Another year of military entertainment has come and gone, and 2025 gave us everything from gritty “SEAL Team” authenticity to Netflix documentaries that’ll make you want to reenlist. But it also delivered some absolute stinkers that make you wonder if anyone involved ever actually met a service member. From blockbuster films to video games and podcasts, here’s what dominated the military media landscape this year.
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The year started with some industry hand-wringing about whether war movies were going the way of Westerns after the 1970s. No big-name directors like Spielberg or Nolan tackled battlefield stories this year, yet beneath the radar, some seriously badass content was brewing across every platform imaginable.
The Good: When Hollywood Actually Got It Right
“Warfare” dominated the conversation as the year’s most intense military film. Co-directed by Alex Garland and actual Iraq War veteran Ray Mendoza, this A24 release recreated a harrowing 2006 day during the Battle of Ramadi when a Navy SEAL platoon got pinned down. The film ditched the typical Hollywood soundtrack and dramatic exposition, instead dropping viewers directly into the chaos with real-time intensity and sound design that left audiences’ ears ringing.
What made “Warfare” stand out was its authenticity. Mendoza, one of the real SEALs portrayed in the film, ensured the movie captured the visceral helplessness and brotherhood of combat. Critics called it the most forceful depiction of modern warfare since “All Quiet on the Western Front,” and it showed on HBO Max after a successful theatrical run.
Warfare | Official Trailer HD | A24
Netflix’s “MARINES” documentary series gave viewers unprecedented access to the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit as it conducted high-stakes combat exercises in the Pacific. The four-episode series followed everything from grueling combat readiness tests to the last Scout Sniper Platoon facing an uncertain future. It captured the professionalism and intensity of Marine operations without the typical reality TV nonsense.
On the TV front, “Boots” brought something completely different to the table. Based on Marine Corps veteran Greg Cope White’s memoir “The Pink Marine,” this Netflix series tackled the 1990s Marine Corps when being gay in the military was still illegal. It balanced boot camp humor with real reflection on identity and belonging, proving military stories don’t always need explosions to be compelling.
“Surviving Black Hawk Down” took a documentary approach to the 1993 Battle of Mogadishu, featuring firsthand accounts from U.S. soldiers and Somali civilians. Rather than rehashing Ridley Scott’s blockbuster, the series dug into the raw human cost of that catastrophic mission, with real footage and interviews that painted an unforgettable picture.
Gaming: When Virtual War Got Real
The gaming world delivered some legitimate tactical experiences this year. While “Call of Duty: Black Ops 7” and “Battlefield 6” went head-to-head in the biggest military shooter showdown, smaller titles made waves with actual veterans.
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“Hell Let Loose” continued to dominate the realistic shooter space, with its upcoming Vietnam expansion bringing the franchise forward 25 years. “Squad 44” pushed realism even further, refusing to label enemies or friendlies and requiring actual medics for serious injuries. These games proved that veterans and simulation fans wanted authenticity over arcade action.
The free-to-play market exploded with options for troops on deployment or in the barracks. According to a May 2025 survey by the Entertainment Software Association, veterans are significantly more likely to play shooters than non-veterans (55% compared to 39%), making accessibility crucial for the demographic.
Hell Let Loose: Vietnam – Official Gameplay Trailer
Podcasts: Veterans Tell Their Own Stories
The military entertainment podcast space saw explosive growth in veteran-hosted content. “Wartime Stories,” hosted by Marine Corps reconnaissance veteran Luke Lamana, blended horror and mystery with real battlefield experiences. The Ballen Studios production carved out a unique niche mixing the strange and terrifying with actual military encounters.
“The Jocko Podcast” maintained its dominance as the go-to for leadership and discipline content, while newer shows like Beyond the Uniform gave Medline’s veteran employees a platform to share transition stories and career advice. “Operation Encore” provided opportunities for veteran musicians to showcase their work, proving military content doesn’t always have to be about combat.
The Weird: Films That Tried Something Different
“Atropia” went full meta, following an aspiring actress working at a fake Iraqi town built in the California desert to train troops. In a limited theatrical release, the satirical film explored the lines between reality and simulation in military training, examining how we prepare for war through Hollywood-style role-playing. Reviews paint the film as strange, uncomfortable, and surprisingly thought-provoking.
“Beast of War” answered the question nobody asked: What if World War II Australian soldiers fought a giant shark? This 87-minute action flick combined old-school practical effects with genuine character development, proving that sometimes the most ridiculous premises can work if executed with enough skill and self-awareness.
Beast of War – Official Trailer (2025) Mark Coles Smith, Joel Nankervis, Sam Delich
The Bad: When Hollywood Phoned It In
“War of the Worlds” took the classic H.G. Wells story and turned it into a screenlife disaster starring Ice Cube. Critics savaged it as incoherent and lifeless, with one reviewer noting it made them feel individual brain cells dying. Despite being universally panned, it somehow racked up high viewership on Netflix, proving bad movies can still find an audience.
“Shadow Force” tried to be a military thriller about an estranged couple pursued by their former CIA special ops team. Instead, it became a generic, inert mess that bombed at the box office with just $5 million against a $40 million budget. Kerry Washington and Omar Sy deserved better material.
The year’s attempts at military comedies also largely failed to land. Films trying to capture the dad joke crowd fell flat, feeling more like content than actual movies. When Kevin James can’t save your military-themed comedy, you know something went seriously wrong.
The Controversy: When the Pentagon Pushed Back
A HOUSE OF DYNAMITE | Official Trailer | Netflix
One of 2025 most interesting military movie developments happened off-screen. Kathryn Bigelow’s nuclear thriller “A House of Dynamite” sparked a public dispute with the Pentagon over missile defense accuracy. The film claimed U.S. interceptors had a 61% success rate, while the Department of Defense insisted on 100% accuracy in controlled tests. Screenwriter Noah Oppenheim stood firm, stating the controversy was exactly the conversation they wanted to have. The film hit #1 on Netflix despite, or perhaps because of, the military’s objections.
Read: ‘A House of Dynamite’ makes hard nuke questions accessible to everyone
The DoD’s Entertainment Liaison Office continued its long tradition of script review and approval for productions seeking military support. While this partnership has produced classics from “Wings” to “Top Gun,” critics argue the process amounts to propaganda with Hollywood polish. The debate intensified in 2025 as more filmmakers went independent rather than submit to Pentagon script changes.
Entertainment in 2025
This year proved that military content doesn’t need massive budgets or A-list directors to succeed. The best films came from actual veterans telling authentic stories, whether through “Warfare’s” real-time intensity or Boots’ honest look at LGBTQ service members. Documentaries like “MARINES” and “Surviving Black Hawk Down” showed audiences crave real stories over Hollywood heroics.
Gaming reached new heights of realism while podcasts gave veterans unprecedented platforms to share their own narratives. The democratization of media meant service members no longer needed Hollywood’s permission to tell their stories; they just needed a microphone or a development kit.
Surviving Black Hawk Down | Official Trailer | Netflix
The worst offerings in 2025 revealed what happens when filmmakers treat military content as a genre checkbox rather than meaningful storytelling. Generic plots, inattention to detail, and disrespect for actual military experience all contributed to films that bombed with both critics and audiences.
For 2026, the bar has been set: Service members and veterans have shown they can tell their own stories effectively when given the platform, whether through film, streaming, gaming, or podcasting. Hollywood would be wise to keep listening to them rather than relying on tired tropes and uninformed stereotypes. Because when military content gets it right, as “Warfare” did, it creates experiences that civilians and veterans alike won’t forget.
The verdict: 2025 was a mixed bag, but the gems were worth digging for. And if nothing else, we learned that sometimes the best military stories come from the people who actually lived them.
