The films on our best Netflix war movies list have the most difficult task: taking one of the most destructive and horrific things on the planet and turning it into a compelling watch from the comfort of your couch. While the reality of these battles isn’t something any of us wish to experience first-hand, it does make for some gripping and action-packed movies, and Netflix has an impressive catalog of war movies to tune into.
Whether you’re a World War II buff who’s interested in learning more about the smaller resistance movements and battles that led to the ultimate defeat of the Nazis or you’re more fascinated by the grueling battles of centuries past, Netflix’s selection of war movies has something for everyone that will likely teach you a few things you didn’t know before.
Our selections include All Quiet on the Western Front, 1917, and Mosul, just to name a few of the films that help keep Netflix's spot on our best streaming services. For more from Netflix's realer side, check out our guide to the best Netflix documentaries.
The best Netflix war movies
The Last Kingdom: Seven Kings Must Die
As much of a feature-length series finale as it is a movie, The Last Kingdom: Seven Kings Must Die follows Lord Uhtred of Bebbanburg (Alexander Dreymon) on his quest to unite the kingdom that we now know as England. This 10th century war movie finds its hero without his armaments he acquired throughout the series, and facing enemies at all angles.
While critics say its story is a little too complex at times, fans of The Last Kingdom will love this ending for their series. It also appeals to Lord of the Rings fans on a meta level.
Rotten Tomatoes score: 82%
Cast: Alexander Dreymon, Harry Gilby, Mark Rowley, Arnas Fedaravicius
Director: Edward Bazalgette
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All Quiet on the Western Front
The amount of confidence it takes to make a new movie based on All Quiet on the Western Front in 2022 is impressive, but director Edward Berger knocked this one out of the park. As horrifying as any actual horror movie released recently, this adaptation of Erich Maria Remarque's novel won praise for beautifully-shot battle scenes and the perils of falling in with pro-war nationalist sentiments.
Its story is simple: Paul (Felix Kammerer) is a young German soldier who is among the masses who joyously enlist to fight in the front lines of World War I. Once they get to the battlefield, they learn war is much more unnerving than they were told.
Rotten Tomatoes score: 90%
Cast: Felix Kammerer, Albrecht Schuch, Aaron Hilmer, Moritz Klaus, Edin Hasanovic, Thibault de Montalembert
Director: Edward Berger
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Hacksaw Ridge
Andrew Garfield brings an infectious southern charm and genuineness to his portrayal of Desmond Doss, a conscientious objector who enlists in the U.S. Army despite it conflicting with his deep commitment to pacifism as part of his Seventh-day Adventist beliefs. His decision is met with skepticism and ridicule by his fellow soldiers and superiors. Though he faces severe persecution and is even court-martialed for his refusal to pick up a rifle, he's ultimately cleared to join the frontlines.
There, he and his fellow soldiers are thrown into one of the bloodiest battles on the Eastern Front. After a hasty retreat, Doss stays behind and risks his life to save wounded soldiers, single-handedly lowering them down a steep cliff known as "Hacksaw Ridge" until reinforcements arrive.
Rotten Tomatoes score: 84%
Cast: Andrew Garfield, Sam Worthington, Luke Bracey, Teresa Palmer, Hugo Weaving, Rachel Griffiths, Vince Vaughn, Richard Pyros
Director: Mel Gibson
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1917
Directed by Sam Mendes, “1917” is loosely inspired by the stories told to the filmmaker by his grandfather Alfred who served during World War I in the 1st Battalion Rifle Brigade on the Belgian Front. It's presented in a single-shot format, which means (almost) the entire movie plays out in a continuous take without any cuts. Not only is this a stunning achievement from a technical standpoint, but it provides an unparalleled sense of urgency and momentum.
The movie follows two British soldiers, Will Schofield (George McKay) and Tom Blade (Dean-Charles Chapman), tasked with trekking across enemy lines to deliver a vital message that will save the lives of more than a thousand men. But time is the real enemy here, as the pair only have hours to deliver this urgent warning before a doomed offensive attack begins.
Rotten Tomatoes score: 88%
Cast: George MacKay, Dean-Charles Chapman, Mark Strong, Andrew Scott, Richard Madden, Colin Firth, Benedict Cumberbatch
Director: Sam Mendes
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Operation Mincemeat
Yes, war movies can also feel like the collision of the Pride and Prejudice cinematic universe. Here, former Mr. Darcys Colin Firth and Matthew Macfayden star as British intelligence officers dealing with a steep uphill challenge to stop the Nazis. And, impressively, this film is based on a true story. The plan is to confuse the enemy by with a corpse that makes the Germans believe the allies aren't headed to Sicily.
Directed by John Madden (Shakespeare In Love, The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel), Operation Mincemeat got raves for both its entertaining and unique story and the performances of Firth and Macfayden.
Rotten Tomatoes score: 83%
Cast: Colin Firth, Matthew Macfayden, Kelly Macdonald, Penelope Wilton, Jason Isaacs
Director: John Madden
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The Siege of Jadotville
Back in 1961, a small group of Irish soldiers serving as part of the United Nations Operation in the Congo were set upon in the mining town of Jadotville by Katangese forces. The troops fought to hold off the attacks for five days as they awaited relief from other soldiers but were eventually forced to surrender and held as prisoners of war. The Siege of Jadotville shows the ugliness of war in all its brutality and proves to be an important remembrance of a significant historical event.
Rotten Tomatoes score: 64%
Cast: Jamie Dornan, Mark Strong, Jason O'Mara, Sam Keeley
Director: Richie Smyth
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Mosul
This Arabic-language American war film brings a whole new perspective on the Battle of Mosul in 2016. Mosul depicts the war that saw Iraqi and coalition forces finally defeat ISIS after many years of battle. It's anything but pretty, but goes a long way of showing what war is like from the perspective of the soldiers and civilians from the lands in which they're fought. You'll be on the edge of your seat throughout, and the ending is hopeful without being unrealistic.
Rotten Tomatoes score: 84%
Cast: Mohamed Attougui, Ben Affan, Thaer Al-Shayei, Hayat Kamille
Director: Matthew Michael Carnahan
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The Photographer of Mauthausen
Another movie based on true events, The Photographer of Mauthausen focuses on Spanish photographer Francesc Boix's (Casas) attempt to collect and save evidence of the horrible truth of what happened to millions of innocent Jewish people inside the Nazi concentration camp in Mauthausen. Of course, there are plenty of people who would prefer to have it erased all together, so Boix's job is anything but simple. It’s a moving and at times infuriating reminder of the horrific realities so many suffered at the hands of the Nazis.
Rotten Tomatoes score: 76%
Cast: Mario Casas, Alain Hernandez, Macarena Gomez, Mac Rodriguez
Director: Mar Targarona
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First They Killed My Father
If you ignored this movie for years because it was written and directed by Angelina Jolie, it’s time to give it a chance. First They Killed My Father tells an important and often-ignored story of the Khmer Rouge and the terrors the regime unleashed on the people of Cambodia in 1975. The four-year long reign cost nearly two million people their lives. To show the real human impact of this terrible time, the movie focuses on 5-year-old Loung Ung who's forced to leave her home in Phnom Penh and made to train as a child soldier as her siblings are imprisoned in labor camps. Admittedly, this is a very hard watch, but perhaps the most important one on the list.
Rotten Tomatoes score: 88%
Cast: Sareum Srey Moch, Phoeung Kompheak, Sveng Socheata, Tharoth Sam
Director: Angelina Jolie
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The King
Taking a big leap back from the 20th century, The King is based on several different plays from William Shakespeare's Henriad and centers on the rise of Henry V following his father's death as he learns what it means to be a leader of his people. Chalamet is an unconventional Henry V but does a great job here of showing the trepidation the king had about taking power as well as the transformation into a truly formidable political figure.
Rotten Tomatoes score: 71%
Cast: Timothée Chalamet, Ben Mendelsohn, Joel Edgerton, Robert Pattinson, Dean-Charles Chapman
Director: David Michôd
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