In American history, war has brought us various milestones in culture and historical change. These milestones have led movie creators to produce titles based on these wars that stand up decades later. Make sure you check out these important American war movies at some point.
Glory
Taking place during the Civil War, Glory focuses on a unique military unit of soldiers that were only African-American. Viewers will get to explore unique issues soldiers played by actors like Morgan Freeman and Denzel Washington faced while essentially fighting for their freedom.
The movie wasn’t incredibly successful at the box office with only making $27 million over an $18 million budget, but the movie won many awards from associations like the Academy Awards and the British Academy of Film and Television Acts.
Full Metal Jacket
Directed by Stanley Kubrick, Full Metal Jacket explores various themes like masculinity in the backdrop of the Vietnam War. This movie has long been applauded for not necessarily being an anti-war movie but explaining exactly what war can do to the psyche of an average person.
The movie was very successful at the box office as it made $120 million off a $30 million budget. Full Metal Jacket also won awards from prestigious organizations like the Japanese Academy, London Critics Circle Film Awards, and more.
The Hurt Locker
Directed by Kathryn Bigelow, The Hurt Locker follows a team responsible for disarming various bombs during the Iraq War. Through the movie, the various characters on the team face stressful scenarios that typically aren’t seen in war movies.
Having been nominated for 9 Academy Awards, The Hurt Locker has been praised for the excellent direction along with performances from actors like Jeremy Renner and Anthony Mackie. The movie has even been selected by the Libary of Congress to be preserved in their National Film Registry. Overall, The Hurt Locker is worth watching for anyone looking for a unique perspective on the Iraq War.
M*A*S*H
Inspiring one of the most popular TV series of all time, M*A*S*H takes place during the Korean War. The film uses the unique perspective of medics that mainly spend their time on base, instead of out on the field. Critics have applauded the movie for showing unique relationships soldiers have in areas typically not seen in war movies.
After the movie came out in 1970, M*A*S*H became a popular TV series. However, only one major character was brought over from the movie to the TV series. Overall, M*A*S*H is well worth watching for anyone looking to see how a medic operates during a typical war scenario.
1917
Directed and produced by Sam Mendes, 1917 follows two British soldiers during World War 1 who must deliver a message before thousands of soldiers die from an ambush attack. The film is considered to be a one-shot, always following the characters of the film without cutting to somewhere else.
Having made $384 million on a $95 million budget, the movie was very successful for a World War 1 blockbuster. The film even was able to get 10 nominations at the Academy Awards while winning 3 of them. Overall, 1917 is well worth watching for anyone interested in World War 1.
Saving Private Ryan
Directed by Steven Spielberg, Saving Private Ryan is known as one of the most intensive war films of all time. The movie has been applauded for taking on serious storytelling while accurately depicting important World War II scenarios like the Omaha Beach Invasion.
Making over $450 million in the box office, Saving Private Ryan was incredibly successful for an R-rated war film. The movie won many different awards in the year of its release such as Best Picture from the Golden Globes. Saving Private Ryan has proven itself to be a must-watch film for anyone interested in the war genre.