The Best Movies About World War II: War Films.

World War II left its mark not only in history but also in culture and even cinematography. That's why the best movies about World War II are still coming out and receiving quite high ratings. Additionally, war films about World War II often touch on quite different themes: for instance, the theme of good and evil, morality, and so on.

That is why World War II films will be interesting to many. They show how much humanity can lose and how hard it is for people to endure different periods of war. Moreover, the best films about World War II have already become cult classics.

The Best Movies About World War II

World War II is one of the most tragic and large-scale events of the 20th century. It changed the fates of millions of people, redrew the map of the world, and left behind thousands of stories: heroic, painful, tragic, and inspiring. The memory of these years is preserved not only in books and textbooks but also on cinema screens. War films allow us to understand more deeply what soldiers on the front lines, civilians in the rear, spies, politicians, ship captains, and ordinary people caught in the epicenter of a global catastrophe experienced.

Cinematic films telling stories about World War II are not just action films or dramas. They attempt to convey the spirit of the Time, to show what lies behind the news reports: living people, their choices, fears, courage, and sacrifices. In this genre, there is room for both grand Hollywood pathos and intimate dramas, as well as psychological thrillers that keep one tense until the last moment.

Allied (2016)

This film, directed by Robert Zemeckis, presents one of the lesser-known sides of the war – the work of spies. The events unfold in 1942. Canadian intelligence officer Max (Brad Pitt) and French spy Marianne (Marion Cotillard) meet during a joint operation in Casablanca. They have to pretend to be a couple, but eventually, real love develops between them.

Fury (2014)

The movie Fury by David Ayer offers a look at the war through the eyes of tankers. Events take place in April 1945, as Allied forces advance through Germany. The main character, Sergeant Wardaddy (Brad Pitt), the commander of an American Sherman tank crew, risks his life daily alongside several soldiers, facing the enemy in unequal battles.

Darkest Hour (2017)

This film focuses not on military actions but on the political struggles occurring in the corridors of the British government during the most critical period of the war. It tells the story of the first weeks of Winston Churchill's premiership – a man who had to make incredibly complex decisions in conditions where the fate of all of Europe was at stake.

Enemy at the Gates (2001)

This film transports us to Stalingrad – one of the bloodiest battlefields of World War II. The center of the plot is the story of Soviet sniper Vasily Zaitsev, played by Jude Law. His character fights not only against the Nazis but also against the German super-sniper, Officer König (Ed Harris), in a psychological duel that resembles a chess match with deadly consequences.

Greyhound (2020)

This film featuring Tom Hanks in the lead role offers another perspective on World War II, but this time from the seas. The events unfold in 1942 when an Allied convoy of dozens of merchant ships attempts to cross the Atlantic while under constant threat from German submarines.

Saving Private Ryan (1998)

Steven Spielberg's film is rightly considered one of the greatest war films in history. The first 20 minutes – the landing scene on Normandy – have become a cinematic classic. The realism with which combat actions are portrayed overwhelms even seasoned viewers: the earth shakes, bullets whistle, and people die without heroic pathos – simply, painfully, and frighteningly.

Dunkirk (2017)

Director Christopher Nolan approached the subject of war in a new way, focusing not so much on battle scenes but on experiencing every minute, every breath on the edge of life and death. The film tells the real historical event of the evacuation of over 300,000 British and French soldiers from the beaches of Dunkirk in 1940.

Im Westen nichts Neues (2022)

This modern adaptation of Erich Maria Remarque's cult novel received widespread recognition worldwide and several awards, including an Oscar for Best International Feature Film. Although the events take place during World War I, the plot and emotional charge are entirely relevant to World War II and any war in general.

The Six Triple Eight (2024)

This film, directed by Regina King, highlights a little-known yet extremely important page of World War II history – the service of African American women in the U.S. Army. The 6888th Battalion consisted entirely of black women and played a key role in handling postal correspondence, which during the war was the only connection soldiers had with home.

Inglourious Basterds (2009)

Quentin Tarantino created one of the most unconventional films about World War II, where real historical events intertwine with fiction, and scenes of tension alternate with explosive satire. Inglourious Basterds is an alternative history in which a group of American Jewish soldiers, led by Lieutenant Aldo Raine (Brad Pitt), conducts a real hunt for Nazis.