troops in the Ia Drang valley.
The writing by Randall Wallace is superbly balanced in its portrayal of both sides of the fight, and Wallace’s direction of the battle recreation is excellent. Mel Gibson, the film’s divisive leading man, gives a solid portrayal of Moore bolstered by his charisma.
Director: Randall Wallace
Release Date: March 1, 2002
Genre: Action, Drama, History, War
Cast: Mel Gibson, Madeleine Stowe, Greg Kinnear, Sam Elliott, Chris Klein, Keri Russell
Characters Names: Lt. Col. Hal Moore, Julie Moore, Maj. Bruce Crandall, Sgt. Maj. Basil Plumley, 2nd Lt. Jack Geoghegan, Barbara Geoghegan
Famous Dialogue: “But this I swear, before you and before Almighty God, that when we go into battle, I will be the first to set foot on the field, and I will be the last to step off, and I will leave no one behind. Dead or alive, we will all come home together. So help me, God.”
IMDb rating: 7.1/10
Shooting Location: Fort Hunter Liggett, California, USA
Braveheart (1995)
One more edition in the list of Best Military Movies on Amazon Prime is Braveheart (1995). The legacy of Mel Gibson’s Braveheart is murky. This biopic of William Wallace won Best Picture at the 68th Academy Awards in 1995. Gibson has a natural talent for evoking empathy for his characters through broad, iconic strokes in his films. When all else fails, Randall Wallace, the scriptwriter, steps in with rousing remarks that make us want to support the Scottish Army in their struggle for independence. The CGI-driven fighting of today is contrasted with the dozens of extras and buckets of gore in Braveheart’s many meaty battle scenes. Gibson as Wallace, Angus Macfadyen as a conflicted Robert the Bruce, and Patrick McGoohan as a wicked King Edward I all give excellent performances.
Director: Mel Gibson
Release Date: May 24, 1995
Genre: Biography, Drama, History, War
Cast: Mel Gibson, Sophie Marceau, Patrick McGoohan, Angus Macfadyen
Characters Names: William Wallace, Princess Isabelle, Longshanks – King Edward I, Robert the Bruce
Famous Dialogue: “Never in my whole life did I swear allegiance to him.”
IMDb rating: 8.4/10
Shooting Location: Fort William, Glen Coe, Highland, Scotland, UK
Beneath Hill 60 (2010)
Another great edition in the list of Best Military Movies on Amazon Prime is Beneath Hill 60 (2010). The Australian unit depicted in Beneath Hill 60 did heroic work during World War I by laying explosive devices beneath enemy territory. The great narrative of Captain Oliver Woodward and the 1st Australian Tunnelling Company is the basis for this film, and David Roach’s script does them due. The gritty, confining atmosphere suffered by Woodward and his troops are perfectly captured by Toby Oliver’s textured cinematography and Clayton Jauncey’s production design. The story’s raw intensity and the outstanding performances, especially from Brendan Cowell as Woodward, make it easier to overlook.
Director: Jeremy Sims
Release Date: April 15, 2010
Genre: Drama, History, War
Cast: Brendan Cowell, Alan Dukes, Alex T. Grant, Harrison Gilbertson
Characters Names: Oliver Woodward, Frank Tiffin, Bill Fraser, Norman Morris
Famous Dialogue: “The more credible you are, the more confident people place in you, allowing you to influence their lives.”
IMDb rating: 7.0/10
Shooting Location: Townsville, Queensland, Australia
Raazi (2018)
As opposed to the usual black-and-white depiction of India-Pakistan hostility, Meghna Gulzar’s masterwork shows things in a more realistic light, portraying the opponent not as a faceless monster but as a fellow human being who experiences the same range of emotions as the protagonist. The movie keeps its momentum up from the very first scene. The Dialogue is well-written and will cause you to ponder more than just the words spoken. Alia flawlessly propels yet another film focused on women without making the audience aware of her performance. She is immersing herself in the role.
She expertly portrays the range of feelings experienced by her character, which includes those of a naive daughter who complies with her dying father’s dying wish and marries across the border. A loving bride who cares for her new family as much as she does her own. A patriotic woman who watches her loved ones leave one by one, and a proud spy who accepts her role and is at peace despite the hardships she has endured. Despite playing her husband from across the border, Vicky Kaushal manages to win your heart. RAAZI is an emotional ode to the people whose names are forgotten in the triumphant celebrations of wars they fought so that we can win. One of the best espionage films because it focuses less on the conflict itself and more on the individuals affected by it on both sides of the competition.
Director: Meghna Gulzar
Release Date: May 11, 2018
Genre: Action, Drama, Thriller, War
Cast: Alia Bhatt, Jaideep Ahlawat, Vicky Kaushal
Characters Names: Sehmat Khan Syed, Syed Iqbal, RAW Agent Manav Chaudhary (codenamed Mir), Hidayat Khan
Famous Dialogue: “Watan Ke Agay Kuch Nahe… Khud Bhe Nahe.”
IMDb rating: 7.7/10
Shooting Location: Patiala, Nabha, Malerkotla, Doodhpathri, India
Eye in the Sky (2016)
Eye in the Sky is the most relevant film here since it tackles the controversial topic of drone warfare from an ethical perspective. Helen Mirren, Aaron Paul, Barkhad Abdi, and the late Alan Rickman appear in the film, making it a veritable all-star cast for director Gavin Hood’s contemporary morality play. Hood and editor Megan Gill, working with a short story by Guy Hibbert, build up the tension until it’s nearly unbearable as Colonel Katherine Powell’s mission becomes increasingly questionable in terms of ethics. The finest part is that the film doesn’t give the audience any pat answers when they’re wondering what they would do in a similar situation. You need to look no further than Eye in the Sky if you need an adult-oriented military film.
Director: Gavin Hood
Release Date: April 1, 2016
Genre: Action, Drama, Thriller, War
Cast: Helen Mirren, Aaron Paul, Alan Rickman, and Barkhad Abdi
Characters Names: Aisha Takow, Musa Mo’Allim, Colonel Katherine Powell, Alex Gallafent
Famous Dialogue: “Never tell a soldier that he does not know the cost of war.”
IMDb rating: 7.3/10
Shooting Location: South Africa
Shershah
Shershaah is a biopic of Captain Vikram Batra, a hero of the Kargil conflict who was awarded the Param Veer Chakra. The film features some breathtaking fighting sequences that make you feel like you’re right there with the Indian Army as they face the infiltration of 1999. All the technical stuff is top-notch, the music fits in well, and they didn’t go overboard with the patriotism. Vishnuvardhan, the film’s first-time director, does a fantastic job, and he deserves a lot of praise for creating a moving film that will leave you with wet eyes by the conclusion. In his role as Captain Batra, Sidharth gives one of his finest performances to date.
A huge chunk of the movie was also focused on the heart-touching love story between Dimple Cheema and Vikram Batra. They share a love story that lasted from a sweet college romance to a very mature long-distance relationship that eventually ended when Vikram was martyred. I recommend you keep a box of tissues ready for the ending scenes of the movie where Vikram’s funeral is held. You need a strong heart to bear all the emotions this movie has on hold for you. When the credits roll and we see the actual war heroes, we can appreciate how well the actors in the film played their parts. This film will leave you feeling inspired and proud of the brave men and women of the armed forces, for whom the duty to their country is paramount.
Director: Vishnuvardhan
Release Date: August 12, 2021
Genre: Action, Biography, Drama, War
Cast: Sidharth Malhotra, Kiara Advani, Shiv Panditt, Pranay Pachauri
Characters Names: Vikram Batra, Dimple Cheema, Capt. Sanjeev Jamwal, Rifleman Yashpal
Famous Dialogue:
IMDb rating: 8.4/10
Shooting Location: Chandigarh, India
Rescue Dawn (2007)
The character Christian Bale plays in Werner Herzog’s Rescue Dawn has an impossible fantasy recurring in the filmmaker’s oeuvre. In this case, the dreamer is the real-life pilot Dieter Dengler, who, during the Vietnam War, planned to get out of a POW camp. As always, Bale gives an all-out performance that carries the film on his skinny shoulders and mirrors Dengler’s complex psychology and malnourished physique.
Herzog’s other obsession with the lone individual pitted against nature is examined in Rescue Dawn. The cinematography by Peter Zeitlinger is some of the most abundant ever used to depict a war film, making the battle feel more real than ever. Rescue Dawn’s realism in its jungle settings is unrivaled by other movies thanks to its filming location, which stood in for Vietnam’s real-life jungles. When Dengler and his cellmate Duane Martin (Steve Zahn) are walking through the muck and sweat, we can almost feel the suffocating humidity on our faces.
Director: Werner Herzog
Release Date: July 27, 2007
Genre: Adventure, Biography, War
Cast: Christian Bale, Steve Zahn, Jeremy Davies, Zach Grenier, Marshall Bell
Characters Names: Dieter Dengler, Duane, Gene, Squad Leader, Admiral
Famous Dialogue: “Empty what is full. Fill in what is empty.”
IMDb rating: 7.3/10
Shooting Location: Thailand
Conclusion
Our list of the Best Military Movies on Amazon Prime will get you hooked on some fun-filled action scenes with a pinch of patriotism attached to it. Happy Binging!
