What are some movies with great military accuracy and authenticity?

2016-11-01T18:29:16-04:00

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 1 at 2016 6:37 PM

2016-11-01T18:37:33-04:00

Documentaries where they use actual footage.

Response by CPO Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 1 at 2016 6:45 PM

2016-11-01T18:45:36-04:00

Mine would be HBO series Generation Kill, as it was locked on for early days of Iraq, from invasion to after we took Baghdad. My Battalion was attached to that task Force and it is pretty locked on.

Response by SSG(P) Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 1 at 2016 6:50 PM

2016-11-01T18:50:32-04:00

WWII was great for movies. What about 1990- present?

Response by CAPT Kevin B. made Nov 1 at 2016 8:59 PM

2016-11-01T20:59:27-04:00

I use "With the Marines at Tarawa" as a baseline. It was so leading edge using real action and misery to tell the story. It was way out there at the time and had to be released in uncensored mode by FDR himself. It won the Academy Award in 1945 for short subject documentary. Funny it was a plaster painted plaque as brass wasn't available given it was a war material. The Marines did get the more familiar one later.

Response by PO1 Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 2 at 2016 8:17 AM

2016-11-02T08:17:11-04:00

I don't really watch a whole lot of military-based movies but I would say Saving Private Ryan, Full Metal Jacket.

And for humor because you can see parts of your old command or platoon through some of these characters; Sgt. Bilko, Private Benjamin, Stripes.

Update: I need to add one more; Down Periscope because I can't imagine what life is like on a sub when some rips one as bad as the CS did in that movie.

Response by Cpl Justin Goolsby made Nov 2 at 2016 10:04 AM

2016-11-02T10:04:09-04:00

The movie Jarhead in my opinion. While most military themed movies focus on the glory and battles, Jarhead focuses on the actual military experience. Between the little games that you play with the DIs, selling your duty to other Marines, getting drunk and doing stupid crap, finding out about your cheating spouses, Dear John letters, being briefed on what you can and can not say to the public, even the frustration of training for so long to pull the trigger and never getting the opportunity to.

It's a funny and sad movie when you think about how accurate it is.

Response by Cpl Dennis F. made Nov 2 at 2016 1:53 PM

2016-11-02T13:53:46-04:00

Regards RVN....The boys of company C and Hamburger Hill

Response by SCPO Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 3 at 2016 1:29 AM

2016-11-03T01:29:26-04:00

In Captain Philips, the scenes onboard BAINBRIDGE are pretty accurate. Especially the CIC scenes. It helps that they used the actual crew.

Movie scenes in the CIC are usually never accurate since it's pretty boring in there and wouldn't make for very dramatic scenes.

Response by SPC(P) Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 3 at 2016 8:48 AM

2016-11-03T08:48:33-04:00

For the budget that it had to work with I liked Memorial Day, it didn't receive much in the way of promotion so its not as well known as it should be.

Response by Cpl Tim Howerton made Nov 3 at 2016 12:11 PM

2016-11-03T12:11:30-04:00

None will ever be accurate, they will try to, only those who serve truly know.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 3 at 2016 1:24 PM

2016-11-03T13:24:25-04:00

SSG(P) Private RallyPoint Member Pentagon Wars

Response by PO3 John Keas made Nov 3 at 2016 1:35 PM

2016-11-03T13:35:57-04:00

During the late 40s into the 50s and even the 60s is when they stuck to authenticity. Mostly because World War 2 was still fresh in people's minds. It was something that people knew about and was still fresh in their minds. People were still proud of what we did (Not counting Korea) during that time.

Movies that boosted Morale during World War 2 were accurate because the War Department had a hand in them, Movies after the War were accurate because a lot of the stars were actually there and had input.

TV in the 60s benefited as well. Earnest Borgnine starred in McHale's Navy, he was a Gunner's Mate 1st Class during World War 2, so he could help explain how things should be done during production of that show.

Sgt Bilko (Phil Silvers) as well does fit that bill too, but I can't tell if he or Nat Hilken (The creator) were actually ever in the military. They may have had people working for them that were tho.

Tora Tora Tora is one of my favorites. They painstakingly followed every detail they could find at the time to get as accurate as they could. I really enjoyed how they told the story from both sides.

Newer movies are all about the flash, and don't have all the substance. I would rather sit and watch a Frank Sinatra musical about World War 2 then Ben Assfleck's Pearl Harbor.

Response by SPC Brian Mason made Nov 3 at 2016 4:04 PM

2016-11-03T16:04:01-04:00

There are none. While they (Hollywood) may get some things right, so many mistakes are made. Shammers are never shown. Vehicles and equipment break down at the worst times, and every soldier doesn't have that fit David Beckham body. Firefights hardly ever mimic what really happens.

Response by SSG Will Phillips made Nov 3 at 2016 7:25 PM

2016-11-03T19:25:21-04:00

May not be accurate but is an excellently fucked up movie ... William Peter Blatey's (author of "The Exorcist") The Ninth Configuration. Stacy Keach.

Response by MSG Mitch Dowler made Nov 3 at 2016 7:58 PM

2016-11-03T19:58:56-04:00

Catch-22

Response by MAJ Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 3 at 2016 8:58 PM

2016-11-03T20:58:27-04:00

People always find it funny when I tell them this, but I would say "In the Army Now", with Pauly Shore. Everything from the depiction of basic training, to the demeanor of the Army Drill Sergeants, to the attitudes of the junior Soldiers reminds me of my time growing up in the Army in the 90s. Obviously not a highly dramatic tale of heroism and valor, but "In the Army Now" has my vote as one of the most realistic/accurate military movies!

Response by MAJ Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 3 at 2016 8:59 PM

2016-11-03T20:59:21-04:00

"Gardens of Stone" is another great one, highly recommended for anyone out there who hasn't seen it yet.

Response by PO1 Eric Booker made Nov 3 at 2016 10:02 PM

2016-11-03T22:02:24-04:00

None of them are ever going to be either. First, it would be boring and second, no one would understand the lingo. Just take flying sequences for example. Not many would understand pilot speak as it happens in the real world. Not many would understand how info is passed through comms. Nothing is spelled out as it is in the movies.

Response by SPC Phil Norton made Nov 3 at 2016 10:50 PM

2016-11-03T22:50:57-04:00

Doesn't really qualify as a movie but for close to realistic I would say the miniseries Band of Brothers did a great job based on the actual accounts of those that were there if you haven't watched it from beginning to end I would recommend it

Response by SPC Phil Norton made Nov 3 at 2016 10:58 PM

2016-11-03T22:58:52-04:00

I would add that movies are meant to entertain and glorify the actions of war heck I became a medic because I watched MASH as a kid lol nothing like the show and now as an adult all the people having fun were officers but hey I guess I had my fair share of partying while I was in

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 3 at 2016 11:41 PM

2016-11-03T23:41:32-04:00

Patton. The Longest Day. perhaps Black Hawk Down

Response by PO3 Donald Murphy made Nov 4 at 2016 12:21 AM

2016-11-04T00:21:44-04:00

In no particular order, the best for accuracy are...

1. The Malta Story. They stick to the true events of the battle. Additionally, they have a glut of fresh-off-the-hanger uniforms and equipment from WW2 so the weapons, equipment and planes are all accurate. Real footage which had only just been declassified is also sprinkled throughout the film. One of Alec Guinesses best films.

2. The Great Raid. Army Rangers liberate a POW camp in the Philippines. Accurate weapons, equipment and tactics. The only thing that the movie deviated from the book is that the plane flying over in real life was a P-61 Black Widow night fighter. None are flying so they used an authentic WW2 Lockheed Hudson. The movie sticks to the actual events.

3. Das Boot. The uniforms, tactics and behaviors are all accurate. The movie accurately depicts the bordom, excitement and danger of submarine warfare in the Atlantic theatre of WW2. Filmed inside a real U-Boat as well. Jurgen Prochnow nails the part of the sub captain. Crew behaviors and combat scenes are mega accurate.

4. Thin Red Line. The US Army's trials and tribulations in Guadalcanal are accurately reproduced down to the torture of pulling gold teeth out of the Japanese prisoner's mouths. Jungle warfare futility and American ingenuity are accurately shown. CGI fills in the gaps accurately but not too cheesy. Cameo's are done expertly with General John Travolta nailing his part.

5. Valkyrie. Expert retelling of the attempt on Hitler's life in 1944. Tom Cruise nails his part tho he receives flak for not speaking with a German accent. Technically none of the Germans should have had British accents so I guess you can't have everything. All uniforms and weapons and props/scenery were scarily accurate.

6. Yamato. Titanic meets Saving Private Ryan! A young college girl wishes to hire a boat to travel to the coordinates of battleship Yamato's sinking. As you can guess, the grizzled boat skipper that takes her was one of her crew. The set is stunning and 100% accurate. CGI fills in the attacking American planes. The crew uniforms and mannerisms are right on the money.

Response by PFC Timothy Clements made Nov 4 at 2016 2:27 AM

2016-11-04T02:27:08-04:00

One movie was good, jar head.

Response by Moose Neves-grigg made Nov 4 at 2016 2:48 AM

2016-11-04T02:48:22-04:00

Range 15 is on point, and my father retired 1st Sargent in the Marine Corps sat me down a few years ago to watch the first 20ish minutes of "full metal jacket" and said that it was the closest thing to Marine boot camp he has ever seen from the time he was a DI

Response by CPT Nicholas D. made Nov 4 at 2016 1:33 PM

2016-11-04T13:33:59-04:00

Thank God no one has said "Firebirds." Thanks to that movie, you can't get a red screen of Death on a Sim Trip without some chucklehead screaming "I am the greatest!"

Response by SSG Mark Franzen made Nov 4 at 2016 6:20 PM

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PLATOON FULL METAL JACKET.

Response by PVT Gary DeShawne made Feb 27 at 2017 1:30 PM

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Obviously we all know they can't have it accurate to a t because it's against the law but besides changing a few things on the uniforms to make it within the law, probably We Were Soldiers, Saving Private Ryan, American Sniper, basically anything that's based off personal accounts. Full Metal Jacket is an exaggeration but that is actually decently realistic as well. I just get pissed off when I see them saluting sergeants and calling them sirs or calling women sirs or saluting with the wrong hand or the wrong way, but outside of that they're usually pretty accurate. You'll never get 100% accuracy on codes and lingo because I'm sure that falls under the law as well

Response by CPT Larry Hudson made Feb 27 at 2017 5:49 PM

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Hacksaw ridge

Response by Lt Col Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 27 at 2017 6:19 PM

2017-02-27T18:19:17-05:00

The first ten minutes of War Games is spot on.

Response by Cpl Woode Hinz made Feb 27 at 2017 9:34 PM

2017-02-27T21:34:42-05:00

Any Leatherneck would agree Full metal jacket is as close as it gets, but still couldn't scratch the surface compared to the real experience. The 1957 film The DI with Jack Webb from Dragnet is worth mentioning. Semper Fi Brothers! As someone else posted Thin Red Line is extraordinary and a visual masterpiece. Fury was stunning, but as a comedy I think Biloxi Blues deserves a nod.

Response by Cpl Rob Villegas made Feb 28 at 2017 4:18 AM

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How bout Sands of Iwo Jima one reason y everyone of us kids was afraid to go! But as young men we joined cuz that was the only branch to join because of the movie! To be badass like John Wayne and take out the pill box! And bark orders and make men out of children, get drunk screwed n tatooed! Good times Ooorah fo ma Marine Corp!

Response by SGT Aulderson Franklin made Mar 1 at 2017 4:41 PM

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Catch 22

Response by SPC Ralph Baker made Mar 1 at 2017 9:03 PM

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Dogfight

Response by Nelson Ormsby made Mar 1 at 2017 9:31 PM

2017-03-01T21:31:07-05:00

After watching the credits roll in Saving Private Ryan and departing an empty 900 seat Senator Theatre in Baltimore, saw an elderly gentlemen sitting Center backrow with a death grip on the chair arm to his left and right, staring straight ahead, tears streaming down his cheeks. 29th ID Omaha Beach, H-Hour 6/6/44. The ultimate testimonial. Twenty Nine Let's Go! He did and even over a half century later, still was. God Bless him and those he carries in his heart.

Response by PO1 David Kane made Mar 1 at 2017 10:19 PM

2017-03-01T22:19:14-05:00

I'm exnavy but to me hamburger hill and the "boys in company 'c'" seem pretty realistic

Response by CPO George Hicks made Mar 1 at 2017 11:39 PM

2017-03-01T23:39:37-05:00

I was in the salvage navy and always thought that Mr Roberts was a fairly accurate account of my experience on an ATF.

Response by CPO Raymond Kurtz made Mar 2 at 2017 7:28 AM

2017-03-02T07:28:09-05:00

The Army did not initially invade Guadalcanal, it was the 1st Marine Division.

Response by CPT Glenn Archer made Mar 2 at 2017 11:34 AM

2017-03-02T11:34:00-05:00

Soooo many good ones. We Were Soldiers, Band of Brothers, Black Hawk Down, Saving Private Ryan, Generation Kill, and Lone Survivor except for the Hollywood ending.

Response by CAPT James McClure made Mar 2 at 2017 11:40 AM

2017-03-02T11:40:46-05:00

"The Cruel Sea" -- a 1950s British flick about a corvette on convoy duty -- captures the feel of being on a small ship.

Response by SPC Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 2 at 2017 11:49 AM

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Paths of Glory.

Response by Cpl Kent Mitchell made Mar 2 at 2017 1:09 PM

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The D.I. was pretty accurate for it's time, plus I was an extra in scenes shot at Camp Pendleton. I liked the boot camp portion of Full Metal Jacket. Best depiction yet but still doesn't get across the pain and misery. You have to spend the whole three months of it to get that. And the pride of earning that Eagle, Globe and Anchor.

Response by SFC Ed Griswold made Mar 2 at 2017 3:39 PM

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We were Soldiers was good. I remember stopping on a flight from Afghanistan and the movie was being shown in a transit tent. There was this older Colonel (Vietnam Vet, Ranger, Airborne, Pathfinder, CIB, the whole nine yards!) who had been called back on active duty watching the movie with tears streaming down his face. As one Vietnam vet to another, I can relate to his feelings. It was a much different Army back then.

Response by PO2 Robert Kelley made Mar 2 at 2017 3:49 PM

2017-03-02T15:49:35-05:00

A great movie is "A Bridge Too Far". Great movie for the use of authentic looking vehicles.

Response by LT Bill Kunkle made Mar 2 at 2017 4:01 PM

2017-03-02T16:01:01-05:00

The Enemy Below, The Longest Day, Mr. Roberts

Response by GySgt Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 2 at 2017 4:20 PM

2017-03-02T16:20:27-05:00

the first 15 minutes of full metal jacket were spot on. seige of firebase gloria. the very beginning of saving private ryan. and jarhead was pretty accurate.

Response by SPC Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 2 at 2017 4:49 PM

2017-03-02T16:49:56-05:00

For the most part, camp xray is pretty accurate...

Response by SPC Kari Grove Wright made Mar 2 at 2017 5:33 PM

2017-03-02T17:33:07-05:00

I've always said I'd have to make my own, based on my unit. However, there would be so much going on, one might not be able to keep track.

Response by SGT Terry Walton made Mar 2 at 2017 5:43 PM

2017-03-02T17:43:04-05:00

Hamburger Hill to a point. I served with a soldier who was in that battle. He told me the first charge he was an atheist going up, and a devout Christian coming down. I asked him if it was accurate as far as all the stuff flying everywhere. He told me it was much worse in real life. He was contacted to advise on the film. The character he says was based on him died in the movie though. The one with glasses.

Response by CPL Javier Frutos made Mar 2 at 2017 6:26 PM

2017-03-02T18:26:52-05:00

Having been stationed in Germany from 1982 to 84 I would have to say that Buffalo Soldiers was a pretty accurate depiction of the corruption drug use and alcoholism that was going on in Germany at the time

Response by PO1 Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 2 at 2017 7:12 PM

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The Last Detail

Response by SSgt Richard Spears made Mar 2 at 2017 7:19 PM

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Taking Chance. This gem came out during a time when public opinion about Iraq was at a boiling point and it steered clear of the politics. Kevin Bacon nailed his part.

Response by SPC John Lanning made Mar 2 at 2017 7:32 PM

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Pearl Harbor!

.....Oh fuck, INCOMMING!!....

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 2 at 2017 7:51 PM

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Sat through Black Hawk Down with a member of B/3/75 who was physically shaken by the movie and claimed it to be "spot on". Had LTC Bruce Crandall in to speak to my history class, he stated" We Were Soldiers "was about 80%, Hal Moore said that three was clearly some artistic license taken but "We Were Soldiers" was the first "to get it right "(unusual for a Mel Gibson movie). The Longest Day was filmed in black and white because many of the extras wore blue jeans due to a lack of sufficient OD Green uniform pants but the action is reported accurately. Band of Brothers is universally given a this up by members of Easy Company even though Ambrose tends to over simplify. The worst include "The Hurt Locker", "GI Jane" and Patton.

Response by CAPT Kevin B. made Mar 2 at 2017 8:34 PM

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How about "reality". This is all real. MC won an Academy Award for short documentary. Had to get permission from FDR to release it. The award was a plaster plaque because of wartime restriction on using brass. They later got the more familiar one.

Response by SGT Jacob Powell made Mar 2 at 2017 8:39 PM

2017-03-02T20:39:29-05:00

"Home of the brave" is pretty accurate. There are parts that are just gutwrenching to watch

Response by SGT Philip Roncari made Mar 2 at 2017 8:39 PM

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There were a few scenes in "Platoon" that gave me flashbacks,I think maybe my experiences in Vietnam colored my decision and since Oliver Stone was actually a Vietnam Vet his direction of the movie made it all the more realistic,there were parts in other war movies that rang true,but "Platoon" for me was the most authentic.

Response by MSgt Cayle Harris made Mar 2 at 2017 8:55 PM

2017-03-02T20:55:05-05:00

The Hurt Locker....wait did you ask for the most accurate?...never mind.

Response by PFC Jesse Stinton made Mar 2 at 2017 8:57 PM

2017-03-02T20:57:02-05:00

I liked generation kill (not a movie but a good mini series) the seemed to nail down the games and BS well and still managed to capture a lot of the dilemmas of "combat" I'm Iraq.

Response by SFC Sean Gleason made Mar 2 at 2017 9:44 PM

2017-03-02T21:44:56-05:00

Gardens of Stone. Francis Ford Coppola. Army cooperated with filming. 1986. James Caan. James Earl Jones. Angelica Houston. A must see.

Response by 1SG Randy Book made Mar 2 at 2017 9:54 PM

2017-03-02T21:54:22-05:00

Hamburger Hill. Fairly accurate, I was there, B 3/187, Rakkasans. Former Bde cmdr, Col Clark was technical advisor. Did not attempt to make a statement. Just a story of what we did. It took several stories from different soldiers and company's and rolled into the characters. Took me three attempts to get thru it.

Response by SCPO Randy Breidel made Mar 2 at 2017 10:30 PM

2017-03-02T22:30:24-05:00

Das Boot, Im told Hacksaw Ridge, as a Corpsman I love it. If they ever make a movie out of Blind Mans Bluff, otherwise a fascinating read

Response by CPL Vinnie Vinanti made Mar 2 at 2017 11:09 PM

2017-03-02T23:09:23-05:00

84 Charlie Mo Pic.
It is about a Motion Picture reporter going a mission with an infantry platoon during Vietnam. The details right down to the skillcraft pens and green memorandum note books. Very over looked film.

Response by A1C Aeriel Long made Mar 2 at 2017 11:25 PM

2017-03-02T23:25:47-05:00

I think the first half of Fullmetal jacket is pretty accurate to basic training itself. While a bit outdated the premises it was built on was accuracy for the first half. It shows how a unit first breaks down to form a cohesive single function

Response by SPC Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 2 at 2017 11:27 PM

2017-03-02T23:27:19-05:00

I have read all of Hal Moors books but We were soldiers was accurate in every detail!

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 3 at 2017 12:04 AM

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The Beast of War.

Response by SSG William Jones made Mar 3 at 2017 12:14 AM

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SSG(P) Private RallyPoint Member This may be outside of the wire, but I was greatly impressed with the research and accuracy of GODS AND GENERALS. That's my first choice. Then my second tier choices like "When We Were Soldiers"... about the first big engagement of the Vietnam war, in the Ia Drang valley for 3 days and nights of November 1965. Col. Moore (later LTG) Moore & SGM Plumbly were accurately portrayed. Also, "Tour of Duty" was very accurate. More for nostalgia than hardcore accuracy, I must include the tv shows "Combat" (Vic Morrow) and "The Gray Ghost" about 43rd Virginia Partisan Rangers under John Singleton Mosby.

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 3 at 2017 12:17 AM

2017-03-03T00:17:57-05:00

1. Independence Day
2. In The Army Now
3. Sargeant Bilko
4. Pearl Harbor
5. Rambo
In that order.

Response by LtCol Mike Heitmann made Mar 3 at 2017 12:18 AM

2017-03-03T00:18:56-05:00

Here's one that nobody had mentioned...One for my Squid Bretheren..."The Sand Pebbles" with Steve McQueen. A story about the U.S.S. San Pablo, assigned to patrol a tributary of the Yangtze in the middle of exploited and revolution-torn 1926 China.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Sand_Pebbles_(film)

The Sand Pebbles (film) - Wikipedia

The Sand Pebbles is a 1966 American film directed by Robert Wise. It tells the story of an independent, rebellious U.S. Navy machinist's mate, first class aboard the fictional gunboat USS San Pablo in 1920s China.

Response by SPC Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 3 at 2017 2:40 AM

2017-03-03T02:40:24-05:00

I'm surprised nobody has mention Bravo Two Zero yet!

Response by GySgt James Murphy made Mar 3 at 2017 8:17 AM

2017-03-03T08:17:31-05:00

Platoon was most accurate to me having served there for a year with 173d ABN BDE. Also the basic training scene from full metal jacket was to the tee.

Response by Cpl Scott Noble made Mar 3 at 2017 8:40 AM

2017-03-03T08:40:35-05:00

Unbroken. I read the book before the movie was produced. It is an amazing true story account of Louie Zamparini. It shows the brutal conditions that our POWS went through at the hands of the Japanese. Highly accurate (with some Hollywood of course) highly recommended!

Response by PO2 Scott Drake made Mar 3 at 2017 8:46 AM

2017-03-03T08:46:50-05:00

For Navy Movies "The Last Detail" would be one of my favorite movies.

Response by PVT James Seiber made Mar 3 at 2017 8:59 AM

2017-03-03T08:59:28-05:00

Saving Private Ryan
We Were Soldiers
Hacksaw Ridge

Response by 1LT Erin Berg made Mar 3 at 2017 9:11 AM

2017-03-03T09:11:38-05:00

Either, "Taking Chance" or "Gallipoli." Both show the sacrifices people in the military make for their country.

Response by GySgt Patrick Dailey made Mar 3 at 2017 9:53 AM

2017-03-03T09:53:25-05:00

We Were Soldiers!

Response by PV2 Alonzo Symalla made Mar 3 at 2017 11:05 AM

2017-03-03T11:05:31-05:00

I always thought the first half of "Stripes" captured the boot camp experience of the late 70's early 80's pretty well.

Response by SFC William H. made Mar 3 at 2017 12:39 PM

2017-03-03T12:39:02-05:00

Did you notice that this is a very profound photograph? I went through the comments and wrote down all the titles. My wife will scream when she gets the bill from Amazon......:)

Response by SMSgt Lawrence McCarter made Mar 3 at 2017 12:43 PM

2017-03-03T12:43:23-05:00

I think one of My all time favorites was " The DI" it starred Jack Webb as a Marine Corps Drill instructor and was filmed on location at Paris Island. (Jack Webb was the same actor that played Sgt Friday on the old Police TV series Dragnet) The cast on the recruit training platoon were all active duty Marines. These Marines however were all actually PFCs who had already completed boot camp but were used as actors in the movie. On the film credits at the end it listed the character they played and listed their rank PFC and their name. People I talked to that were Marines and had seen that movie said it was the most realistic depiction of Marine Corps boot camp they have ever seen. I'm not sure how many times I watched that movie, I get inspired every time I watch it. I was never in the Marines but a good movie is a good movie !

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 3 at 2017 1:48 PM

2017-03-03T13:48:31-05:00

Sgt Bilko was the most accurate.

Response by CPL Tony Nelson made Mar 3 at 2017 2:13 PM

2017-03-03T14:13:15-05:00

Jarhead, The Boys In Company C, Born on the 4th of July, Apocalypse Now, Haburger Hill, Platoon, Saving Private Ryan and for me personally Blackhawk Down.

Response by PO1 Fred Bell made Mar 3 at 2017 2:17 PM

2017-03-03T14:17:57-05:00

The plot behind "The Final Countdown" is out there, but it's some of the best flight deck ops found in a movie.

Response by PO1 Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 3 at 2017 2:31 PM

2017-03-03T14:31:01-05:00

Can't say much for army movies, or even for surface warfare movies, as I am a submariner. However, a few movies come to mind.
Hunt for Red October
Down Periscope- premise of the movie not so much, but the attitudes and antics of the characters nails it
Run silent, Run deep
And for the number one greatest sub movie of all time- Das BOOT. Just watch it. Can't say anything more than that

Response by MCPO Roger Collins made Mar 3 at 2017 2:43 PM

2017-03-03T14:43:55-05:00

Pork Chop Hill and Hamburger Hill. Those two are the reason I bring up when we discuss females in combat. However, we can't leave out "Saving Private Ryan".

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 3 at 2017 3:03 PM

2017-03-03T15:03:51-05:00

12 O Clock High is a great one in terms of leadership in wartime. Master and Commander (very old school of course, but dead on in terms of how the old sail navy ships worked). We Were Soldiers is up there, but has a bit of Hollywood to it. I'd also recommend 9th Company which is actually Russian about Afghanistan (mostly a true story as well).

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 3 at 2017 3:04 PM

2017-03-03T15:04:56-05:00

Oh, also Tora Tora Tora. In terms of accuracy that one has to be the best. Midway is a close second.

Response by SPC James Paterson made Mar 3 at 2017 3:27 PM

2017-03-03T15:27:00-05:00

Hamburger Hill is a true story of the 3/187 inf rakkasans taking hill 937 in Vietnam. Specifically Bravo company with elements augmenting them. The battalion was bestowed a presidential unit citation for that period. (Yes i have seen the actual award and worn the ribbon). While the character portrayals may have been embellished, the story of the taking of the hill was followed fairly closely.

Response by SPC Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 3 at 2017 3:28 PM

2017-03-03T15:28:27-05:00

A bridge too far. One of the most amazing casts of all time in the history of filmmaking. It really shows the epic scope of Operation Market garden. I talked to a Dr. who had been a lieutenant during the battle and he thought it got the spirit of what happened.

Response by SMSgt Mike Wood made Mar 3 at 2017 4:06 PM

2017-03-03T16:06:46-05:00

Platoon as far as the way the soldiers were back then. You had your hard core and your "didn't give a s***, just get out alive people which really didn't associate with each other. Never made it to 'nam but worked in the SouthEast Asian burn center during the War.

Response by SPC Tim Halpin made Mar 3 at 2017 5:06 PM

2017-03-03T17:06:44-05:00

Jarhead. The very end, when they are riding in a bus in a parade, and the Vietnam vet gets on the bus, and thanks everyone, then he asks if he can ride with them for a little bit. I cam home to be spit on and treated like shit. As a Vietnam vet myself, that part brings me to tears every time I see it.

Response by MAJ Luca Luca made Mar 3 at 2017 6:00 PM

2017-03-03T18:00:14-05:00

It wasn't exactly like Starship Troopers for everyone else? You must have stayed in the TV room when they gave every one last chance to come clean...
Suckers, HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!

Response by SPC Greg Davis made Mar 3 at 2017 7:49 PM

2017-03-03T19:49:10-05:00

I was only in Afghanistan a year but Tina Fey's movie Whisky Tango Foxtrot had a lot of things in it I related to. Even though I guess technically it wasn't a pure military movie I thought they had a lot of accuracies in it.

Response by SGT Chester Beedle made Mar 3 at 2017 8:50 PM

2017-03-03T20:50:06-05:00

Sounds stupid, but the Basic training scenes in, "In The Army Now," yes with Pauly Shore were not completely inaccurate.

Response by Cpl Adrienne Horlacher made Mar 3 at 2017 8:57 PM

2017-03-03T20:57:12-05:00

Hacksaw Ridge
Fury
Saving Private Ryan

All three do not glorify war but rather show the messy dirty gruesome emotional state of it. Nothing will ever show the true reality of it all.

Response by 1LT Mitch Nihart Sr made Mar 3 at 2017 9:30 PM

2017-03-03T21:30:38-05:00

Gentleman, The Green Beret with John Wayne was a testimonial... js

Response by SP5 Robert Ruck made Mar 3 at 2017 10:23 PM

2017-03-03T22:23:19-05:00

Gettysburg and Glory.

Response by PO2 Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 3 at 2017 11:27 PM

2017-03-03T23:27:17-05:00

Generation Kill and Jarhead. All glory and battles aside these two flicks, one a show admittedly, really nail the mindset during deployment, our daily frustrations and struggles and the fuck fuck bullshit we do all the time to keep the boredom from driving us insane. Anytime a friend of mine tells me they're considering joining I tell them to watch these movies and then talk to me.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 4 at 2017 12:17 AM

2017-03-04T00:17:02-05:00

We Were Soldiers.... Hal Moore and Joey Galloway said it was about 80% accurate

Response by GySgt Carl Munford made Mar 4 at 2017 1:34 AM

2017-03-04T01:34:00-05:00

Full Metal Jacket Boot Camp scenes for sure.

Response by PO1 Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 4 at 2017 9:22 AM

2017-03-04T09:22:21-05:00

"The Pacific" is very powerful as is "Band of Brothers"...keep in mind Hollywood has its limitations. "Our World War" is a BBC mini series about WW1 that is of the same quality as "The Pacific". I would recommend that too. "Stalingrad", "All quiet on the Western Fromt" and "Das Boot" are good films about the Herman perspective. "Letters from Iwo" is another decent film as well.

Response by SPC Craig Miller made Mar 4 at 2017 9:30 AM

2017-03-04T09:30:09-05:00

Stripes........nuff said.

Response by SPC Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 4 at 2017 10:50 AM

2017-03-04T10:50:18-05:00

A lot great examples already mentioned so I will divert a little from the original question, but use the spirit of it. Whoever wrote the lines for the Colonial Marines in "Aliens" had to have been a former Jarhead. I met each and everyone one of those characters at some point, and Bill Paxton's (RIP) would have gotten an academy award if anyone on the boards had ever served.

Response by MGySgt Billy Dial made Mar 4 at 2017 11:06 AM

2017-03-04T11:06:24-05:00

"Siege of Fire Base Gloria"

Response by CAPT Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 4 at 2017 1:20 PM

2017-03-04T13:20:36-05:00

The first 3 - 5 mins of Top Gun where they show the start of flight ops. Once the credits end and the plot begins the movie goes down hill quickly.

Response by Sgt Robert Jolley made Mar 4 at 2017 2:51 PM

2017-03-04T14:51:48-05:00

Full Metal Jacket boot camp - the kid shooting his DI. In 1981, we had a recruit pour lighter fluid on himself and then lit himself. Didn't kill him, but they pulled all lighters, matches and lighter fluid. And one who did kill himself "jumping" from 3rd deck onto concrete surface 30 feet below.

Response by PV2 Levi Holmes made Mar 4 at 2017 6:51 PM

2017-03-04T18:51:30-05:00

I've read a bunch, and I have yet to see "Act of Valor". The battle scenes in there were recreated from real Navy Seal testimony. It is the closest to real life as could possibly be.

Response by SGT Dale Harwood made Mar 4 at 2017 7:05 PM

2017-03-04T19:05:41-05:00

Hacksaw ridge, saving private Ryan, band of brothers and the pacific.

Response by Cpl Caleb Johnson made Mar 4 at 2017 7:36 PM

2017-03-04T19:36:30-05:00

Aliens...In an abstract way. All the real life elements were there. Boot ass officers who have read how to do everything and know how to do everything but, can't actually do anything. Unnecessarily loud, gungy senior NCOs spouting trite hyperbole in every sentence. The easy going, laid back and exquisitely competent, young NCOs just taking care of business. Smart ass Lance Corporals doing dumb, grabasstic LCpl shit. Even got a Wook in there as an 03…who's competent and ballsier than Her contemporaries....

Response by Cpl Jeff Mason made Mar 4 at 2017 9:48 PM

2017-03-04T21:48:57-05:00

My dad, who saw more than his fair share of combat in Vietnam, says that We Were Soldiers is his pick. Mine is Jarhead, extremely accurate when I compare it to my time in the Corps.

Response by SCPO Stephen Alexander made Mar 4 at 2017 10:14 PM

2017-03-04T22:14:05-05:00

I watched "Red October" with my Submarine Nuke son-in-law and he said much of it it was very close to reality.

Response by Cpl Rock DeAugustine made Mar 4 at 2017 11:17 PM

2017-03-04T23:17:40-05:00

For awhile i thought marine corps movies followed me. Just out of boot: Heartbreak Ridge, and we were at DLI Monterey. Clint would come use our tiny 300 man detachment for city functions (he was mayor of Carmel next door), even though he was ex- army and they had thousands there. Then it was Gitmo, sure enough A Few Good Men arrives in 92. In between, Full Metal Jacket. Now, HR as a depiction of Recon was stupid, but occaisonally you met a Highway...but as depicted, the Corps got rid of those men. AFGM was a complete farce, from the robot privates to the Lt. Colonel. The Lt. Col. at Gitmo during that time period was a real gentleman and warrior. Code Red...what the F---- was that? Finally, FMJ...boot camp? Spot on PI, even if filmed in England. The rest...who knows? But by far the best depiction of a small marine corps unit: Generation Kill...could have been any one of several detachments i was with...perfect.

Response by SSG Robert Cosper made Mar 5 at 2017 12:31 AM

2017-03-05T00:31:42-05:00

Boys of Company C

Response by COL Charles Williams made Mar 5 at 2017 12:51 AM

2017-03-05T00:51:45-05:00

I would say:
1. Saving Private Ryan - Combat... The opening scenes and shock of the 1st time...
2. Blackhawk Down - I was there... very good depiction of the area, and what happened... All except the Mr. T looking leader... I saw no Mr. T looking Somalis.
3. Platoon - the combat scenes... My first Colonel (when I was an LT) was an Infantry Co Commander in Vietnam, and was overrun... We watched it at his house and it was hard for him, very hard... circa 1988?
4. Taking Chance - If you have ever dealt with combat deaths... this film will really get to you. I had to leave more than once and get composed....
5. Full Metal Jacket - While I am not a Marine, the depiction of boot camp was excellent.
6. Officer and Gentlemen - Don't laugh, the depiction of OCS was very accurate, from my experience... and the women looking for an Officer... For the latter, in the Army, that would be places where we have OBC/BOLC.
7. Longest Day, Midway, Bridge too Far - Historically accurate, but not as exciting by today's cinematic standards.
8. Fury - While not completely accurate, I think it captured life in the Sherman. When I was an Armor LT, I escorted a reunion group from 3rd Armored Division, and they all spoke of fighting the Krauts, and how many Shermans it took to take out a Panzer IV...
9. Das Boot - Check it out.
10. Stripes - It was filmed at Fort Knox, with a lot real Soldiers... On of my top 3 favorite movies... And.... Kelly's Heroes... No negative vibes please...

Response by SPC Michael Shaw made Mar 5 at 2017 7:28 AM

2017-03-05T07:28:04-05:00

Fullmetal jacket I thought was real close

Response by SGT Gary Brown made Mar 5 at 2017 8:13 AM

2017-03-05T08:13:35-05:00

Black Hawk down

Response by SSG Josh Gober made Mar 5 at 2017 9:45 AM

2017-03-05T09:45:13-05:00

American Sniper. Thought Clint Eastwood nailed how deployments can effect someone.

Response by SSG Joe Mikeska made Mar 5 at 2017 2:01 PM

2017-03-05T14:01:39-05:00

Act of Valor.

The only movie to have active duty door knockers as the primary cast.

Response by LTC Ltc Butera made Mar 5 at 2017 2:12 PM

2017-03-05T14:12:20-05:00

Although Officer and A Gentleman had the drama of a love story- I found the dealings of his military experience at OCS very realistic

Response by MSgt Rupert Ellis made Mar 5 at 2017 2:49 PM

2017-03-05T14:49:15-05:00

Major Payne starring Damon Wayans

Response by LCpl Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 5 at 2017 4:35 PM

2017-03-05T16:35:45-05:00

Hotel camp fallujah.

Response by PO2 Joey Almond made Mar 5 at 2017 8:56 PM

2017-03-05T20:56:52-05:00

Das Boot. Hands-down.

Response by COL Michael Whitehead made Mar 5 at 2017 9:56 PM

2017-03-05T21:56:09-05:00

My Top 10 Best: Zulu; Pork Chop Hill; Tora, Tora, Tora; Longest Day; Band of Brothers; Pacific; Saving Private Ryan; Platoon; Das Boot; & Apocalypse Now.

Response by PFC Ken Kerrigan made Mar 5 at 2017 9:57 PM

2017-03-05T21:57:00-05:00

Ernest in the Army, Stripes, Heartbreak Ridge, Buck Privates (Abbott and Costello); accurate.

JK, they try, even in the most violent and historically true movies put out, but there's always a key thing missing in each. Band of Brothers had many survivors to consult with along with the original book and a bottomless well of works dedicated to the deeds, weapons, and uniforms, along with the day to day of actually humping from one damn place to another and dealing with the higher ups. I'd say for scope and the large group of people to talk to about it, that Band of Brothers is as close as it could have gotten to the actual experience.

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 5 at 2017 9:59 PM

2017-03-05T21:59:26-05:00

Where the hell is We Were Soldiers? If there was one film that was accurate it was that one. Read the book and it. The film follows it pretty closely

Response by SPC Shane Jacobson made Mar 5 at 2017 10:27 PM

2017-03-05T22:27:09-05:00

We Were Soldiers, Saving Private Ryan, and Blackhawk Down (the medical side at the time, which is still used today at AIT)

Response by PO1 Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 5 at 2017 10:34 PM

2017-03-05T22:34:21-05:00

Jarhead and Generation Kill both. Jar head lets civilians behind the curtain of what it is really like to be in the Marine infantry. It let's you hear Marines talk authentically. Generation Kill did the same, but if you were never in the Marines the very detailed HBO miniseries Generation Kill may not grab a civilians attention very long. Both were were great books first. Jarhead inspired me to write, it was written so grippingly.

Response by SSG George Mathewson made Mar 6 at 2017 12:21 AM

2017-03-06T00:21:07-05:00

I argue. The one that REALLY hit home was We Where Soldiers. God bless those that didn't come and God Bless the families back at. Thank Hal Moore for your leadership and to the men that followed.

Response by 1LT Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 6 at 2017 1:29 AM

2017-03-06T01:29:03-05:00

Stripes!

Response by MSgt Daniel Armstrong made Mar 6 at 2017 4:10 AM

2017-03-06T04:10:00-05:00

Sergeant Bilko

Response by PO2 Scott Koppenhofer made Mar 6 at 2017 6:18 AM

2017-03-06T06:18:12-05:00

Act of Valor

Response by PO2 Joseph Lucas made Mar 6 at 2017 6:57 AM

2017-03-06T06:57:34-05:00

Three Kings

Response by Denise Rhodes made Mar 6 at 2017 11:24 AM

2017-03-06T11:24:01-05:00

Full metal Jacket.

Response by SFC Carey Cox made Mar 6 at 2017 11:57 AM

2017-03-06T11:57:46-05:00

Black hawk down is very accurate. And it also shows just how little President Clinton really cared for the lives of his men. He could have authorized an immediate proper response. I still to this day hold him responsible for the excessive loss of life's because of his cowardness and I truly admire that General on the ground. What he did by waiting until that drug lord was finally taking down before retiring showed his true patriotism.

Response by SPC Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 6 at 2017 12:56 PM

2017-03-06T12:56:54-05:00

I would also have to go with Jarhead. Most was movies I've seen are about large epic battles and milestone in history. Jarhead was the first time I saw the military depicted in that way. Several years later I enlisted and I realized how painfully accurate that movie was.

Response by SFC Richard Bennett made Mar 6 at 2017 6:59 PM

2017-03-06T18:59:36-05:00

Victory at Sea series !

Response by SGT Jared Kennamer made Mar 6 at 2017 8:12 PM

2017-03-06T20:12:44-05:00

No Time For Sergeants. More like an Air Force training documentary.

Response by CW3 Kevin Storm made Mar 6 at 2017 9:02 PM

2017-03-06T21:02:31-05:00

Sgt York:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LmRRhxo0RHc

Sergeant York "Over the Top" Battle Scene

Hollywood Version of the 1918 Battle that earned Alvin C. York the Congressional Medal of Honor. For more on the real life story of Alvin C. York see his per...

Response by CW3 Kevin Storm made Mar 6 at 2017 9:18 PM

2017-03-06T21:18:04-05:00

this movie was banned in Nazi Germany, it won an academy award . I saw it originally in German, with subtitles. Now you can get the movie that IMHO really got the whole thing right:
All Quiet on the Western Front:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hCUPlyNPJNQ Now you

All Quiet on the Western Front

Relive the drama, conflict and power of one of the most influential anti-war films ever made - All Quiet on the Western Front. Universal's first Best Picture...

Response by SrA Timothy Mayo made Mar 6 at 2017 10:02 PM

2017-03-06T22:02:35-05:00

A few years back I had the opportunity to talk to a Vietnam Vet that was in the 1St Air Calvary, he said that the movie "We were soldiers" was really accurate.

Response by Lt Col Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 6 at 2017 10:05 PM

2017-03-06T22:05:51-05:00

Didn't see this movie mentioned, but Memphis Belle was a terrific movie. Not sure how accurate but a great story based on true events.

Response by CPL Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 6 at 2017 11:29 PM

2017-03-06T23:29:18-05:00

American sniper for me was real especially when the engineers where putting up the wall in Sadir city

Response by SP5 Joel O'Brien made Mar 6 at 2017 11:37 PM

2017-03-06T23:37:13-05:00

You'll have to search for "Tribes" (aka: The Tribe) with Jan Michael Vincent. From imdb dot com..."A Marine Corps drill instructor who is disgusted by the fact that the Corps now accepts draftees finds himself pitted against a hippie who has been drafted but refuses to accept the military's way of doing things.'
Another one I'd suggest was shot in post-war Berlin. "The Big Lift" is about Operation Vittles, the Berlin Airlift.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 6 at 2017 11:59 PM

2017-03-06T23:59:55-05:00

Band ofBrothers.

Response by LCpl Nathan Horatschki made Mar 7 at 2017 1:16 PM

2017-03-07T13:16:34-05:00

My granfather who is a vietnam vet always said that platoon was veru accurate

Response by LCpl Jim Colasanti made Mar 8 at 2017 7:51 AM

2017-03-08T07:51:53-05:00

Full Metal Jacket

Response by SPC Craig Miller made Mar 9 at 2017 11:48 AM

2017-03-09T11:48:31-05:00

Iron eagle I-V. Whenever a military child gets upset, we give them the keys to the fighter jets, tanks, whatever they want. Then we let them cross borders and shoot down planes.

Response by Cpl Gabriel F. made Apr 17 at 2017 12:37 AM

2017-04-17T00:37:37-04:00

Full Metal Jacket had some authenticity. One of several exceptions boot camp scenes were filmed at a old brit base. Heads up. in 60"s boot camp Parris Island head had no toilet seats maggots.

Response by TSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 24 at 2017 6:26 PM

2017-04-24T18:26:10-04:00

Office Space.

Don't you dare say I'm wrong, you know I'm right.

Response by SP5 Robert Ruck made Apr 24 at 2017 6:35 PM

2017-04-24T18:35:10-04:00

How about Jack Webb's "The D.I.".

Response by James Watkins made Apr 24 at 2017 8:10 PM

2017-04-24T20:10:51-04:00

From a stateside perspective Pentagon wars is a must see

Response by SGT Aj Moran made Apr 24 at 2017 9:46 PM

2017-04-24T21:46:27-04:00

Gunner palace...documentary but still non-hollywood

Response by MAJ Philip Corbo made Apr 25 at 2017 9:32 AM

2017-04-25T09:32:43-04:00

The Rough Riders

Response by CPL Rick Perry made Apr 25 at 2017 10:48 AM

2017-04-25T10:48:47-04:00

We were Soldiers. On the way back from an early morning run, their "Prick77" picks up radio chatter in Nam. Had to be chilling to know that this is what was waiting for you upon the completion of training..I was a Tower Rat in Germany and on a few occasions around 2 A.M I was able to clearly pick up Lawrence Welk somewhere in the Midwest on our Prick77..

Response by Cpl Guthrie Zuehlke made Apr 25 at 2017 3:40 PM

2017-04-25T15:40:11-04:00

Jarhead is pretty accurate to my time in the Corps (the 90's). I was in fact choked by my senior D.I while in the field 2nd phase. I saw plenty of the crazy behavior especially in the barracks when there were no NCO's around. The frustration of being a Marine, and not getting to do Marine stuff ie fight. obnoxious shit birds...yep. Hazing...uhh yes. A Marine died being hazed in 29 Palms after being burried in the Desert. pouring edge dressing on boot Marines. Platoon Sgt playing games...yep. Jamie Foxx played a really good Platoon Sgt, I have seen very similar types on active duty.

Keep in mind cultures are different unit to unit, and also base cultures differ. For example, life in El Torro is much different than life in 29 Palms.

Response by GySgt Dc Keesling made Apr 25 at 2017 8:43 PM

2017-04-25T20:43:40-04:00

FULL METAL JACKET
They could have had a camera crew following me around in boot camp!
However, the second half of the movie when they went to Vietnam was stupid.

Response by Sgt Michael Rohwer made Apr 26 at 2017 10:36 PM

2017-04-26T22:36:23-04:00

13 hours. One of the few movies based on actual events that Hollywood didn't change the story for time it to over dramatize things.

Response by PO2 Gary Greear made Apr 27 at 2017 9:55 AM

2017-04-27T09:55:41-04:00

The Last Detail

Response by MAJ Philip Corbo made Apr 27 at 2017 1:20 PM

2017-04-27T13:20:16-04:00

A & E's "The Lost Battalion" and "The Crossing"

Response by Isaiah Marlowe made Apr 29 at 2017 9:52 AM

2017-04-29T09:52:30-04:00

My military family likes Olympus has fallen and London has fallen the best, my grandfather was a security guard for people for years as well as a green beret and he talks about the realism in the fighting to kill them fast not look cool.

Response by Dennis Fastenow made Apr 29 at 2017 10:58 PM

2017-04-29T22:58:04-04:00

Anyone like Tears of the Sun?

Response by SrA Jesse Logan made Apr 29 at 2017 11:03 PM

2017-04-29T23:03:59-04:00

Starship Troopers pretty much nails it.

Response by CPL Mark McLean made Apr 30 at 2017 4:18 PM

2017-04-30T16:18:41-04:00

*full metal jacket
*Platoon
*Apocalypse Now
Casualties of War
Honorable mention to Born on the Fourth of July

Response by CPL Richard Hacker made Apr 30 at 2017 9:50 PM

2017-04-30T21:50:29-04:00

Act of valor, we were soldier's, hacksaw ridge, saving private Ryan, letters from iwo jima and flags of our father.. just to name a few

Response by SPC John Steinke made May 1 at 2017 12:46 AM

2017-05-01T00:46:51-04:00

Platoon. Theatre in Fayetteville asked nam vets not to see alone

Response by CPO Raymond Kurtz made May 1 at 2017 2:58 PM

2017-05-01T14:58:15-04:00

Battle of Britain. It used real World War Ii aircraft and no CGI. The acting was superb.

Response by SSG Stephan Pendarvis made May 1 at 2017 3:17 PM

2017-05-01T15:17:35-04:00

Hamburger Hill

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made May 1 at 2017 11:08 PM

2017-05-01T23:08:28-04:00

Two of my favorites are "the boys in company c" and "seige on fire base gloria" both Vietnam based movies.

Response by Bob Cole made May 2 at 2017 4:06 PM

2017-05-02T16:06:51-04:00

The Enemy Below. Perfectly accurate? No. But it captured the cat and mouse game between submarine and sub hunter pretty well. And it showed the German U-Boat Commander and American Destroyer Captain as just men trying to do a job. The German was not a wild eyed Nazi (and he was somewhat bemused by the hard core Nazi under his command), and the American, while very skilled tactically (predicted the exact timing of the first torpedo launch) was not perfect, and was realistic in his estimation of the sub having the advantage.

Response by SFC Gary Orosco made May 2 at 2017 9:11 PM

2017-05-02T21:11:19-04:00

Blackhawk down

Response by SSG Myke Dorgan made May 3 at 2017 10:30 AM

2017-05-03T10:30:11-04:00

Memorial Day. Amazing movie

Response by PO2 Private RallyPoint Member made May 3 at 2017 10:36 PM

2017-05-03T22:36:18-04:00

Down parascope is the most realistic submarine movie of all time. We are just that nuts

Response by SPC Phillip Meece made May 4 at 2017 2:37 AM

2017-05-04T02:37:08-04:00

Sand Castle on Netflix. REALLY showed the frustration of the COIN fight.

Response by SGT Randall Smith made May 6 at 2017 1:04 PM

2017-05-06T13:04:36-04:00

We were Soldiers. I did not sleep for two weeks.

Response by SSgt Private RallyPoint Member made May 7 at 2017 3:51 AM

2017-05-07T03:51:37-04:00

I would have to say Hurt Locker. If you haven't seen it's a good one.

Response by GySgt Joe Tajc made May 7 at 2017 11:02 PM

2017-05-07T23:02:03-04:00

Pacific. The scenes showing the amtracs loading and then leaving the activity of the ship's into the chaos of the amphibious assault onto Peleliu and the subsequent charge across the airfield are tremendous.

Response by SP6 Mark Powers made May 8 at 2017 8:11 AM

2017-05-08T08:11:08-04:00

Blackhawk down is a good one

Response by SSgt Private RallyPoint Member made May 8 at 2017 9:02 AM

2017-05-08T09:02:14-04:00

this was my #1 realest USMC movie i have seen

Response by PO3 Private RallyPoint Member made May 8 at 2017 3:10 PM

2017-05-08T15:10:58-04:00

The Last Detail
Mr. Roberts

Response by SSG David Annable made May 8 at 2017 3:28 PM

2017-05-08T15:28:27-04:00

Netflix just came out with Sand Castle. It gets to the heart of what we had to deal with. The Director wrote the screen play from his memoirs of his time spent in country. From beginning to end, I kept on saying "yup, they got that right".
Boys of Abu Ghirab is another one that had me thinking the same thing.

Response by PO1 Paul Scherer made May 9 at 2017 10:22 AM

2017-05-09T10:22:41-04:00

As I haven't seen any from a Navy/Submarine Force side I would have to say U-571, it does a pretty good job of showing what life was like on the old Diesel Boat subs.

Response by TSgt Steve Wheeler made May 9 at 2017 6:08 PM

2017-05-09T18:08:57-04:00

"Hamburger Hill". I share this because I belief that the film was accurate. I was active duty USAF @ the time and I was working part-time @ a local theater. @ the end of the movie the crowd released except for one elderly gentleman. The credits also listed all that were killed in that hill during the battle. I approached the man and asked if had served during Viet Nam. He responded, "No, but my son served. He fought on that hill and was killed. If you do not mind I want to make sure my son is listed with his buddies." I will never forget that conversation and where it took place.

Response by LCpl Andre Jefferson made May 9 at 2017 9:36 PM

2017-05-09T21:36:36-04:00

Jarhead was my time in. A whole lot of nothing for nothing. The 80's were boring.

Response by Cpl Dawson Hargett made May 9 at 2017 11:11 PM

2017-05-09T23:11:02-04:00

Its not a movie but a mini series the Pacific

Response by Maj Bill Smith, Ph.D. made May 10 at 2017 12:37 AM

2017-05-10T00:37:39-04:00

Setting aside accuracy by a majority if movie makers, there are several military movies about battles and places where I have visited in my milatary career. A couple movies that were not necessarily accurate in every detail did impact in my life. One was the "Battle of the Bulge." Even with its issues addressing top brass etc, it depicted the eventual misserable condition for ground troops that existed when the Germans attacked in a Winter storm. My birth father was an infantryman in that battle and was awarded the Silver Star. He was a rascal in other parts of his later life but when confronted in battle showed valor in combat. Seeing the movie helped me to understand his service in this battle.

The other was "Good Morning Vietnam." After Vietnam War, I was burdened with having lost too many comrades and several H.S. classmates in the war. I also detested those fellow Americans who showed hatred toward us during the war. While I got on with my military career, I didn't not watch any war movies about Vietnam. When the Vietnam memorial Wall was built, I would not go to the wall. Then I experienced seeing movie "Good Morning Vietnam", not by choice, at a brother-in-law home who wanted me to watch the movie with him. For some reason, the movie touched me and I found myself actually with tears. While many of my H.S friends & military comrades were died in this war, the humor in the movie combined with tragedy did more than a "blood and guts" movie to help me move on.

A few years later, with my wife's encouragement, we visited the Vietnam Memorial Wall. I looked up the locations and names of friends in the index and started down the long path to the section with one of my former high school classmates. All of sudden a beam of light shined directly on the panel I stopped before and I was staring at my own name, including my middle, name, on the Wall. I heard a quite voice speak to me (Your name is on the wall but you are not.) I admit I became a little emotional and after a few tears all bitterness leave me. I later reviewed the record of this individual and then also found that several others with my same name in various forms (Christian and nick name) were on the Wall. I still honor these people by remembering them and others.

It was a movie that impacted me to finally get over my bitterness. Thus, I can attest war movies can impact us in varied ways. If you read this far, thank you for your service to our country.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made May 10 at 2017 7:06 PM

2017-05-10T19:06:04-04:00

I'd say there are many movies out there that accurately portray the military, some more than others.
There are great ones like Glory and Saving Private Ryan, which, IMO, accurately reflect the experiences during said conflicts and are accurate depictions of combat and the military. There are also those like Navy SEALs and Act of Valor and Hurt Locker which are enjoyable to watch but one with even a little experience can pick them apart till there is nothing left.

For me, I thoroughly love Black Hawk Down. BHD accurately portrays the relationship fellow soldiers, especially SOF soldiers share, and the issues we deal with. It shows some lighter sides, with a little mikitary comedy, but also depicts the realism and grit of battle. BHD is a great movie, and is great reenactment of Mogadishu, 1993.

Response by SrA Jesse Logan made May 10 at 2017 10:29 PM

2017-05-10T22:29:59-04:00

Down Periscope

Response by SFC Melissa Squires made May 11 at 2017 3:33 PM

2017-05-11T15:33:08-04:00

The Hurt Locker. I was there in 2003 and 2004 and that movie was accurate.

Response by PFC Private RallyPoint Member made May 12 at 2017 7:37 AM

2017-05-12T07:37:48-04:00

Blackhawk Down.

Response by SPC Dave Marks made May 13 at 2017 3:09 PM

2017-05-13T15:09:24-04:00

Most accurate depiction of the soldiers that I served with, that's easy, "Kelly's Heroes."

Uniform, equipment, and country music mistakes are obvious; but it captures the military mindset of the other 80% of the Army, who aren't hard charging, bullet biting, bad asses.

Response by SN Private RallyPoint Member made May 13 at 2017 3:19 PM

2017-05-13T15:19:00-04:00

Definitely NOT "The Guardian." A more accurate Coast Guard movie would be "The Finest Hours" but "The Guardian" is inaccurate as anything. What he does is not all that rescue swimmers do.

Response by PFC Mathew Mabs made May 13 at 2017 11:33 PM

2017-05-13T23:33:11-04:00

Black Hawk Down and Saving Private Ryan

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made May 14 at 2017 8:03 AM

2017-05-14T08:03:05-04:00

Truth be told, but I tend to find that the most realistic movies are foreign made. For example, Stalingrad, The Boat (Das Boat) and Downfall are all German made, but without the Hollywood Puffery.

Response by SP5 David Probst made May 14 at 2017 9:06 AM

2017-05-14T09:06:32-04:00

Didn't serve in WWII, so most of the movie I can't speak for as far as accuracy, but the best jump footage I've seen was in A Bridge Too Far.

Response by SSgt Private RallyPoint Member made May 14 at 2017 1:34 PM

2017-05-14T13:34:24-04:00

Can we all agree Saving Private Ryan was snubbed at the Osars, and The Hurt Locker had no business being nominated, let alone winning best picture?!

Response by PO3 Eric Czynszak made May 14 at 2017 1:38 PM

2017-05-14T13:38:00-04:00

BAT 21 is a great Vietnam era movie and after reading up on the story I think they got it pretty close to the truth. My dad was there at the time and remembers all of what was going on. He was a 60 gunner on a Jolly Green picking up pilots who crashed in the jungle.

Response by MSG James Douglas made May 14 at 2017 8:19 PM

2017-05-14T20:19:14-04:00

Surprised no one has mentioned "Platoon".....

Response by SFC Ron Gitzendanner made May 14 at 2017 10:40 PM

2017-05-14T22:40:20-04:00

Hands down, "The Dirty Dozen"!!!!!! The story in general, alittle hokey, but the expressions, mannerisms etc were dead on!!! I saw many real like buddies in most of the characters in the movie.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made May 15 at 2017 1:05 PM

2017-05-15T13:05:49-04:00

Blackhawk down

Response by SFC Joe Motley made May 17 at 2017 2:16 PM

2017-05-17T14:16:38-04:00

There was a Clint Eastwood movie where he took a slacked up recon platoon and took their proficiency level up a couple notches. I wasn't a Marine so can't speak for some of it but it does show how important leadership is especially for small units. Leadership yep. Twelve O'clock High is another one that focuses on leadership. I've seen some units like the 4077th in the original movie Mash. Pretty real in some units.

Response by SPC Private RallyPoint Member made May 18 at 2017 12:42 PM

2017-05-18T12:42:08-04:00

Black Hawk Down was a great movie and was very realistic

Response by 1st Lt Private RallyPoint Member made May 18 at 2017 3:47 PM

2017-05-18T15:47:48-04:00

Not necessarily a military movie, but Zero Dark Thirty did a good job showcasing the modern counter-terror targeting cycle.

Response by TSgt J.L. Brown Jr made May 19 at 2017 12:04 AM

2017-05-19T00:04:43-04:00

Sink the Bismark
battle of the bulge

Response by TSgt George Rodriguez made May 21 at 2017 8:38 PM

2017-05-21T20:38:17-04:00

Victory at Sea. The series. I know its not a movie but a historical series.

Response by Sgt Heriberto Salinas made May 21 at 2017 8:39 PM

2017-05-21T20:39:03-04:00

I have some friends in Hollywood, and during discussion they talk about controversie. They don't care about accuracy. They just want ratings. To them, inaccuracies are just ideas. (What if it actually happened like this). You can't look to Hollywood for history, or actuall historical facts, it's just entertainment.

Response by TSgt George Rodriguez made May 21 at 2017 9:13 PM

2017-05-21T21:13:19-04:00

Windtalkers. Showing light on the Navaho Indians and their participation in the pacific conflict.

Response by SSG Don Maggart made May 26 at 2017 8:26 PM

2017-05-26T20:26:59-04:00

/watch?v=6jlVdC4qxsQ

Response by CDR Ed Griffith made May 30 at 2017 2:17 PM

2017-05-30T14:17:34-04:00

A Bridge Too Far
12 O'Clock High
Tora Tora Tora
Mr. Roberts
The Caine Mutiny

Of course no film is perfect, but some capture the feelings and atmosphere pretty well. In the Navy there were both officers as fine and officers as poor as those depicted above.
Fonda was in the real Navy and I was moved after a song by the Naval Academy that the leader saluted Fonda and said, "Thank you Mr. Roberts!"

Response by SGT Don Hebert made May 30 at 2017 7:23 PM

2017-05-30T19:23:42-04:00

We Were Soldiers, that is all I am saying. I watch it every year on Veterans Day

Response by SSG John Jensen made Jun 5 at 2017 2:22 AM

2017-06-05T02:22:43-04:00

"A Bridge too Far" they gathered all still flying DC-3s for it, and all of the Shermans gathered for it.

"Bridge at Remagen" elements of PTSD in primary charachters

Response by SFC Charles Temm made Jun 5 at 2017 8:08 AM

2017-06-05T08:08:24-04:00

Hamburger Hill, Pork Chop Hill, & Black Hawk Down are three I had few probs w/and vets of those conflicts that I met over the years said the same. Gardens of Stone I can attest to as things hadn't changed a few years later when I was a regular in the old 193d Inf Bde

The beach scene in Saving Pvt Ryan ditto for kudos

Das Boote & Winter Wars are 2 foreign ones that come to mind also

Response by LTC Ronald Stephens made Jun 5 at 2017 11:58 AM

2017-06-05T11:58:12-04:00

Several come to mind: "Forest Gump, as a veteran of the Viet Nam War the mortar sequence hit really close to home for me. Not exactly a war movie but I'm told I had a death grip on my wife's hand when we watched it. Next is "We Were Soldiers--Once, and Young". While many of the battles weren't that long, and some were much longer, ALL were very intense when underway even if just for seconds. For the WWII vets of the European Theatre I can believe "Saving Private Ryan" probably nailed it.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 7 at 2017 2:41 PM

2017-06-07T14:41:07-04:00

Stop Loss was a good movie.

Response by SGT Jerry Lee made Jun 8 at 2017 3:36 PM

2017-06-08T15:36:39-04:00

84 Charlie MoPic.

Response by PO1 William Seifert made Jun 9 at 2017 5:41 AM

2017-06-09T05:41:36-04:00

"To hell and back" starring Audie Murphy who plays himself. He was one of the most decorated soldiers in WWII.

Response by CAPT Hiram Patterson made Jun 9 at 2017 11:39 AM

2017-06-09T11:39:07-04:00

The Longest Day, Hamburger Hill and Tora, Tora, Tora.

Response by PO1 Randy Palermo made Jun 13 at 2017 7:18 AM

2017-06-13T07:18:04-04:00

Little known movie 84C MoPic

Response by SCPO Stephen Alexander made Jun 15 at 2017 4:02 PM

2017-06-15T16:02:58-04:00

The 2009 Historical Drama, 'Taking Chance', has Kevin Bacon as LtCol Michael Strobl, escorting the remains of PFC Chance Phelps (KIA in Iraq) back to his hometown for burial. I thought it was very well done. It took several tissues to get through some of the scenes.

Response by SrA Troy Barber made Jun 16 at 2017 4:32 AM

2017-06-16T04:32:39-04:00

Going to age myself here but the movie "The Boys in Company C" was a great movie and had a real and accurate tone in it from what was told to me by an old Vet.

Response by PO2 J.D. Thomas made Jun 16 at 2017 5:37 AM

2017-06-16T05:37:31-04:00

Hacksaw Ridge!

Response by MSG Frederick Otero made Jun 18 at 2017 8:30 PM

2017-06-18T20:30:53-04:00

Have to give credit to Jack Webb in "The D.I" as a majority of the boot camp trainees were on duty Marines. recommend viewing.

Response by MSgt Darren VanDerwilt made Jun 23 at 2017 8:24 PM

2017-06-23T20:24:48-04:00

Here's a fun show to watch on Youtube called History Buffs, he looks for historical accuracy (with a Rule Britannia bias) in movies.
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwjYyN6Mm9XUAhUUU2MKHUzvCToQtwIIIjAA&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3D9PfdQod8HTw&usg=AFQjCNHVVQXkcsT0e0VuA8jB97PB9f0pgg

url

Response by 1LT Tom Wilson made Jun 24 at 2017 8:00 PM

2017-06-24T20:00:50-04:00

Platoon, Das Boot, Aliens.

Response by MSgt James "Buck" Buchanan made Jun 26 at 2017 10:06 PM

2017-06-26T22:06:41-04:00

IMO, "TORA! TORA! TORA!" seems to try and tell the story of the attack on Pearl Harbor in a very realistic way. It definitely shows the confidence (over-confidence?) of the Japanese and the naivete of the Americans.

Response by SSG Edward Tilton made Jun 29 at 2017 8:11 PM

2017-06-29T20:11:14-04:00

Lost Battalion, Rick Schroeder, true story. Best I've seen

Response by PO2 Gerry Roberson Sr. made Jun 29 at 2017 8:31 PM

2017-06-29T20:31:32-04:00

Saving Private Ryan, Hacksaw Ridge, Band of Brothers, The Pacific, The Lost Battalion.

Response by SP5 Charles Willoughby made Jun 29 at 2017 9:28 PM

2017-06-29T21:28:09-04:00

Gallipoli. War sucks, necessary sometimes but it sucks. Former SOG.

Response by Sgt Den OBrien made Jun 30 at 2017 2:01 PM

2017-06-30T14:01:51-04:00

....." A Rumor of War" comes to mind as does "We Were Soldiers once....." . I'll give "literary license" to Kubrick with "Full Metal Jacket".......being in boot camp on Christmas and then in Nam for Tet and a few other inaccuracies, but the boot camp part was outstanding.

Response by MSgt Alfred Lagrimas made Jul 6 at 2017 9:56 PM

2017-07-06T21:56:03-04:00

Grew up on them Audy Murphy, John Wayne movies. 'Platoon' from where I was, was most accurate, the red neck boys n the motown boys division, the burning shit I could smell, the mortar flares popping n casting shadows, can't see for shit at night in Nam...basic in 'Full Metal'

Response by SPC Chip Quinteros made Jul 6 at 2017 11:24 PM

2017-07-06T23:24:55-04:00

Here's an odd one. The Objective. It's a sci-fi flick but the SF team was very convincing in tactics and behavior. The Team Sgt was actual SF, which probably helped.

Response by CWO3 Dennis M. made Jul 6 at 2017 11:44 PM

2017-07-06T23:44:44-04:00

The final Detail with Jack Nicholson as a crusty 1st class Petty Officer taking a kid to the brig in Portsmouth NH as a shore patrol LPO.> There is a quote in the movie where they take the kid to a bar and ask for three bears. The bartender asked for ID. Jack does not comply. The bartender sates he will call the Shore patrol, And Jack slams his .45 cal Pistol on the bar and state "I am the f.in Shure patrol, now give the kid a drink"

Response by CPT Wes Marsh made Jul 7 at 2017 11:55 AM

2017-07-07T11:55:11-04:00

'All Quite on the Western Front'. The original with Lew Ayers and the remake with John-Boy and Cmdr McHale.

Response by CPT Wes Marsh made Jul 7 at 2017 12:14 PM

2017-07-07T12:14:20-04:00

Well, Private Dennis, having read your question and many of the responses, I think you will find that the fog of war covers all.

Response by CPL Richard Flagg made Jul 10 at 2017 12:31 AM

2017-07-10T00:31:14-04:00

A Bridge Too Far, which depicts Operation Market Garden during WW2 when the Allies conducted the largest Airborne assault to capture strategic bridges in Holland with the hope of ending the war by December 44'. A very good film overall depicting the bravery of American, British, and Polish airborne forces in this operation.

Response by CW2 Bill Schober made Jul 10 at 2017 10:38 PM

2017-07-10T22:38:37-04:00

We were sodiers once...and young

Response by COL Robert Griffiths made Jul 12 at 2017 12:54 PM

2017-07-12T12:54:59-04:00

Dr Strangeglove or How I Learned to Love the Bomb.

Response by MAJ John Douglas made Jul 13 at 2017 4:14 PM

2017-07-13T16:14:53-04:00

The D Day scenes on Saving Private Ryan and The Longest Day are among the best. The anti Vietnam war movies are among the worst. And The Green Berets made Vietnam look a lot like South Georgia where I grew up.

Response by SPC Brian Stephens made Jul 17 at 2017 4:09 PM

2017-07-17T16:09:55-04:00

Did anybody mention Stripes?

Response by SPC Harry Laity made Jul 18 at 2017 8:36 AM

2017-07-18T08:36:08-04:00

Midway. A Bridge Too Far. To Hell and Back. The Longest Day. Great classics with accuracy

Response by PFC Dwyer Program Putnam County made Jul 24 at 2017 1:10 PM

2017-07-24T13:10:51-04:00

I also thought 'Taking Chance' was a very good film.

Response by SFC Larry Jones made Jul 24 at 2017 6:22 PM

2017-07-24T18:22:41-04:00

We Were Solders Once............and Young

Response by Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 24 at 2017 8:35 PM

2017-07-24T20:35:34-04:00

"Jarhead"

Response by Patrick J Salem made Jul 25 at 2017 9:26 AM

2017-07-25T09:26:16-04:00

As a veteran of Chosin Reservoir told me about military movies: they're all just stories until they figure out a way to broadcast the smell.

Response by Sgt Wayne Wienke made Jul 25 at 2017 12:27 PM

2017-07-25T12:27:15-04:00

Full Metal Jacket, Saving Private Ryan

Response by MSgt Mike (Lobo VNV Original) Morrow made Jul 25 at 2017 3:25 PM

2017-07-25T15:25:19-04:00

"Saving Private Ryan" was outstanding, but for me and my era it was "We Were Soldiers Once and Young". I was in a plane when the 'Broken Arrow" was called, I didn't realize that until that portion of the movie was shown.

Response by SSG Kenneth Lanning made Jul 29 at 2017 3:19 AM

2017-07-29T03:19:43-04:00

Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas-not a single inconsistency with Military accuracy :)

Response by SGT Mary G. made Jul 31 at 2017 2:15 AM

2017-07-31T02:15:48-04:00

Oldie but goodie - The Big Red One.

Response by MSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 2 at 2017 2:44 PM

2017-08-02T14:44:15-04:00

In the Army Now. Sums up Guard life in 90 minutes.

Response by PFC Pamala (Hall) Foster made Aug 7 at 2017 11:56 AM

2017-08-07T11:56:59-04:00

I was able to see American Sniper-but cried at the ending-and my fiance can NOT watch it again and neither can I cause it hits us both. Watching military movies is a NO GO for me cause of how emotional I get

Response by PO2 Scott Brunwasser made Aug 10 at 2017 5:27 PM

2017-08-10T17:27:21-04:00

Black Hawk Down. Can't watch it.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 11 at 2017 8:43 AM

2017-08-11T08:43:28-04:00

The Hurt Locker. Horrible plot line but the background detail was spot on.

Response by CPO Brian Moscoe made Aug 11 at 2017 1:15 PM

2017-08-11T13:15:43-04:00

Pacific, great flick, had to paste in below for reference. This movie was very very accurate .
Executive produced by Tom Hanks, Steven Spielberg, and Gary Goetzman, The Pacific is an epic ten-part miniseries. The Pacific tracks the intertwined real-life stories of three U.S. Marines – Robert Leckie, John Basilone, and Eugene Sledge – across the vast canvas of the Pacific Theater during World War II.

Response by MSG Ronnie Snider made Aug 16 at 2017 12:22 PM

2017-08-16T12:22:00-04:00

By far Patton and resent movie Home of the Brave

Response by SrA Ralph Gilbert made Aug 17 at 2017 2:01 AM

2017-08-17T02:01:14-04:00

Hacksaw ridge was great till the Commando Kelly shot ( WW2 BS artist )

Response by MSG Michael McEleney made Aug 17 at 2017 12:43 PM

2017-08-17T12:43:03-04:00

Finding Private Ryan

Response by Col Neil Schuehle made Aug 20 at 2017 12:13 PM

2017-08-20T12:13:11-04:00

The Light Horsemen (skip the drama and head to the battle of the Light Horse at Beersheba .. one of the best horse scenes ever)

84C MoPic

Response by LTC John Wilson made Aug 26 at 2017 7:20 PM

2017-08-26T19:20:56-04:00

The longest Day was the movie that kept reminding me of the sacrifices our men made to liberate Europe. The obstacles in front of them did not deter them from taking them or retreating and wanting to get back on the boats.
The Actors in the movies were legend and they filled their roles with authenticity that made many of the combat Vets, laugh and scream at the screen. God bless the greatest generation and the people that supported them to win WWII>

Response by SSgt William (Bill) Pangrass made Aug 26 at 2017 9:48 PM

2017-08-26T21:48:14-04:00

Breaker Morant, it lets you know that soldiers lives are secondary to political expediency.

Response by SGT Christopher Lachcik made Aug 27 at 2017 9:03 AM

2017-08-27T09:03:23-04:00

Fury

Response by PO1 Edward Pate made Aug 29 at 2017 10:41 AM

2017-08-29T10:41:37-04:00

Have to throw a few Navy ones in there I like. The Enemy Below, Das Boot, Midway, Hunt for Red October, Crimson Tide, The Cain Mutiny, Run Silent Run Deep, Operation Pacific, They Were Expendable are just a few.

Response by SP5 Joel O'Brien made Aug 31 at 2017 6:40 PM

2017-08-31T18:40:35-04:00

You may have to search for "Tribes"(aka: The Tribe") as it's not on DVD. It was a made-for-TV movie involving a draftee to the Marines. I'd also suggest "War and Remembrance", a lengthy mini series of WWII with a ton of famous folks in the cast.

Response by CPL Dave Hoover made Sep 12 at 2017 6:43 AM

2017-09-12T06:43:29-04:00

"We Were Soldiers " My brother was in Vietnam and before he passed away from agent orange he said it was the most accurate movie.

Response by CAPT Steve E. made Sep 18 at 2017 1:05 PM

2017-09-18T13:05:34-04:00

Das Boot from a submariner's view.

Response by PO3 Jerry Webb made Sep 23 at 2017 9:48 AM

2017-09-23T09:48:36-04:00

Cinderlla Liberty is a good one; along with Last Detail.

Response by Sgt John Koliha made Oct 2 at 2017 9:07 AM

2017-10-02T09:07:42-04:00

Not exactly a movie, but a TV movie from the early 70's. TRIBES starring Darrin McGavin, Jan Michael Vincent and Earl Holliman. Best depiction of Marine Boot Camp ever. Also, if you want to know the difference between a"lifer" and a "Career Marine" this is it.

Response by MAJ William Cussins made Oct 3 at 2017 6:32 PM

2017-10-03T18:32:17-04:00

"Taking Chance". The USMC and the Army do Notification and CAO differently, (USMC combines them, the Army has two different Soldiers or officers, one for each) but the effect is the same. No greater honor exists than to bring a fellow Soldier, Marine, Sailor, or Airman HOME. To notify the next of kin is incredibly hard, and then to help them through the rest as a CAO is the fulfilling part. Kevin Bacon captured the essence of the escort officer beautifully, and the film showed how DoD (almost all of the time) takes such loving care of our nations fallen.

Response by SSgt Nicholas Merchant made Oct 8 at 2017 2:58 AM

2017-10-08T02:58:48-04:00

13 hrs I was assigned as an elite security forces member to a 30 man team charged with defense of our 2nd embassy in Monrovia, Liberia after the first was bombed in July 2013 13 hrs was as accurate as possible from hollywood, also The Siege of Jadotville extremely accurate the soldires involved said it was like someone filmed them as it happened even the actors looked like the guys they portrayed

Response by SPC Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 9 at 2017 9:48 PM

2017-10-09T21:48:38-04:00

I liked the movie Red Tails about the Tuskegee Airmen I got to meet one one time when I was in the military and Air Show

Response by SFC Bill Meeler made Oct 10 at 2017 11:50 AM

2017-10-10T11:50:13-04:00

I thought McArthur was a good movie.

Response by HN Gary Walker made Oct 18 at 2017 2:22 PM

2017-10-18T14:22:27-04:00

Saving Private Ryan, We where Soldiers and a shout to Black Hawk Down. Can we Count Band of Brothers, also very good. The older I get the harder it is for me to watch any of these. Respect to all of our Military, present and past.

Response by Maj Richard ("Dick") Cole made Oct 21 at 2017 12:07 PM

2017-10-21T12:07:48-04:00

Well, I see most of the answers here are from the ground guys. There hasn't been a really good flying movie in FOREVER! "Top Gun," while entertaining was replete with errors and anything made about the Air Force has been a complete joke ("Twilight's Last Gleaming," "Tuskegee Airmen," "Memphis Belle," "Air Force One," etc.), and rife with errors. Some of them were entertaining, but you'll find lots of mistakes! I don't think there has been a really accurate movie about the Air Force since "A Gathering Of Eagles," which pretty well portrays life in a B-52G wing during the heyday of the Strategic Air Command. (The romance is pretty goofy, but the other stuff is pretty spot on.) I'm looking forward to the Tom Hanks production of "The Mighty Eighth." If it is done as well as "Band of Brothers" and "The Pacific," that will be a GREAT series. We need a good movie about today's Air Force that portrays the hard task of fighting an air war from forward deployed areas and the mix of man and technology to accomplish the mission.

As to the primary question, my favorite war flicks, which I think are pretty accurate, are: "Saving Private Ryan," "We Were Soldiers Once, and Young," "13 Hours," and "Zero Dark Thirty."

Response by CW3 Kevin Storm made Oct 21 at 2017 1:54 PM

2017-10-21T13:54:12-04:00

All quiet on the Western Front, It is a very old black and white film, and was banned by the Nazi's. It shows the life of a soldier in German Army in WWI. There is also a movie on Sgt York, that was a great film as well.

Response by CPO David Ransom made Oct 21 at 2017 4:14 PM

2017-10-21T16:14:07-04:00

Down Periscope uses things that happen on Navy ships as humor.

Response by A1C Isa Kocher made Oct 24 at 2017 3:52 PM

2017-10-24T15:52:02-04:00

in the top 20 or so or top 100
Starship Troopers

Response by TSgt Robert Allen made Oct 29 at 2017 10:05 PM

2017-10-29T22:05:59-04:00

Tora Tora Tora The screenplay was based on information from the books of the military historian Ladislas Farago. The production team took great pains to be as accurate as it could.

Response by SSG James Behnke made Oct 30 at 2017 7:07 AM

2017-10-30T07:07:39-04:00

ACT
OF
VALOR.

Response by CPT Gary Wilkins made Nov 4 at 2017 10:09 PM

2017-11-04T22:09:06-04:00

Saving Private Ryan (opening scene in particular), Band of Brothers, The Pacific, Generation War (German production--and some of the most accurate uniformology I've ever seen); Dresden (German production), and Das Boot (German production, also excellent uniform work), of course and to some degree, Stalingrad (same director, Wolfgang Petersen)--all my opinion. Every now and then there are little errors, but for the most part all are quite well done. As for realism in actual military vehicles, most major studio US movies about WWII didn't even try--they just used older American armor painted gray with a Balkenkreuz added, no accuracy at all. Der Stern von Afrika (The Star of Afrika, German production) about Luftwaffe fighter ace Hans Joachim Marseille, filmed in 1957, used real Spanish Air Force licensed Me-109s (the Hispano Aviacion HA-1112)--though without the German inverted V-12 Daimler DB 601/605 engine. The HA1112's 1300 horsepower engine is an upright V-12, so the exhaust ports compared to a German 109 are far too high up on the engine cowling, as on a Spitfire; still, an impressive attempt at accuracy and kind of necessary, given the subject of the film. The 1946 British film "Theirs is the Glory" about the battle for Arnhem was actually filmed in Arnhem in 1946--the town still damaged--and used many of the British paratroopers who served; actual German vehicles were still around--the film shows a running Panther tank (i.e., SdKfz-171; just overlook the flank shot shell hole in the side of the turret as it drives by! ), a Tiger 1 (SdKfz-181); there's even an actual Tiger II (SdKfz-182) in a side street which they set afire--amazing in that sense of vehicle realism. The operational Tiger 1 in the movie "Fury" (the only real Tiger 1 used since 1946 in a Western film) is the Tiger 1 (no. 131) taken more or less intact by the British in north Africa soon after it was first introduced (the German crew for some reason failed to follow orders and destroy it) and owned by the Bovington Tank Museum in the UK. There are YouTube vids of its rebuilt Maybach engine being started for the first time, awesome stuff. Fury also shows a brief shot of a destroyed Panzer IV (i.e., Sd.Kfz. 161). The Tiger 1s used in Saving Private Ryan were modified from former Soviet T-34 tanks; pretty convincing turret and body shape (though a tad narrow), but the suspension system (e.g., narrow tracks, non-overlapping road wheels and lack of a toothed front drive sprocket) is a dead giveaway if you know your armor, and since the turrets of Soviet tanks are all mounted forward of the hull's center point (German tank turrets were center mounted), that can also give a clue. The Tiger 1s used in Kelly's Heroes were also very well done--but again were actually built onto a modified Soviet T-34 tank chassis.

Response by PO2 David Allender made Nov 5 at 2017 11:31 PM

2017-11-05T23:31:42-05:00

For me there are several movies out that were good: "WE WERE SOLDIERS, ONCE AND YOUNG," "THE BOYS OF COMPANY C;" and last, but not the least. "FAITH OF OUR FATHERS."

Response by Lp Beorn made Nov 5 at 2017 11:48 PM

2017-11-05T23:48:24-05:00

Most people don't remember it anymore (and on top of that, it's in B&W), but I think "A Walk in the Sun" tells it well.

If you've never seen it, you owe it to yourself to check it out.

Response by PO2 David Allender made Nov 7 at 2017 2:46 PM

2017-11-07T14:46:35-05:00

I forgot to enter the best movie that I have seen: "TO END ALL WARS." A true story during World War Two, in the Pacific theater. Man turns bad in war time, no matter which nation he is from. This is a tragic story of such a time. We could all learn from this movie. I pray to GOD that we (All mankind) will.

Response by MSgt Don Dobbs made Nov 7 at 2017 3:29 PM

2017-11-07T15:29:45-05:00

Hacksaw ridge.

Response by SPC William Pearce made Nov 8 at 2017 8:22 PM

2017-11-08T20:22:36-05:00

No one has mentioned the movie Stripes with Bill Murry so, I'll throw it out there. The Longest Day is awesome.

Response by Cpl Kevin Williams made Nov 9 at 2017 1:27 PM

2017-11-09T13:27:28-05:00

Almost anything done since the Deer Hunter, that was a bridge too far. I think the best of recent years are Saving Private Ryan, The Hurt Locker and Zero Dark Thirty...

Response by Chris Smith made Nov 14 at 2017 7:29 AM

2017-11-14T07:29:02-05:00

My dad was a WW2 combat-wounded vet - Iwo Jima - but he had already passed away by the time the movie came out, so I never got to ask him what he thought of it......even if he could have willed himself to go see it. I saw Saving Private Ryan the week it opened, in a big-screen theater. I had sat through all the previews, etc., while gulping down a large soda. Near the very end of the beach scene, just after they break through and start climbing up Dog One, I had to go take a leak pretty bad. When I got to the restroom, there was maybe 6 or 7 men my dad’s age, just standing in there and silently crying. It was a powerful moment. I kept my mouth shut and eyes down, and I finished my business. When I left, I had something in my eye and difficulty swallowing. Imagining what my dad must have gone through, at that moment I probably felt the worst for him than I ever had before.

Response by SPC Ernest Conner made Nov 14 at 2017 3:39 PM

2017-11-14T15:39:49-05:00

Though I was never deployed Black Hawk Down was a hard movie for me to watch! I want to climb in and help ! Even though it would not have helped I feel one more man or one more weapon could have brought them home! As for its accuracy I can only say it look real enough!

Response by SFC Keith Sollazzo made Nov 15 at 2017 5:51 PM

2017-11-15T17:51:08-05:00

PFC Dennis, It is credible that you seek knowledge, however most of us don't watch that stuff due to being a trigger item to things we are learning to deal with. I hope that someone was able to answer your question. May God protect you from harm.

Response by SP5 Jim Ford made Nov 17 at 2017 1:02 AM

2017-11-17T01:02:44-05:00

I was born 13 months before the landing at Omaha Beach. I watched "Saving Private Ryan" with my wife and another slightly older couple in a packed theater. Once the depiction of the landing began all conversations stopped and the entire audience was stunned. When the film ended and the lights came up people rose slowly out of their seats in a hushed and reverant silence I had only experience once before visiting the Arizona Memorial in Hawaii.

Response by Lt Col Jim Coe made Nov 17 at 2017 1:24 PM

2017-11-17T13:24:51-05:00

Just watched "Churchill." It was about Winston Churchill, Prime Minister of the UK. The time frame was the weeks before D-Day. The military people depicted in the movie were almost all very senior officers, such as GEN Eisenhower and Field Martial Montgomery. The personality of the military characters appeared to be portrayed with good accuracy, for example Ike was a chain smoker. Overall the US uniforms and equipment were accurate for WWII in the European Theater. There was one scene where Ike's uniform had a couple of errors, but it was corrected later.

I enjoyed other movies such as "Saving Private Ryan," or "The Longest Day" more, but they also had more technical inaccuracies.

Response by PVT Mark Zehner made Nov 18 at 2017 2:40 PM

2017-11-18T14:40:41-05:00

We were soldiers!

Response by CMSgt Steve Pennington made Nov 19 at 2017 1:30 PM

2017-11-19T13:30:38-05:00

There are a couple of elements to accuracy nd authenticity, one is the uniforms, gear and equipment and the other is the historical accuracy. I think We Were Soldiers follows the book very well as does Full Metal Jacket follow the novel Short Timers by Gustav Hasford. Dear Hunter, Apocalypse Now and some of the early Hollywood myth movies unfortunately set the standards for public perception of what Vietnam was like.

Response by SPC Randy Torgerson made Nov 23 at 2017 11:33 AM

2017-11-23T11:33:29-05:00

Not sure if its been mentioned already, but I just watched "USS Indianapolis" with Nicolas Cage. From what I can tell it seems pretty accurate.

Response by LTC George Morgan made Nov 23 at 2017 12:20 PM

2017-11-23T12:20:44-05:00

(1) The Man Who Never Was. (True Story of WWII Military Deception) (2) I Was Monty's Double. (True Story of WWII Military Deception)

Response by SrA Edwin Taylor made Nov 27 at 2017 6:25 AM

2017-11-27T06:25:37-05:00

Lone Survivor. I am not a combat vet. I have very little to no idea what combat is like. This movie moved me to my core. I read the book afterwards to get the more accurate depiction of events. The book took me into the Team as if I was one of them. I actually mourned all the guys after reading it. It changed my life as a person. I have more determination and feel I can push thru life's challenges better than I have ever before. Realizing my challenges are simple in comparison. Anytime i feel defeated I remember what I watched and read and make myself stay in the fight and overcome.

Response by MAJ Montgomery Granger made Nov 28 at 2017 2:10 PM

2017-11-28T14:10:17-05:00

"Das Boot." German U-Boat "you are there" movie that is visceral, claustrophobic and chilling with suspense. Also, "84 Charlie MO-PIC," MOS for Vietnam era motion picture specialist. In this movie the MO-PIC follows a Long Range Recon team into the jungle for some in-your-face action. Unforgettable.

Response by PO1 John Williams made Nov 30 at 2017 4:28 PM

2017-11-30T16:28:31-05:00

Midway, the movie of Audie Murphy (he played himself).

Response by SSG Steven Lemon made Nov 30 at 2017 4:57 PM

2017-11-30T16:57:29-05:00

I'll go with Band Of Brothers, which included commentary and narration by original members of the action that was depicted.
Most f what I saw in the movie I had read in first hand accounts years before the movie was made.

Response by 1stSgt Edward Jackson made Dec 2 at 2017 12:38 PM

2017-12-02T12:38:43-05:00

Code Talkers. While it does have some Hollywoodism in it, it fairly accurately tells the story of the Navajo Marine Code Talkers during WWII.
The Imperial Japanese Army and Navy desperately wanted to capture one or more Navajos to get them to talk about their language, the Marines saw to it that never happened, despite Indian discrimination in the USMC and USN. The Japanese never broke the Navajo 'code'.
The Navajos used a modification of their own language to include military words and terms that they did not speak like grenade, tank, battleship, and destroyer.

Response by SFC Brett Dinkelacker made Dec 3 at 2017 1:18 AM

2017-12-03T01:18:41-05:00

I’ll start by admitting War/Military flicks are my favorite. I have obviously not seen them all, but of the ones I have seen “Lone Survivor “ stands head and shoulders above most. It will run you through the gauntlet of emotions. I Left the theatre with my wife feeling mentally drained. It’s a movie that stirred up a lot of feelings that I thought were gone. I left the theatre knowing I had just seen a great movie, but wasn’t happy or smiling. Any thoughts from others who have seen it?

Response by CSM David Litteral made Dec 3 at 2017 11:51 AM

2017-12-03T11:51:54-05:00

I had the honor of meeting LTC (R) Danny McKnight. He was the Commander of 3rd Ranger Bn during the Battle of Mogadishu. We asked him about the authenticity of Blackhawk Down to which he replied, "It was about 95% accurate." I have a Masters Degree in Military History- to get that kind of affirmation from one of the central characters of the movie/story is good enough for me.

Response by SPC Hayden Anthony made Dec 7 at 2017 12:21 AM

2017-12-07T00:21:07-05:00

When we we're soldiers

Response by LCpl James Robertson made Dec 9 at 2017 6:48 PM

2017-12-09T18:48:37-05:00

I would say "Full Metal Jacket" all though real Boot Camp during that time were harder with the assaults, C.C. Platoon, Motivation Platoon, they also had and hole where they fed you skim milk and lettuce.

Response by CW3 Edison Phillips made Dec 10 at 2017 9:23 AM

2017-12-10T09:23:51-05:00

“We Were Soldiers” was fairly accurate in its depiction of the firefight.

Response by SSG Kyle Sterling made Dec 21 at 2017 6:39 PM

2017-12-21T18:39:56-05:00

I was at Ft. Carson when “Saving Private Ryan” came out and we went to the post theater to watch it as a special screening for Sergant’s Time. Those of you that were in at this time know what that was. We had the honor of having a few true men that were part of that landing in the audience with us. When it was over one of these brave men told me, “The only thng missing was the smell.” That is something I will never forget.

Response by Maj Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 26 at 2017 6:29 PM

2017-12-26T18:29:22-05:00

Range 15

It is like the makes were on deployments with me and hanging out in my head.

Response by Sgt Thomas Proctor made Dec 28 at 2017 9:53 PM

2017-12-28T21:53:21-05:00

A friend of mines wife was attending East Carolina University for her masters, when the movie "Patton" came out, and one of the professors that she had had served under Gen. Patton in his headquarters. He told her when he went, with hesitation, to see the movie it was just like being taken back to those days of WWII.

Response by 1SG Michael Bonnett made Jan 1 at 2018 1:01 AM

2018-01-01T01:01:43-05:00

Many will not like it but "Go Tell the Spartans" is actually pretty accurate, but depressing.

Response by MAJ David Parr made Jan 2 at 2018 8:26 PM

2018-01-02T20:26:02-05:00

One of the worst was "Born On The Fourth Of July". Just my opinion...

Response by MAJ Anne McGee made Jan 6 at 2018 9:55 PM

2018-01-06T21:55:12-05:00

The movie, "We Were Soldiers", with Mel Gibson and Sam Elliot. The story is,about the first unit to deploy in combat in Vietnam. Stayed thru the credits at the end and walking to ward the exit came across an older gentleman sitting at the end of the aisle staring ahead with tears in his eyes. I stopped and asked if he was okay and he whispered, "That was my unit...". I just stood there until he was ready to leave and walked him out. Broke my heart.

Response by Sgt Frank Staples made Jan 11 at 2018 11:16 AM

2018-01-11T11:16:22-05:00

Patton, without a doubt although there have been some really good movies made as well as many bullhockey ones. I have gotten to the point that I don't like going to the movies in public...I'm waiting for the video of "Only the Brave" to be released next month and will watch it at home. I already know how it ends in real life with the deaths of the nineteen Granite Mountain Hotshots and I don't care to share my emotions with strangers!

Response by MAJ Hugh Blanchard made Mar 24 at 2018 9:56 PM

2018-03-24T21:56:50-04:00

My late father-in-law landed at Omaha Beach as a MSG, and retired after Vietnam as a COL(P). He commented that "The Longest Day" was one of the most realistic war movies he had ever seen. As a linguist, I loved "The Longest Day" because the characters all spoke in their native languages. I thought that the first half of "The Longest Day" was perhaps one of the two best films I'd ever seen.
Having served in intelligence during the Cold War and immediate post-Cold War periods, I thought that "The Peacemaker" had some really authentic elements. I don't personally like George Clooney's politics, but I thought his portrayal of Special Forces LTC Tom DeVoe was absolutely spot-on. A bit much in spots, perhaps, but pretty accurate.
I was not a Marine, but I have Marine friends. They have told me they think "Full Metal Jacket" is exaggerated, but does get some things right, especially Marine boot camp.

Response by Sgt Charles Welling made May 10 at 2018 7:06 PM

2018-05-10T19:06:47-04:00

Full metal jacket, the DI, Patton, Run silent run deep.......

Response by SFC Melvin Brandenburg made Jul 12 at 2019 12:52 PM

2019-07-12T12:52:05-04:00

I like the Patriot

Response by SFC Melvin Brandenburg made Feb 5 at 2020 11:10 PM

2020-02-05T23:10:00-05:00

I rather enjoyed Tigerland