The 9 best war movies of 2018

Blake Stilwell
Apr 29, 2020 3:45 PM PDT
1 minute read
Movies photo

SUMMARY

It was a good year for the war-military movie genre. There weren’t many of them made this year, but the quality was much, much better than in years past. There could be many reasons for this; the rise in military veterans wanting a say in how their…

It was a good year for the war-military movie genre. There weren't many of them made this year, but the quality was much, much better than in years past. There could be many reasons for this; the rise in military veterans wanting a say in how their lives are depicted onscreen, Hollywood looking to real-world stories for source material, or just a general focus on what works and what doesn't in filmmaking.

Whatever the reason, it was a good year. To show our appreciation, we're presenting to you nine of our favorites. After all, a good, old-fashioned war movie marathon is the perfect New Year's Day recovery tactic.


9. '7 Days in Entebbe'

This film recreates the hijacking that led to one of the most daring rescue operations of all time, Israel's now-famous Raid on Entebbe. 7 Days In Entebbe is a story set from the point of view of the hijackers. It's not a great film for its depiction of what it's like to be a hijacker or hostage, but the action is good, and the film really brings the era to life.

Related: 6 miraculous operations of the Israel Defense Forces

8. 'Overlord'

World War II is a great setting for any film of any genre. You can set any story in any place on Earth, and it will be slightly believable because Nazis are the ultimate insane, evil villains. While everyone loves a great WWII drama, every now and then, someone gives the World War II sub-drama a spin and adds an element that is surprising and fun. This time, it's zombie horror.

Now Read: Why we're pumped about the new 'Overlord' film

Paul Rudd stars a baseball legend Moe Berg in the WWII drama "The Catcher Was A Spy."

7. 'The Catcher Was A Spy'

By now, America knows what to expect from a Paul Rudd movie. The Marvel alum's wry smile and sharp wit are fun and appealing in comedies and action-adventure movies. But The Catcher Was A Spy is a dramatic take on the life of Red Sox legend Moe Berg, who famously supplied information to the Allied war effort in Japan and Eastern Europe.

A great cast backs up Rudd, whose depiction of the anti-heroic Berg in this film based on Berg's real exploits.

Related: This Boston Red Sox catcher changed the course of World War II

6. 'Hunter Killer'

This is one of only two movies on the list that isn't based on a true story, but much of what went into making the film was real. For example, Butler and crew really lived on a submarine with U.S. sailors. In the movie, a submarine commander assembles a team of SEALs to prevent a coup in Russia and prevent a potential World War III. What's the most fun about this movie though, is the way the producers drummed up buzz for it. Gerard Butler visited troops, gave a Pentagon press briefing, and even played Battleship with We Are The Mighty.

Next: Gerard Butler totally gets why troops hate military movie mistakes

5. 'A Private War'

A Private War is the story of war correspondent Marie Colvin, one of the world's best war photographers. She had seen action in Chechnya, Kosovo, Sri Lanka, Sierra Leone, and more. She is famous in the world of journalism for repeatedly coming under attack for just being a journalist. Colvin was one of the last journalists to interview Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi as she covered the Syrian Civil War.

4. 'Operation Finale'

Operation Finale was the name the Israeli intelligence agency, Mossad, gave to the capture, imprisonment, and extraction of Nazi war criminal Adolf Eichmann from Argentina. He hid there as a factory worker at a local Mercedes-Benz plant under the name Ricardo Klement. Once the Mossad found out where he was hiding, it wasn't long before they hatched a daring plan to put "The Architect of the Holocaust" on trial in Israel.

Now Read: How 'the most dangerous man in Europe' hunted his fellow Nazis for Israel

3. 'Sgt. Stubby: An American Hero'

This year was the 100th anniversary of the end of World War I and Hollywood did not miss the chance to remember the brave men — and canines — who fought it. Stubby was a stray who also happened to have fought in 17 major battles, saved an entire regiment from a chemical attack, and then pulled everyone out of an artillery barrage before he went back to find the missing and wounded.

No -- you're crying!

Related: A stray dog named 'Stubby' was the most decorated dog of WWI

2. 'They Shall Not Grow Old'

World War I had quite the effect on author JRR Tolkien. His most legendary works, The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings are based on his time there, a way for the veteran to make sense of the horrible killing. So, it makes sense that the director who brought those works to the silver screen also brings a bit of Tolkien's own experiences along with it. Though They Shall Not Grow Old has nothing to do with Tolkien, Jackson's closeness to the material is apparent in this documentary film, as his grandfather served in the Great War.

The critically-acclaimed documentary uses previously unseen film reels from the archives of the UK's Imperial War Museum.

Read On: After 100 years World War I battlefields are poisoned and uninhabitable

1. '12 Strong: The Declassified Story of the Horse Soldiers'

In the days following the terror attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, the U.S. sent its most capable insurgent-wrangling troops into Afghanistan with the intent of supplying and coordinating those who were already aligned against al-Qaeda and the Taliban. These Special Forces troops provided air cover and strategic planning to the Afghan Warlord-led Northern Alliance who had been struggling to oust the Taliban since they took control of Kabul in 1994.

But to get there and be effective, the Green Berets had to adapt to the environment and technology available to them, and their success came at a real cost.

Full Story: The Special Forces who avenged 9/11 on horseback

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