--- title: "Bombs away! Here are the 13 worst military movies in Hollywood history" date: "2020-09-10" modified: "2020-10-30" authors: - name: "Blake Stilwell" job_title: "Editor-In-Chief, Air Force Veteran" link: "https://www.wearethemighty.com/authors/blake/" url: "https://www.wearethemighty.com/articles/worst-war-movies/" categories: - "Entertainment" - "Movies and TV" --- # Bombs away! Here are the 13 worst military movies in Hollywood history ![]() Not all war movies are created equal. While box office returns don't necessarily mean the movie was *good* or *bad* (for example, Iron Man 3 is the 10th highest grossing movie ever), they are an indication of what does or doesn't pique people's interest – although you *might* personally find a correlation between the two in this list. --- ![]() *You can blame Colin Farrell for both. (Warner Bros.)* Here are [13 military movies]() Hollywood probably wishes it could take back in order of the least to the worst offenders. (Loss estimates include marketing costs and adjustments for inflation.) ### 13. Battleship (2012) [*Box Office Loss: $60 million*]() How could Director Peter Berg have known casting Rihanna was not the best idea? When the audience *and* critics think the movie is "[not fun]()," "[crushingly stupid]()," and would prefer to spend the time [actually playing the game]() instead. And word of mouth didn't save it at the box office. ![]() *Somebody thought this was a good idea. (Photo: Universal)* Peter Berg told [*The Hollywood Reporter*]() that his 2013 film "Lone Survivor" would allow him to "buy back his reputation." ### 12. Gods and Generals (2003) [*Loss $61 million* ]() ![]() *These are actually Civil War reenactors... and probably the only people who paid to see the movie. (Photo: Warner Bros.)* [Roger Ebert called "Gods and Generals"]() a film "Trent Lott would enjoy," referring to the Senator's praise of segregationist Strom Thurmond. Noted author Jeff Shaara, whose Civil War-based books are highly praised and widely read, said the movie is nothing like his book and he has no idea how he could "[let them butcher the book like that]()." (But that didn't keep him from holding onto the money he was paid for the film rights to the book). ### 11. Revolution (1985) [*Loss: $62 million*]() ![]() *Pacino is seen here being escorted off of the ship and out of movies altogether. (Photo: Warner Bros.)* This movie is so bad, Al Pacino [quit acting for four years](). ### 10. Aloha (2015) [*Loss: $65 million*]() ![]() *Which is worse: Chris Kyle at the Democratic Convention or Chris Kyle in an Air Force uniform? (Columbia Pictures/20th Century Fox)* Air Force movies don't do well at the box office. No one has expressed a desire to see an Air Force movie since Gene Hackman and Danny Glover in "BAT\*21," and that was 1988. Someone should have told Cameron Crowe to make this movie about Marines ... and not to cast Emma Stone as an Asian woman. ### 9. The Finest Hours (2016) [*Loss: $75 million*]() ![]() *If everyone in the Coast Guard bought a ticket, then bought the DVD twice, they might make another Coast Guard movie. (U.S. Coast Guard photo)* This movie was a true story, so just making the Coast Guard into Marines wouldn't work. But traditionally, Coast Guard movies aren't a box office draw either. Ask Ashton Kutcher. ### 8. K-19: The Widowmaker (2002) [*Loss: $88 million*]() ![]() *They really don't belong on this list. (Paramount)* This might be the exception on this list. "K-19" was actually well-received, even by Russian submariners who were part of K-19's crew. The only thing the Russian Navy veterans didn't like was being portrayed as a bunch of drunken, incompetent [Russian stereotypes](). ### 7. Alexander (2004) *[Loss: $89 million]()* ![]() *Awkward family photo. (Photo: Warner Bros.)* Like the great general himself, "Alexander" enraged people from Greece all the way to India. Historians and critics both agree that this movie is both [way too long and needs more fighting]() -- unless those critics and moviegoers are American, in which case, [the biggest concern]() seems to be that Alexander the Great might have been gay. ### 6. The Great Raid (2005) [*Loss: $91 million*]() ![]() *You know, this movie is also too good to be on this list. (Miramax)* This is the story of the Raid at Cabanatuan on the island of Luzon in the Philippines during WWII. [General Roger Ebert praised the film](), saying "Here is a war movie that understands how wars are actually fought." Of course, Ebert was never a general, he's just referring to the realistic depiction of combat in the film. He also said, "it is good to have a film that is not about entertainment for action fans, but about how wars are won with great difficulty, risk, and cost." ### 5. Inchon (1982) [*Loss: $100 million*]() ![]() *And the movie poster looks like a bad Choose Your Own Adventure book or a good Atari game.* There's no movie magic like a Korean War epic funded by a cult. The film's star told the world [he did it for the money](), the actress portraying the love interest decided to quit being a movie star after shooting wrapped, and the movie's Washington, D.C. premiere was picketed by anti-cult activists. "Inchon" was never released on video or DVD. When Ronald Reagan screened it at the White House, all he could say was "[For once we're the good guys and the Communists are the villains]()." It's the little things. ### 4. Windtalkers (2002) *[Loss: $107 million]()* ![]() *This is how you feel watching this movie. (Photo: MGM)* Called one of the [most inaccurate war movies ever made](), "Windtalkers" also tries to tell the story of WWII Navajo code talkers through the eyes of a white guy. (Come to think of it, it's actually surprising that here's only one Nicolas Cage movie on this list). ### 3. Stealth (2005) [*Loss: $116 million*]() ![]() A robot plane (stop laughing) is based in downtown Rangoon (which hasn't been called that since 1989). After it's hit by lighting, it becomes more alive (stop laughing, this is serious) and one of the pilots trying to stop it gets shot down over North Korea. Some more stuff happens, and then they discover the plane has feelings. ### 2. The Alamo (2004) [*Loss: $118 million*]() ![]() *Donald Trump's vision (Photo: Touchstone Pictures)* The marketing for this movie used the line "you will never forget." And you won't. You'll remember how great this movie could have been if every character had been played by Billy Bob Thornton. "The Alamo" is number 2 on this list, but number 1 in terms of epic disappointment. ### 1. Hart's War (2002) [*Loss: $125 million*]() ![]() *He the one behind the fence, but the viewer is the one who feels trapped during this movie. (MGM/Fox)* Colin Farrell strikes again. Even Bruce Willis couldn't create any interest in this WWII movie. Basically, a captured American officer is punished in the POW camp by having to bunk with the enlisted. The prisoners use a trial to distract the guards from a coming attack on an ammo factory. ## Author Blake Stilwell is We Are The Mighty's Editor-in-Chief, covering military news, entertainment, and history, along with veteran education, employment and entrepreneurship. He is a former U.S. Air Force combat cameraman with degrees in Graphic Design, Television and Film, International Relations, Public Relations, Business Management and Middle Eastern Affairs. After leaving the military, he began working in film and television production in New York and Los Angeles, work that included ABC News, NBC Olympics, and HBO Sports. He then spent two years in Washington with White House Communications, before joining the Near East Foundation. At NEF he served as an International Development Fellow, then Communications Officer, and finally, Media Officer for the Middle East and Africa. Based in the Palestinian Territory, he coordinated strategic communications between eight country offices, international media, and government and NGO partners. He began a career focused on writing and editing in 2015 with We Are The Mighty. He left in 2019 for Military.com, but returned as Editor-in-Chief in 2025. Blake’s work has been seen on CBS News, Fox News, CBC, The Chicago Tribune, Task & Purpose, Military Times, Recoil, Skillset, American History, and was shockingly even used in a Supreme Court argument. He is an avid traveler and small business owner in Ohio, where he spends most of his energy fixing up a very old house. ### Author social links [Facebook]() [Twitter]() [Instagram]() [LinkedIn]()