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Despite not making waves at the box office or becoming household names, these underrated war movies pack a punch with storytelling that pulls you in and doesn't let go.
War movies have a way of taking us back in time, showing us the grit, courage, and sometimes the heartbreak of battles fought long ago, yet there are so many out there that didn't get the spotlight they deserved when they first hit the screens; these are the stories that bring to life the unsung heroes, the strategic dilemmas, and the personal sacrifices that often go unnoticed in the history books.
1. "The Ascent" (1977) Rotten Tomatoes score: 100%
Two Soviet partisans embark on a mission to gather food in the harsh winter of World War II, only to be captured by German forces, leading to a profound examination of humanity, betrayal, and sacrifice under the extreme pressures of war.
2. "Army of Shadows" (1969) Rotten Tomatoes score: 97%
This film depicts the grim realities of the French Resistance during World War II, following a group of resistance fighters as they engage in acts of espionage and sabotage against the occupying German forces, facing moral dilemmas and the constant threat of betrayal and capture.
3. "The Best Years of Our Lives" (1946) Rotten Tomatoes score: 97%
Following World War II, three veterans return home to small-town America to discover that they and their families have been irrevocably changed by the war, struggling to adjust to civilian life and dealing with the physical and emotional scars left by their experiences.
4. "The Guns of Navarone" (1961) Rotten Tomatoes score: 92%
During World War II, an Allied commando team is tasked with a daring mission to destroy a seemingly impregnable German fortress that threatens Allied naval ships in the Aegean Sea, facing daunting obstacles and betrayal in a race against time.
5. "The Big Red One" (1980) Rotten Tomatoes score: 90%
Following the First Infantry Division (The Big Red One) through World War II, from Africa to Europe, the film closely examines the war's impact on the lives of the soldiers, led by their tough sergeant, as they face death, loss, and the horrors of war.
6. "Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World" (2003) Rotten Tomatoes score: 85%
During the Napoleonic Wars, Captain Jack Aubrey of the HMS Surprise is ordered to hunt down and capture or destroy a superior French war vessel off the South American coast, leading to strategic sea battles and a test of leadership and camaraderie.
An elite Allied team, led by British Major John Smith and American Lieutenant Morris Schaffer, undertakes a high-stakes mission to infiltrate a Nazi-held castle in the Alps to rescue an American general, uncovering unexpected twists and double-crosses along the way.
8. "Bat*21" (1988) Rotten Tomatoes score: 82%
During the Vietnam War, Lieutenant Colonel Iceal Hambleton, an expert in missile countermeasures, is shot down over enemy territory and must use his strategic knowledge to survive, with the help of an airborne spotter, as a risky rescue operation unfolds against the backdrop of a major conflict.
9. "Empire of the Sun" (1987) Rotten Tomatoes score: 78%
A young British boy, Jamie "Jim" Graham, becomes a prisoner of war in a Japanese internment camp during World War II in Shanghai, struggling to survive and maintain his spirit in the face of the horrors of war and the loss of his innocence.
In a futuristic military sci-fi world, young soldiers, including Johnny Rico, enlist to fight against a species of giant alien insects in a distant galaxy, undergoing brutal training and facing devastating battles that test their courage, friendship, and convictions in an interstellar war.
11. "Cross of Iron" (1977) Rotten Tomatoes score: 71%
On the Eastern Front of World War II, a German sergeant and his unit struggle to survive the Soviet onslaught, dealing with the brutalities of war and the incompetence and cruelty of their officers, in a stark portrayal of the futility and waste of conflict.
In the future, botanist Freeman Lowell fights to save the last remaining Earth forests, preserved in domes aboard a spaceship, from destruction by his own crew, leading to a desperate and lonely struggle for survival and preservation of nature.
13. "The Dead Lands" (2014) Rotten Tomatoes score: 70%
In pre-colonial New Zealand, a Maori chieftain's son seeks to avenge his father's murder using ancient warrior tactics, guided by the spirit of a warrior, navigating treacherous landscapes and facing fierce tribal enemies in a quest for honor and vengeance.
14. "The Siege of Firebase Gloria" (1989) Rotten Tomatoes score: 69%
At the height of the Vietnam War, a beleaguered American battalion braces for the impact of an imminent enemy assault on Firebase Gloria, leading to a fierce and bloody standoff that tests the resolve and bravery of the soldiers defending it.
In a corporate-controlled dystopian future, Jonathan E., the star player of a brutal sport known as Rollerball, begins to question the dehumanizing aspects of the game and the society that glorifies it, leading to a conflict with the powers that be.
16. "13 Hours" (2016) Rotten Tomatoes score: 51%
Based on true events, six members of a security team fight to defend the American diplomatic compound in Benghazi, Libya, against a wave of terrorist attacks on the eleventh anniversary of September 11th, highlighting the courage and valor of those who stood firm in the face of overwhelming odds.
17. "Zardoz" (1974) Rotten Tomatoes score: 50%
In a post-apocalyptic future, a brutal enforcer from the barbaric Outlands discovers the truth about Zardoz, a god-like entity, and infiltrates a society of immortals who control the fate of humanity, challenging the status quo and uncovering shocking secrets.
18. "Gardens of Stone" (1987) Rotten Tomatoes score: 44%
Set against the backdrop of the Vietnam War, a veteran sergeant and his colleagues at Arlington National Cemetery confront the war's toll on the home front, dealing with personal loss and the conflict's impact on their lives and principles as they honor the dead.
During World War II, Marine Joe Enders is assigned to protect Navajo code talker Ben Yahzee, using an unbreakable code based on the Navajo language, as they navigate the brutal realities of the Pacific Theater, forming an unlikely friendship amidst the chaos of battle.
20. "The Bridge" (1959) Rotten Tomatoes score: 0%
A group of German teenage soldiers, drafted into the army in the final days of World War II, are assigned to defend a seemingly insignificant bridge, facing the realities of war and the loss of innocence as they confront their inevitable fates.
