What is the best war movie that you saw and why?

2018-04-09T18:33:34-04:00

I loved (The Longest Day) It showed the military in a realistic manner

Response by Sgt Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 9 at 2018 6:47 PM

2018-04-09T18:47:10-04:00

SSG Anthony Pugh Full Metal Jacket, Saving Private Ryan, We Were Soldiers, Bat 21, Forrest Gump.

Response by SGT Philip Roncari made Apr 9 at 2018 6:55 PM

2018-04-09T18:55:14-04:00

The most thought provoking for me “The Bridges at Toko Ri” the most realistic from my memories of Vietnam the ambush scene in “Platoon “( rest of the movie was Hollywood)

Response by LCDR Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 9 at 2018 7:28 PM

2018-04-09T19:28:56-04:00

Midway and Sergeant York were the first two I ever saw. And the best.

Operation Pacific, Operation Petticoat, in Harms Way, Sink the Bismarck, To Hell and Back, Patton......The Longest Day, The Patriot (inaccurate for the whole War, extremely accurate for the Southern Theater), We Were Soldiers, great movies.

Maybe just me, but I wish they’d have done a Hogan’s Heroes movie.
Now that I’m attached to USCG, the Guardian, and The Finest Hours holds a special spot. And having been deployed to Croatia, Behind Enemy Lines is a bit of a guilty pleasure.

Response by SGT David A. 'Cowboy' Groth made Jun 11 at 2020 4:05 PM

2020-06-11T16:05:36-04:00

There was several great ones made.

Response by TSgt Dominic Gioffre made Jun 11 at 2020 4:08 PM

2020-06-11T16:08:26-04:00

I was really moved by Taking Chance. Apocalypse Now was very entertaining. Full Metal Jacket, I can watch over and over.

Response by TSgt Dominic Gioffre made Jun 11 at 2020 4:16 PM

2020-06-11T16:16:14-04:00

Tropic Thunder is a movie about making a war movie. Pretty funny though.

Response by LTC Eugene Chu made Jun 11 at 2020 4:19 PM

2020-06-11T16:19:59-04:00

“We were Soldiers” based on holistic inclusion of politics, tactics and home front struggles

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0277434/

We Were Soldiers (2002) - IMDb

Directed by Randall Wallace. With Mel Gibson, Madeleine Stowe, Greg Kinnear, Sam Elliott. The story of the first major battle of the American phase of the Vietnam War, and the soldiers on both sides that fought it, while their wives wait nervously and anxiously at home for the good news or the bad news.

Response by LCDR Joshua Gillespie made Jun 11 at 2020 4:20 PM

2020-06-11T16:20:03-04:00

Three way tie between...

"Oh, What a Lovely War"- Satire of WWI produced in the '60s.
"Master and Commander"- Finally, a 'good' film focusing on the Georgian period of naval history!
"A Bridge too Far"- Star-studded, and reasonably historically accurate portrayal of Operation Market Garden.

...honorable mentions?

"The Devil's Brigade"- Gritty and entertaining... if somewhat fanciful.
"Kelly's Heroes"- a real 'romp'.
"Zulu Dawn"- Impressive acting by some fading actors in their swansong.
"Son of the Morning Star"-Best on Custer ever made.
"Gettysburg/Gods and General" (mostly due to superb casting/writing/fillmin... though skimpy on historical accuracy.

Response by SFC Bryan Stetzer made Jun 12 at 2020 9:47 AM

2020-06-12T09:47:32-04:00

So, since nobody seems to be able to follow instructions....lol...let me mention a few that I haven’t seen mentioned already’ and which I would recommend.
All Quiet On The Western Front (Classic WW I movie)
Das Boot (German language movie about a U Boat crew trapped on the bottom)
No Mans Land (very intense Bosnian language film about....well, the war in Bosnia)
A Bridge Too Far (reminiscent of The Longest Day about Operation Market Garden)
Casablanca (no actual combat, but I would still call it a war movie)
Go For Broke! (about the 442nd Regimental Combat Team, the only Nissei American unit in the army, and the most highly decorated unit in WWII)
Glory! (Civil War movie starring Denzel Washington and Morgan Freeman...’nuff said)
Schindlers List (probably the most intense movie I’ve ever seen)
Blackhawk Down (vivid film about the Battle of Mogadishu...with choppers actually flown by the 160th SOAR)
The Killing Fields (Academy Award winner about the slaughter in Laos)
Hotel Rwanda (pretty self explanatory)
The Deer Hunter (Vietnam seen through the eyes of a group of friends....also an excellent book)
I’m gonna cheat here and also mention a couple of mini-series:
Band of Brothers
Andersonville (about the notorious Confederate prison camp)