As I've mentioned before, I consider myself a bit of a war film connoisseur. It was certainly a much bigger hobby of mine when I was younger, indulging in the "ye olde" cinematic adventures of John Wayne, Richard Widmark, and William Holden. Those tastes developed into a much more progressive list of modern films as I got older, but I'm proud not to have lost my appreciation for the older films.
I started thinking more on just how the older films compare to the modern ones. Call me old fashioned but I think they hold up just about every bit as well. They're good in different ways- the action is not quite the fast-paced inferno that you'd see in a Spielberg movie, but it's nothing to scoff at either. Ultimately, however, it's about the story. That's what makes a film great more than anything else.
That's an argument for another day, though.
I tend to digress, but what I'm really interested in is producing a list of superlatives for war movies. This is a carefully, moderately, deliberately, whimsically compiled analysis from my self-proclaimed living room expertise. Keep in mind, this is all from memory.
Most Underrated War Film
The Lost Battalion
This A&E made-for-TV movie is absolutely one of the best out there but hardly even gets mentioned among the top ones. Starring Rick Shroeder, it tells the story of a lone battalion of American troops getting cut off and surrounded by German forces in the Argonne Forest in World War I. It's a favorite for a couple reasons: it brilliantly captures the essence of WWI combat which hasn't been done much in film, and it shows just how narrowly we won some battles but for the stubborn bravery of a special group of American young men.
Honorable Mention: Rough Riders, Zulu
Most Overrated War Film
Behind Enemy Lines
I'm hesitant to even call this a war movie, but it is. Starring Owen Wilson, who actually does a fine job, it tells the story of a pilot behind shot down in enemy territory in Bosnia. It's a pretty good story but it's just not at the level or scale that most of these other films are. I'd call it an action movie, but I've heard many people refer to it as their favorite war movie. It's a war movie for people who don't like war movies.
Honorable Mention: Pearl Harbor, Flags of Our Fathers
Best Musical Score
Gladiator, By Hans Zimmer
This beautiful soundtrack won a Golden Globe for Best Original Score. Zimmer has also conducted pieces for The Lion King, Driving Miss Daisy, The Last Samurai, Black Hawk Down, and Inception.
Honorable Mention: The Patriot and Braveheart, both directed by John Williams.
Best War Movie You've Never Heard Of
Tae Guk Gi (Brotherhood of War)
What? You've never heard of it? This Korean movie, which I guess I just happened to rent on DVD back in the day, tells the harrowing story of two borthers in South Korea who get swept up in the Korean War in 1951. It's as good as any movie in terms of story line, combat sequences, and acting. If this was an American movie filmed in English, it would be right up there with Saving Private Ryan. It's that good. Very much worth a watch if you can tolerate the dubbed-over dialogue or English subtitles.
Honorable Mention: Attilla, Uncommon Valor
Best Black and White Film
The Longest Day
Probably the first "epic" war movie in terms of length, scale, and quality, this star-studded picture features all of the greats- John Wayne, Robert Mitchum, Henry Fonda, and more. It eloquently displays the battle from many perspectives: US Marines, US Paratroopers, Allied High Command, French Resistance, and even the Germans. A classic through and through.
Honorable Mention: Sands of Iwo Jima, Fort Apache
Best Character
Maximus, Gladiator
Played by Russell Crowe, Maximus is the ultimate war movie protagonist. A badass in every sense of the word, he was once a glorified general, but was betrayed by a jealous emperor and his family was murdered. Sold to slavery, he inspires the Roman people as a gladiator and ignites a revolution.From the beginning, Maximus is proud but humble, strong but gentle, and is as noble and honorable as they come. Modeled after Spartacus, he meets a tragic end but this is a superbly created character by Russell Crowe and Director Ridley Scott.
Honorable Mention: Sgt. Major Plumley, We Were Soldiers and Teddy Roosevelt, Rough Riders
Best Acting Performance
Mel Gibson, Braveheart
I know he catches a lot of flak these days for his weird real-life antics, but don't fortget how phenomenal his performances were in Braveheart and The Patriot. I gave Braveheart the nod here because it's just an epic performance in an epic movie. The tale of William Wallace a story of courage and sacrifice in a time when the people in Scotland had little to cling to. I'm thinking particularly of the torture scene of the end, where you can see the anguish and suffering in his face matched only by the determination in his eyes. Masterful.Honorable Mention: Tom Hanks, Saving Private Ryan, and Tom Berenger, Rough Riders
Best Combat Scene
The final battle in Saving Private Ryan
This has every quality to be the best battle scene in cinematic history. A few brave American soldiers, on the front line in the biggest offensive in military history, that are undermanned and underequipped but are willing to die to save the key bridge in town. Cinematically speaking, the shots and action packed sequences is top notch and riveting. The harrowing deaths of the main characters will make you squirm, and just when you think all is lost, the triumphant arrival of reinforcements makes it all okay. There has never been a better battle scene.Honorable Mention: Pickett's Charge, Gettysburg, and D-Day, Saving Private Ryan
Most Inspiring Scene
"Defense of the second shot down helicopter", Black Hawk Down
The movie quite literally derives from its title, about a Delta mission in war-torn Somalia to capture high-executives of an African warlord. It goes awry when two Black Hawk helicopters are shot down in the city of Mogadishu that's swarming with "skinnies". The first one is protected by several brave squads, but there is nobody close enough to go in and defense the second downed bird.
Two snipers, Shughart and Gordon, volunteer to go in and protect the pilot until more help can arrive. The place is surrounded by hundreds of enemy troops and they know they are going to die, but they don't think twice about it and actually request to be dropped in. They defend against a terrifying wave of skinnies, sharing their last clips of ammunition together until they're both killed. It's traumatic to watch but yet so inspiring. American bravery and selflessness at its best.
Honorable Mention: "Line in the sand", The Alamo, and "Earn this," Saving Private Ryan.
Best Overall
Saving Private Ryan, Stephen Spielberg
Like I said before regarding SPR winning best combat scene, the film as a whole has every element you could want in a war movie. Acclaimed actors. Fascinating storyline. Action. Drama. Bloodshed. And, what we might take for granted now, is that this movie was so groundbreaking in its scope and accuracy. Never before had directors captured just how bad war could be. WWII veterans had to leave in the middle of advanced showing because it was too real for them. This was also the first major picture for Matt Damon, and featured other great actors like Tom Hanks, Tom Sizemore, Edward Burns, Barry Pepper, Vin Diesel, Paul Giamatti, and more. Epic in every sense of the word. The best war movie ever made.
Honorable Mention: Gettysburg, Black Hawk Down
That's my take on all these. Disagree? Let's hear your list of superlatives.
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