The 15 Best War Movies On Netflix Right Now

War movies are an undeniable staple of cinema, and for good reason. Few genres can compare when it comes to stirring up feelings of tension, heart, and — for some movies, at least — good old-fashioned patriotism. In fact, some of the best movies of all time are war movies. They might take place in the modern day and hammer home the true horrors of combat and the uneasy nature of war, or they may be ancient sagas that dramatize some of history's greatest conflicts. Of course, the two World Wars, which spanned the globe and concluded with the first use of atomic weapons, tend to dominate the genre, for better or for worse.

With such a large library of films in the genre, however, it can be a daunting task trying to figure out what — or where — to look at to find something great to watch. To that end, we've taken some of the guesswork out of the equation, compiling a list of the most captivating and dramatic releases in cinema history. So gear up, fall in, and march out, because we're looking at 15 of the best war movies you can stream right now on Netflix.

An adaptation of an acclaimed German anti-war novel, 2022's "All Quiet on the Western Front" is the third cinematic take on the book, which was inspired by the real-life struggles author Erich Maria Remarque endured during the conflict. Told from the rarely seen German side of the conflict, the story follows Paul Bäumer (Felix Kammerer) as he transforms from an idealistic young man eager to see combat into a shell of his former self, broken and disillusioned by the realities of war.

Not just one of the best war movies you can find on Netflix, "All Quiet on the Western Front" stands as one of the greatest war movies ever made. Though losing out on best picture, the film snagged four wins at the 2023 Academy Awards, serving as a testament to its quality. Far from glorifying the conflict, the film shines a spotlight on the sheer horror and brutality of modern warfare, making it feel just as relevant of a story today as when its source material was first published.

Cast: Felix Kammerer, Albrecht Schuch, Daniel Brühl

Director: Edward Berger

Rating: R

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 90%

Runtime: 147 minutes

Best known at the time for helming intense dramatic thrillers and the "Dark Knight" trilogy, director Christopher Nolan shook up his filmography in 2017 with the wartime epic, "Dunkirk." Retelling the story of the real-life Dunkirk evacuation, in which hundreds of thousands of Allied soldiers faced a perilous evacuation from the coast of France, the film makes use of a strong ensemble cast (one of the greatest casts in history, according to its director) to showcase the struggle from land, sea, and air.

Atmospheric, tense, and beautifully shot in a way only a director like Nolan could achieve, "Dunkirk" is another example of a title that's not just a great war movie, but an outstanding cinematic achievement that transcends the genre. Plus, the extensive use of practical effects, which included actual ships and aircraft, adds a touch of realism rarely seen in modern war films.

Cast: Harry Styles, Fionn Whitehead, Barry Keoghan

Director: Christopher Nolan

Rating: PG-13

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 92%

Runtime: 106 minutes

Whether you're a casual filmgoer or a hardened history buff, you're familiar with the most popular wars to be depicted in cinema. The World Wars, Vietnam, and even the decades-long Cold War that never went hot are all audience favorites, providing every bit of the drama, action, and tension a director could hope for. But in 2015, we got something completely different with the Netflix original "Beasts of No Nation," which depicted an oft-forgotten angle of modern conflicts.

Set in West Africa, the film follows Agu, a young boy conscripted into a warlord's guerrilla army. From there, he's forced to participate in various atrocities along with other, mostly child soldiers, under the command of an unnamed rebel leader known only as "Commandant." It's a raw, ugly, and legitimately disturbing glimpse into some of the darkest sides of warfare today, making "Beasts of No Nation" not just one of Idris Elba's best movies, but perhaps the hardest watch on our list.

Cast: Abram Attah, Idris Elba, Kurt Egyiawan

Director: Cary Joji Fukunaga

Rating: R

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 91%

Runtime: 138 minutes

Directed by Sam Mendes — and inspired by stories told by his grandfather — "1917" begins as the Allies believe they're on the precipice of a massive tactical victory and are preparing to drive back a retreating German army. But what nobody in the trenches knows is that they're walking into a cleverly devised trap and will likely be slaughtered if the assault goes ahead. With no means of warning the men at the front, British commanders make a daring gamble to send two soldiers through dangerous combat zones with a message to call off the attack before it's too late.

Cleverly shot to appear as though the entire film is one long, unbroken shot, "1917" ramps up the adrenaline and rarely lets up as Lance Corporals William Schofield (George MacKay) and Thomas Blake (Dean-Charles Chapman) try to beat the ticking clock. For those looking for a true nail-biter of a war flick that's as action-packed as it is cinematically striking, "1917" won't disappoint.

Cast: George MacKay, Dean-Charles Chapman, Benedict Cumberbatch

Director: Sam Mendes

Rating: R

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 88%

Runtime: 119 minutes

Some 20 years after release, there are few war films as integral to American pop culture as "Black Hawk Down," set during the real-life Battle of Mogadishu, in which a downed American Black Hawk helicopter fought off a numerically superior force of Somali rebels. Outnumbered and outgunned, they must survive on the ground with the help of a small number of Army Rangers in a battle whose outcome is anything but certain.

Released in theaters at the onset of the global war on terror, the film resonated strongly with audiences and critics alike. Well enough, in fact, to earn four Academy Award nominations and wins for best film editing and best sound. Though there's plenty that Black Hawk Down doesn't tell you about the true story, it should be on the watch list of every fan of war movies, particularly those of the modern variety.

Cast: Josh Hartnett, Ewan McGregor, Tom Sizemore

Director: Ridley Scott

Rating: R

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 76%

Runtime: 144 minutes

Set in the Congolese Civil War of the '60s, "The Siege of Jadotville" centers on the United Nations' efforts to stabilize the conflict. Amidst the chaos, a small number of Irish peacekeepers are stationed in the remote city of Jadotville, where they come under attack by hundreds of Congolese secessionists under the command of a foreign mercenary. Outnumbered, outgunned, and with no hope for reinforcements, the unit's commander must choose whether to hold the line despite the long odds — or surrender to save the lives of his men.

Another unique title, "The Siege of Jadotville" examines a controversial page of history that may not be familiar to many outside of Ireland, as the role of the Irish unit proved divisive. Though it isn't among the most well-known or highest-rated titles on Netflix, it may just be the most underrated war movie the streamer has to offer.

Cast: Jamie Dornan, Emmanuelle Seigner, Mark Strong

Director: Richie Smyth

Rating: Not rated

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 64%

Runtime: 108 minutes

Unlike the vast majority of war films, which tend to focus on post-Industrial Revolution conflicts, "Uprising" turns back the clock to an age before modern firearms, battle tactics, and other mechanized horrors of war. Primarily set during the Imjin War, known to most more simply as the Japanese invasions of Korea, the small nation faces total annihilation as waves of Japanese Samurai cross the waters dividing the two countries. Amidst the chaos, former friends Lee Jong–ryeo and Cheon-yeong, once merely separated by social class, throw aside their relationship and take opposing sides on the field of battle.

Casting a spotlight on a rarely depicted period in cinema, "Uprising" gives audiences a glimpse into the complicated politics and unique way of life of the time. That said, it's first and foremost a martial arts film, a mission it accomplishes with flying colors. Packed with thoroughly entertaining action and swordplay, it's a must-see title that you may not have heard of.

Cast: Gang Dong-won, Park Jeong-min, Kim Shin-rok

Director: Kim Sang-man

Rating: R

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 80%

Runtime: 126 minutes

While the majority of the best war movies are gritty, sobering depictions of some of humanity's most violent conflicts, "Blood & Gold" is something a little different. Taking place in the final days of the German stranglehold on Europe, loyalties begin to fray as one of their own, a soldier named Heinrich (Robert Maaser), is sentenced to death for desertion. While he's saved in the nick of time, he's not out of the woods yet as the very same woman who rescued him must face off against a band of Germans on the prowl for a stash of hidden gold, leading Henrich to turn against his former comrades if he wants to survive to see the war's end.

Fans looking for something more like Quentin Tarantino's "Inglourious Basterds" than "Saving Private Ryan" will find a lot to love here, as "Blood & Gold" plays fast and loose with its realism. It's a blood-soaked, Wild Western-style romp through the dying days of the Third Reich, in the vein of Quentin Tarantino. And when it embraces chaos, it soars.

Cast: Robert Maaser, Marie Hacke, Alexander Scheer

Director: Peter Thorwarth

Rating: R

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 83%

Runtime: 100 minutes

After the United States' dramatic entry into the Second World War, it took quite some time for US troops to see action in Europe. That doesn't mean the icy Atlantic waters separating the two continents were safe, however, with countless German U-boats prowling unseen and waiting to strike both Allied shipping and naval vessels. It's there that a vulnerable German submarine with a highly prized Enigma coding machine becomes a top priority target for the Allies, who launch a covert operation to seize the mechanism before it slips from their grasp. But to accomplish this feat, they'll need to sneak into contested waters disguised as an enemy vessel and steal it, a challenge easier said than done.

Though an entirely fictional story and perhaps overshadowed by more famous submarine flicks like Sean Connery's "The Hunt for Red October" or the German-language classic "Das Boot," "U-571" remains one of the better maritime war movies. While it wasn't a critically acclaimed award winner, as a wide-release, wartime action movie, it's one of the most satisfying.

Cast: Matthew McConaughey, Bill Paxton, Jon Bon Jovi

Director: Jonathan Mostow

Rating: PG-13

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 68%

Runtime: 116 minutes

In his storied career, Academy Award winner Gregory Peck starred in a slew of classics, but few were better than "The Guns of Navarone," one of the biggest war movies of its day. Released in 1961, it's a classic adventure flick of the highest order, telling the story of a squad of soldiers sent on a daring mission behind enemy lines in the middle of World War II. Their directive? To rescue some 2,000 British soldiers trapped on a small island that's been overtaken by the enemy.

Years before "The Dirty Dozen" and its many copycats, this film assembled a group of the best of the best, each with their own specialty. This includes intelligence officer Mallory (Peck), engineer Butcher Brown (Stanley Baker), rough-and-tumble Stavros (Anthony Quinn), and explosives expert Miller (David Niven). Critically acclaimed, "Guns of Navarone" was also a whopper at the box office, becoming the biggest box office hit of the year.

Cast: Gregory Peck, David Niven, Anthony Quinn

Director: J. Lee Thompson

Rating: Not Rated

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 92%

Runtime: 157 minutes

"Da 5 Bloods" may be remembered best as the last movie to star Chadwick Boseman before his tragic death, but it shouldn't be forgotten that it's also one of the best movies about the Vietnam War. It revolves around the wartime exploits of a group of five soldiers who call themselves "the Bloods" — Paul, Otis, Eddie, Melvin, and Norman — who hatch a plan to steal a stash of gold bars intended to be delivered to a group of locals who are helping them in their fight with the Viet Cong.

When the plan goes awry and one of them is killed, the group loses sight of the gold. Decades later, the discovery of a crashed plane leads the surviving members of the Bloods to renew their old mission and finally retrieve the treasure. But after so many years apart, they have to confront old demons and ghosts from the past if they're going to finally get their payday.

Cast: Delroy Lindo, Jonathan Majors, Chadwick Boseman, Clarke Peters

Director: Spike Lee

Rating: R

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 92%

Runtime: 155 minutes

Not all war movies take place on the battlefield, and "Number 24" is the perfect example of a film that focuses on another side of the story: the world of spies and the agents who embark on precarious missions behind enemy lines to gather intelligence amid a sprawling, violent conflict. A Norwegian film from Netflix, "Number 24" is a biopic of renowned resistance fighter Gunnar Sønsteby (played by Sjur Vatne Brean), who took part in a number of covert operations designed to sabotage enemy forces in Nazi-occupied Norway during WWII.

From Sønsteby's life before the war to his missions on the front lines, "Number 24" tells the full tale of living through wartime, following his early activities as a resistance fighter to the assassinations of German figures that he carried out while undercover. It's an often overlooked part of history that deserves the spotlight, and "Number 24" gives it the brightest bulb imaginable.

Cast: Sjur Vatne Brean, Erik Hivju, Lisa Loven Kongsli

Director: John Andreas Andersen

Rating: TV-MA

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 100%

Runtime: 111 minutes

It's not often that a war movie dramatizes a battle from the current era, but that's exactly what the 2019 film "Mosul" does. The Arabic-language film tells the true story of the Battle of Mosul, in which a coalition of Western allied forces — alongside local Iraqi military — battled the terrorist group ISIS for control of the titular city of Mosul.

Based on an article published by The New Yorker, "Mosul" focuses on an Iraqi police officer named Kawa. After losing his uncle during a firefight with the enemy, Kawa, played by Adam Bessa, is rescued by the Nineveh SWAT Team, which is comprised of men who lost loved ones to ISIS. Kawa is quickly recruited to help in their fight against the terrorist group, but becomes increasingly suspicious when the rest of the SWAT team demurs whenever he asks about their precise mission objective. The film's Iraqi perspective and tense action sequences make it a unique war film, as it explores much more than the machismo of fighting against an insidious enemy.

Cast: Suhail Dabbach, Adam Bessa, Is'Haq Elias

Director: Matthew Michael Carnahan

Rating: PG-13

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 83%

Runtime: 86 minutes

In 2022, Netflix released "Operation Mincemeat," a film set in the thick of World War II. For England, the war has been raging for nearly five years, and Lieutenant Commander Ewen Montagu (Colin Firth) has just been assigned to the Twentieth Committee, a group of high-level administrators who oversee the country's counter-espionage operations undertaken by MI5.

Montagu's assignment is to somehow convince the Germans that the UK's allies are going to strike in Greece, when, in reality, they're preparing for an assault on Sicily. The plan, codenamed Operation Mincemeat, is to plant the corpse of a dead British soldier holding highly confidential — but ultimately falsified — intelligence, with the hope that the enemy will discover the body and believe they've uncovered a top-secret Allied mission. To do it, though, Montagu and his team must create a convincing story for the Germans while the Americans plan their biggest offensive yet.

Cast: Colin Firth, Matthew MacFadyen, Kelly Macdonald

Director: John Madden

Rating: PG-13

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 83%

Runtime: 128 minutes

Young star Timothée Chalamet leads a star-studded cast in the ancient war epic "The King." Co-written by actor Joel Edgerton — who also co-stars in the film — "The King" tells the story of the rise of King Henry V in the early 15th century. The movie begins with the would-be king as a young man known as Hal, who prefers a life of leisure and overindulgence. Despite his initial insouciance regarding his future inheritance of the throne, though, Hal is determined to prove himself worthy of it when his father stuns the court by naming Hal's brother Thomas the next king.

Though critics heavily roasted "The King" for its historical inaccuracy, the film isn't really intended to tell the true story. In fact, it's actually based on the works of William Shakespeare, most notably "Henry IV," which had previously been adapted by Hollywood in 1944 with Laurence Olivier in the role of Hal. "The King," however, is a very different film with a darker tone. It might not be discussed alongside other iconic Shakesepeare adaptations, but maybe it should be.

Cast: Timothée Chalamet, Lily-Rose Depp, Robert Pattinson, Ben Mendelsohn

Director: David Michôd

Rating: R

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 71%

Runtime: 140 minutes