War Movie Poll!

Best thing is DW is that they can always come back to your suggestions, I agree with you to a point, but there is a more polite way to express your ideas

MIke

"I love The Wizard Of Oz" "Judy Garland was a drug addict."

Neal Romanek

"What do you think of Charlie Chaplin?" "That guy's a dick."

Neal Romanek

This is the (unintentionally, I'm assuming) funniest reaction ever and makes me laugh and laugh and laugh. "What do you think of Schindler's List?" "Schindler's List sucks."

Neal Romanek

gallipoli sucks

dw

of all the hundreds of fantastic war movies you guys picked the most milk toast of any - try were eagles dare - a bridge too far - the eagle has landed - the big red one (staring a young mark hamill) - hell is for heroes - MASH - the young lions - dunkirk - patton - kellys heroes - the dirty dozen there are so many good movies made long before the year 2000

dw

I agree. Tora! Tora! Tora! is an immaculately good film.

Armchair Wizard

Isn't Master and Commander set in the British war against Napoleon? And Lawrence Of Arabia is entirely about World War I.

Neal Romanek

LofA won 6 Academy Awards and was nominated for 10. Seeing it on a huge screen in a darkened theater with a big audience is one of those peak experiences but it's still great in any format. With its intermission, maybe it's one to break into two reaction videos.

Neal Romanek

One of the greatest war movies ever made is Gallipoli (1981) an early film by Master and Commander director Peter Weir and one of the films that introduced Mel Gibson to the world.

Neal Romanek

Lawrence Of Arabia is entirely about the First World War though, so I'm not sure how it isn't a war movie.

Neal Romanek

Oh, heck yes - the Bridge On The River Kwai, Lawrence Of Arabia, Doctor Zhivago trifecta is about all any movie lover needs.

Neal Romanek

Ugh, BATTLE: LOS ANGELES is just terrible though.

Patrick Flanagan

Lawrence of arabia is a great epic movie - but if tbr wants to watch stellar war movies i wouldn't necessarily put it on a list - i'm really of the opinion you young people only know of a handful of films and have no idea whats out there - some of the best films you'll ever see were made between 1965 and 1975 - before star wars and jaws

dw

A couple of good ones missing: "The Bridge on the River Kwai" and "Tora! Tora! Tora!". Movies no one should miss.

David Martin

I can't disagree with others who suggest Lawrence of Arabia isn't really a war film as much as it is an epic. It is one of the best films ever made, though. You all definitely need to get some David Lean under your belt. Lawrence, Kwai, Zhivago, something. Master and Commander is just pretty.

Brad Bunch

Master and Commander is one of the most underrated movies I’ve ever seen.

PIG

I think Sam and TBR would appreciate it despite its pace. They favorably reacted to 2001:A Space Odyssey, demonstrating their appreciation of art.

Catherine LW

tbh, I wouldn't consider Lawrence of Arabia to be one either

Bert Taverner

I'd vote for Paths of Glory because I like the anti-war message that apparently got it banned in places and the US military wouldn't show it. I would agree that Lawrence of Arabia is probably more of a Historical Epic than a War film (David Lean's The Bridge on the River Kwai is more of a War film), but it ain't fluff. And I liked The Big Red One because Samuel Fuller is a great filmmaker.

Bert Taverner

Master and Commander is a great film, in my opinion. Im glad its been kind of getting it's due in the react circle.

JayWantsACat

I really don't know if I would consider Master and Commander a war movie.

Shaun2342!

Also I love Peter Weir’s “Master & Commander” but I would classify it as more of an adventure story than a war film.

Michael Soukup

For ‘Memphis Belle’ maybe consider the original documentary by the great William Wyler.

Michael Soukup

your list is really. weak - if your interested in good war movies watch the following: the dirty dozen - hell is for heros - a bridge too far - the eagle has landed - the young lions - the big red one - kelly's heros - where eagles dare - the hornets nest - the boys in company c - paths of glory - red tails - wind talkers - hamburger hill and PATTON

dw

holy shit i came back and now M&C is winning!

matthew

the thin red line is about as real as it gets - watch it the rest is fluff

dw

Another film that is ostensibly Science Fiction but is in reality a Military / War film is, "Battle: Los Angeles" (2011). The enemy just happens to be an alien force.

Miles E Coburn

I had to take a genre class in film school the semester it was about "the WWII combat film;" we watched all those movies, the ones shot during the war and in the decades after. Much richer experience than I assumed going in, and why I can recognize that, for instance, Aliens (my favorite of that franchise) is a World War 2 combat film in space.

Mark

That hour of nature scenes is part of what I love about it/makes it special. Take a look at Kurosawa's use of cutaways to linger on wind blowing through trees, etc. - helps us be more present in the film, have time to absorb, add a tonal/poetic quality, etc. vs. rush-rush-rush.

Mark

Although Lawrence of Arabia is the king here, it may not be as accepted by the younger viewers as the classic it is. The length and pacing , although spot-on, is not a familiar element in todays filmdom.

ron clint

The old Midway is a national treasure. The new one not so much. Lol

Sean Clonch

TRL would have been ok if the removed the unnecessary hour of nature shots from it. At least they left the butt sex from the book out of the movie.

Sean Clonch

I've been on a battlefield and I wasn't impressed. I can give numerous examples but will only give 3 because anymore would produce spoilers. 1. Vince is not gunny Hartman no matter how hard he tries. 2. Stupid love stories butcher war movies. 3. It was so over acted and cheesy I thought I was watching red tails or 300. It would just be nice to see someone react to something else.

Sean Clonch

Yeah, that’s why the same movies are reacted to over and over again. Boring.

Catherine LW

Thank you for the recommendation. Apocalypse Now is certainly grandiose, but I'm not particularly a fan, unfortunately. The "making of" documentary FFC's wife shot concurrently - "Hearts of Darkness" - is probably better than the film it's about. I'd recommend it strongly.

Mark

I definitely agree with those. Tora Tora Tora is light years better than that newer Pearl Harbor movie.

Scott Kerr

Interesting how there tends to be a bias towards the newest movie in most of these polls :(

Chris

Lawrence of Arabia and The Thin Red Line are far and away the best films on this list.

Bert Taverner

Was hoping to see 13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi on one of these lists.

David Crabtree

Is say hacksaw ridge if Andrew Garfield didnt have such a punchable face.

Craig Gibson

To be honest, "Midway" (1976), "Tears of the Sun" (2003), "The Wild Geese" (1978), or "Tora! Tora! Tora!" (1970), would be my preference. "Tora! Tora! Tora!" (1970) is about the attack on Pearl Harbor told from the U.S. AND Japan's point of view. The two countries worked together on the film.

Miles E Coburn

Pretty sad that something like Hacksaw Ridge is gonna beat Lawrence of Arabia.

Tyler Foster

I know it ain't likely, but I REALLY hope that Lawrence of Arabia comes out on top! That movie is the most top tier classic film. If I could, I'd straight request that one! <3

Logan Kerlee

Oh that recommendation was for Mark. I saw the reaction.

Mr. Writhms

I'm almost positive they've seen that one already. I believe they've done all the major Vietnam movies (other than "Coming Home", but that's not a war movie, that's a post-war movie).

Toc

Since we only got one vote, I went for Hacksaw, but Master and Commander is also awesome.

Arki Kali

That sucks because it's awesome, and the source material is pretty darned good too.

Arki Kali

How is it hot trash? It does take some liberties with the story, but it stays pretty true to it. And it's probably one of the most realistic views of war you'll see without actually being on a battlefield.

Arki Kali

Master and Commander was supposed to be the first of a trilogy, unfortunately that never came to fruition; like the HBO show, Rome, it was great writing and acting etc., but too expensive to produce and thus got cancelled.

Joe D. MacGuffinstuff

I MUST recommend you see "Apocalypse Now" (1979). I'm not saying it's better. I'm just saying, it deserves your interest.

Mr. Writhms

Thin Red Line is, without exaggeration, a masterpiece. It stands above all other "war" films, which I general have no interest in.

Mark

“Fury” and “Memphis Belle” would be a nice change of perspective since, up to now, the war movie reactions have been the point of view of boots on the ground. Oh... Then there's “Memphis Belle” being one of my all-time favorite war films. So there’s a bias. 😁

Mr. Writhms

Everyone is reacting to hacksaw. Home a historical point, it's hot trash. Master and commander or Memphis Belle would be a much better choice

Sean Clonch

matthew

Finally get M&C and Hacksaw Ridge is kicking its ass. Dang.

KremitLeFroge