Films about war will always show graphic scenes of violence and carnage, as the conflict is at the very nature of the story. Some of these films will present it in such a way as to find some glory and heroics in the heat of combat, with exciting gunfire and sweeping battlefield sequences that have been beautifully choreographed. The most harrowing war films that define this genre will go beyond the surface to reveal the horrifying and nightmarish aspects of war that are deeply unsettling and show the true evil that affects the soldiers and civilians throughout the war.
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The best war films of all time are the ones that don’t shy away from the cruel and heinous realities of battle and its aftermath. Films like Come and See and Threads are renowned for their bleak and disturbing portrayal of the breakdown of humanity during the war, while films such as Schindler’s List and All Quiet on the Western Front showcase an individual’s perspective as they come to terms with their own part in the war. Using vivid imagery, real-life atrocities, and unflinching brutality to create some of the most heart-dropping war films ever produced.
10 Schindler’s List (1993)
Directed By Steven Spielberg
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10/10 Schindler’s List RBiographyDramaHistory
Schindler’s List is a 1993 historical drama directed by Steven Spielberg. It tells the story of Oskar Schindler, a businessman who joins the Nazi party but ends up saving a large number of SS targets by employing them as Jewish labor for his business. Liam Neeson, Ralph Fiennes, and Ben Kingsley star in this highly acclaimed World War II movie.
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*Availability in US Director Steven Spielberg Release Date December 15, 1993 Studio(s) Universal Pictures Distributor(s) Universal Pictures Writers Steven Zaillian Cast Liam Neeson , Jonathan Sagall , Ralph Fiennes , Caroline Goodall , Ben Kingsley , Embeth Davidtz Runtime 195 minutes Expand
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Directed by Steven Spielberg, who describes it as the ‘best movie’ he’s ever made in his 54-year career, Schindler’s List follows the true story of Oskar Schindler, a German industrialist who saved over 1000 Polish-Jewish refugees from the Holocaust by employee them across various factories during World War II. The film was shot in black and white, and Spielberg said he wished to approach it as a documentary and, in doing so, refused to shy away from the incredible atrocities committed at this time.
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Several sequences of Jewish people in the Kraków ghetto and in the concentration camps are particularly hard to watch. The black and white imagery reflects this joyless time in history for so many, and the atmosphere and tension throughout the film culminate into a heartbreaking end. The impact of witnessing the extermination of a group of people is beyond words, and Schindler’s heroics offer a small light in such a troubled time. Schindler’s List is arguably one of the best war films of all time.
9 The Pianist (2002)
Directed By Roman Polanski
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The Pianist RBiographyDramaMusic
The Pianist is a historical drama directed by Roman Polanski, featuring Adrien Brody as Władysław Szpilman, a Jewish pianist in Warsaw during World War II. The film follows Szpilman’s harrowing journey of survival amidst the horrors of the Holocaust, capturing his struggles and resilience. The Pianist showcases the impact of war on individuals and art, emphasizing themes of perseverance and human spirit.
Director Roman Polanski Release Date March 28, 2003 Writers Ronald Harwood , Wladyslaw Szpilman Cast Adrien Brody , Thomas Kretschmann , Frank Finlay , Emilia Fox , Michal Zebrowski , Ed Stoppard , Maureen Lipman , Jessica Kate Meyer Runtime 150 Minutes Main Genre Biography Expand
In one of the best World War II films ever made, Roman Polanski’s The Pianist follows the real-life journey of Władysław Szpilman. Szpilman is a famous Jewish pianist who attempts to survive the Holocaust by escaping a slave labor camp and hiding out in various buildings waiting for the Warsaw uprising to come. The Pianist is a stark and devastating depiction of what a Nazi-occupied city would look like, with Szpilman starving to death while watching his fellow people be rounded up and murdered in increasingly barbaric ways.
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Director Roman Polanski has a deep connection with the story, as he himself escaped from the Kraków Ghetto after the death of his mother.
Throughout The Pianist there are many moments of unspeakable brutality, such as the throwing of a wheelchair user out of a high-story building as his family screams in anguish, mixed with moments of unparalleled beauty, such as the scene where Szpilman manages to play Chopin’s “Ballade No. 1 in G minor” in front of the Nazi captain. It is a haunting film that slowly reveals the dehumanizing and isolating impact of war, and Adrian Brody’s depiction of Szpilman is one of the best biographical depictions of all time.
8 Men Behind The Sun (1988)
Directed By T. F. Mou
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Men Behind The Sun is a Chinese historical exploitation film focused on the war atrocities committed in Japan’s infamous Unit 731. Unit 731 was a secret biological and chemical warfare facility where they performed deadly experimentation on human subjects during the Sino-Japanese War and in World War II. The film shows many cruel and graphic depictions of the experiments and the horrific results.
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The fact Men Behind The Sun is based on an actual facility is genuinely terrifying. It is a film that truly shows the darkest side of war, away from the battlefield where humanity has been stripped away while depravity and cruelty is pushed to the forefront. Its brutal realism is what makes it such a shocking piece of cinema, though the fact it’s an exploitation-style film has caused some controversy, with some arguing that it undermines some of the graphic experiments. Either way, it’s a war film that shows the traumatizing and dehumanizing aspects of war not often thought about.
7 Grave Of The Fireflies (1988)
Directed By Isao Takahata
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Grave of the Fireflies Not RatedAnimationDramaWar
Amidst the devastation of WWII, siblings Seita and Setsuko strive to survive in war-torn Japan after losing their mother. Facing starvation and cruelty, they cling to each other in a desperate bid for survival. As tragedy unfolds and hope dwindles, their poignant journey reveals the resilience of the human spirit amidst unimaginable suffering, culminating in a hauntingly beautiful reunion beyond the realms of earthly sorrow.
Director Isao Takahata Release Date April 16, 1988 Writers Akiyuki Nosaka , Isao Takahata Cast Tsutomu Tatsumi , Ayano Shiraishi , Akemi Yamaguchi , Yoshiko Shinohara Runtime 89 Mins Main Genre Animation Expand
From the iconic Studio Ghibli, which has set the standard for anime films over the past 50 years, Grave of the Fireflies is a Japanese historical war drama written and directed by Isao Takahata. It follows the story of brother and sister duo Seita and Setsuko and their desperate and heartbreaking struggle to survive during the last few months of the Pacific War. It is a harrowing animated story that shows the destruction and desolation of Japanese cities after firebombing campaigns and the slow descent into injury, starvation, and death.
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As an animated film, it’s easier to feel like it may lack some of the emotional punch of other war films, but nothing could be further from the truth. It’s an introspective, honest, and personal look into the innocent casualties of war in the aftermath. Widely thought of as one of the best animated films ever, it is perfectly described in this review, “There is both much and little to say about the film. It is simply an experience – a trip through the lonely boroughs of humanity that the world collectively looked, and still looks, away from”. (via The Daily Star)
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6 Johnny Got His Gun (1971)
Directed By Dalton Trumbo
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Johnny Got His Gun PGWarDrama
Joe Bonham, a young American soldier, suffers devastating injuries from an artillery shell on the last day of World War I, leaving him a quadruple amputee without the ability to see, hear, or speak. Trapped within his own mind, Joe battles to retain his sanity and find a way to communicate with the outside world. Using Morse code, he taps out messages on his hospital bed, pleading to be put on display as a living example of the true horrors of war.
Director Dalton Trumbo Release Date August 4, 1971 Writers Dalton Trumbo , Luis Buñuel Cast Timothy Bottoms , Kathy Fields , Marsha Hunt , Jason Robards , Donald Sutherland , Charles McGraw , Sandy Brown Wyeth , Don Barry Runtime 112 Minutes Main Genre War Expand
An American independent anti-war film, Johnny Got His Gun follows the story of young soldier, Joe Bonham, during World War I. Bonham awakes in the hospital, having been caught in an artillery shell blast, losing his eyes, ears, mouth, nose, and limbs, rendering him deaf, mute, and blind, but still able to reason and realize his unthinkable situation. The movie is a thought-provoking piece about the human cost associated with war, and flows between flashbacks and fantasies of Bonham in his old life and one he wishes for the future.
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|
The 10 Most Horrific War Films On This List: |
IMDb Rating: |
|---|---|
|
Schindler’s List (1993) |
6.5/10 |
|
The Pianist (2002) |
6.4/10 |
|
Men Behind The Sun (1988) |
6.3/10 |
|
Grave of the Fireflies (1988) |
6.6/10 |
|
Johnny Got His Gun (1971) |
6.4/10 |
|
The Painted Bird (2019) |
7.1/10 |
|
All Quiet on the Western Front (2022) |
7.4/10 |
|
Beasts of No Nation (2015) |
7.5/10 |
|
Threads (1984) |
7.0/10 |
|
Come And See (1985) |
7.3/10 |
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On the surface, the story itself is absolutely harrowing, with the claustrophobic nature of being trapped as a prisoner in your own body. Talking through Morse code by banging his head, Joe wishes to be put in a glass coffin in a freak show as a demonstration against the war and begs to be euthanized. The film is an allegory about the horrors of war and the debilitating impact it has on soldiers, causing horrific and irreversible damage, while no one, including the military itself, can provide any help.
5 The Painted Bird (2019)
Directed By Václav Marhoul
An adaption of Jerzy Kosiński’s novel of the same name, The Painted Bird, is a Czech black-and-white war drama directed by Václav Marhoul. Set in an unidentified war-torn Eastern Europe (so no nation could identify it as their own), it tells the story of a young Jewish boy, left alone after his aunt passes away, and he sets fire to his family home. The fire set alight signals the start of a fuse counting down his life as everything from then on descends into abuse, exploitation, and depravity.
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The real horror of
The Painted Bird
is revealed in its non-flinching, ‘refusal to look away’ examination of the worst aspects of the human condition.
The contrast of the beautifully cinematic cinematography and the horrific visuals on screen is completely startling. The real horror of The Painted Bird is revealed in its non-flinching, ‘refusal to look away’ examination of the worst aspects of the human condition. At various times in the film, sexual abuse, and extreme manipulation are spotlighted in raw and unthinkable realism. Scenes such as a local woman being sodomized with a bottle are painstakingly shown, and it is one of the bleakest and most horrific deep dives into what can happen in a war-torn country where laws seemingly no longer apply.
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4 All Quiet On The Western Front (2022)
Directed By Edward Berger
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All Quiet on the Western Front rWarDramaHistory
Based on Erich Maria Remarque’s 1929 novel, All Quiet on the Western Front is a World War I movie following Paul Bäumer (Felix Kammerer) as he quickly realizes that war isn’t about becoming a hero, but rather just surviving the terrifying experience. The film received critical praise upon release and even won four Academy Awards.
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*Availability in US Director Edward Berger Release Date September 29, 2022 Studio(s) Netflix Distributor(s) Netflix Writers Edward Berger Cast Felix Kammerer , Albrecht Schuch , Daniel Brühl Runtime 143 Minutes Expand
All Quiet on the Western Front is an epic anti-war film and the third adaption of the famous 1929 novel by Erich Maria Remarque. Set during World War I, it follows the story of naive and idealistic young German soldier Paul Bäumer (Felix Kammerer), who enlists in the war effort lightheartedly and, along with his friends, believe it’s a quick chance at glory. Before long, Bäumer and his friends are exposed to the atrocities and brutality of war, with his friends being blown up in bombing raids, and the rest are struggling to survive the chaos.
All Quiet on the Western Front
is the third and most successful adaption of the novel, after previous iterations being released in 1930 and 1979, respectively.
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The graphic and terrifying nature of trench warfare is on full display, with claustrophobic and relentless attacks in close-quartered sheltered areas that leave no room for hope. The juxtaposition between jovial and almost comical beginnings with the slow dread and terror of what is actually happening is legitimately harrowing, with a heartbreaking ending that is open to interpretation. This version of All Quiet on the Western Front combines the visceral depiction of gruesome war sequences with the Generals cordially negotiating the armistice, proving another stark contrast between the cruelty of war to those who have the least responsibility.
3 Beasts Of No Nation (2015)
Directed By Cary Joji Fukunaga
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Beasts of No Nation DramaDocumentaryWar
Beasts of No Nation is a war drama that was released exclusively on Netflix in 2015. The film centers on a young boy named Agu, who is forced to become a child soldier in a Civil War in an unspecified African country. The film is based on the 2005 novel of the same name by Uzodinma Iweala.
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*Availability in US Director Cary Fukunaga Release Date September 11, 2015 Writers Cary Fukunaga , Uzodinma Iweala Cast Abraham Attah , Emmanuel Affadzi , Ricky Adelayitor , Andrew Adote , Vera Nyarkoah Antwi , Ama Abebrese Runtime 133 minutes
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In Beasts of No Nation, written and directed by Cary Joji Fukunaga, the story follows that of Agu, a young boy from a small West African Village. After the village is told that the government has fallen and military-aligned rebels are advancing, many families flee to the capital. After narrowly escaping being murdered, Agu runs to the jungle before stumbling into and being adopted by a rising rebel faction, NDF, who forces him to become a child soldier. The rest of the film shows the horrors and brutality of the African Civil War through the eyes of Agu.
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One of the hardest parts to watch in Beasts of No Nation is the compelling transformation of the young Agu, from an innocent boy living his life with his family and friends to a brainwashed and hardened child soldier who has to endure some of the most horrific situations imaginable. One scene in particular, where Agu, as part of the militia’s initiation, has to hack an innocent person to death with a knife in order to show he has what it takes. A tragic and horrifying moment that fully encapsulates the film’s goal of showing the dehumanizing effects of war.
2 Threads (1984)
Directed By Mick Jackson
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Threads TV-MAThrillerSci-FiDrama
Threads is a British television film directed by Mick Jackson, depicting the impact of a nuclear war on the city of Sheffield and its residents. Released in 1984, the film follows the lives of two families as they grapple with the immediate and long-term effects of the catastrophic event. The narrative offers a stark and realistic portrayal of the societal breakdown and human suffering caused by nuclear conflict.
Director Mick Jackson Release Date September 23, 1984 Writers Barry Hines Cast Karen Meagher , Reece Dinsdale , David Brierly , Rita May , Nicholas Lane , Jane Hazlegrove , Henry Moxon , June Broughton Runtime 112 Minutes Main Genre Thriller Expand
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A British television apocalyptic war drama set in Sheffield in the north of England. The plot of Threads follows two families as tensions between America and The Soviet Union reach boiling point, and after nuclear strikes from both sides, it presents in gritty, realistic depth what the ensuing fallout would encompass. A once functioning society blown into chaos, starting with panic buying, looting, and violent protests, leading to destroyed cities, radiation poisoning, and millions of deaths.
What sets Threads apart from other films is the realistic approach it uses throughout the film, avoiding any sensational and stylized moments or effects, instead unflinchingly focusing on what life would really be like in a nuclear fallout. Universally described as the most accurate representation of the full horror of nuclear war and its fallout, it is one of the best Cold War films of all time. The horror is heightened by the realistic portrayals in every aspect, with nothing to hide behind or find solace in, just the barbaric and devastating consequences of nuclear war, presented with a cold gaze.
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1 Come And See (1985)
Directed by Elem Klimov
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Come And See (1985) NRDramaWar
Come and See is a 1985 Soviet war drama directed by Elem Klimov. The film follows a young Belarusian boy named Flyora as he witnesses and experiences the horrors of World War II. Through his eyes, viewers are exposed to the brutal realities of war and its devastating impact on humanity. Renowned for its stark portrayal of violence and suffering, the film is considered a powerful anti-war statement.
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*Availability in US Director Elem Klimov Release Date October 17, 1985 Studio(s) Belarusfilm , Mosfilm Writers Elem Klimov , Ales Adamovich Cast Aleksei Kravchenko , Olga Mironova , Liubomiras Laucevicius , Vladas Bagdonas , Jüri Lumiste Runtime 142 Minutes Main Genre Drama Expand
Directed by Elem Klimov, Come and See is usually cited as the most graphic and haunting anti-war film of all time. Set in Belarus during the brutal Nazi occupation, the narrative follows Flyora, a young teenage boy forced to join a group of resistance fighters putting up some of the final efforts to stop the Nazi war effort. The group’s efforts are in vain, and Flyora and his childhood friend are quickly rounded up and forced to participate and witness some of the worst atrocities committed by the Nazi soldiers in rural villages.
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Similar to All Quiet on the Western Front, beginning as a naive adventure, but slowly descends into the most barbaric situation conceivable. Come and See presents the Nazi war crimes in a brutally, genuine fashion, with a barn church full of villagers being barricaded before being set on fire as German soldiers shoot the building, laughing at the haunted screams inside. It mixes hyperrealistic instances of violence and cruelty with surrealistic undertones, mirroring the absurdity and mind-bending philosophies needed to witness and dissociate from such actions. Without doubt, the most heinous and difficult war film to watch of all time.
Sources: The Daily Star
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