10 must-watch war movies to stream on Netflix and Amazon Prime Video

Wars are brutal and bloody. Some have triggered seismic political and racial upheavals, and most have traumatised communities for generations. So then, why is the demand for war movies so high and their box-office attraction unbroken? Maybe it’s the cinematic experience that gives the audience a glimpse into the conflict and its preoccupations; whether it is inside the gruesome concentration camps of World War II, through the conflicts of First War of Independence militias, or via skirmishes that outline 21st-century warfare. Maybe it’s the inspiring narratives of brave soldiers on the frontlines or the unsung heroes, and their triumphs. Or maybe it's the wish-fulfilment it evokes on how a war should have, could have, concluded.

William Wellman’s Wings (1927) became the first World War I romantic drama to win an Oscar for Best Picture. Almost a hundred years later, we take a look at 10 war films that should be on your must-watch list.

Border (1997)

Touted as the most successful war film ever made in Bollywood, Border is set during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971. It is an adaptation of real life events on the border region of Longewala, when a small battalion of Indian soldiers go up against a large Pakistani military force. The film features an ensemble cast of Sunny Deol, Suniel Shetty and Akshaye Khanna. With its anti-war message, stellar scenes and performances, the movie went on to win three National Awards.

Streaming on YouTube 

Lakshya (2004)

A beautiful cross between a war drama and coming-of-age film, actor-filmmaker Farhan Akhtar's Lakshya highlights the transformative journey of Karan Shergill (played by Hrithik Roshan). Once a spoilt and aimless teenager, Shergill reenlists and proves his mettle by becoming an army officer. Set against a fictionalised backdrop of the 1999 Kargil War, the cult movie also stars Amitabh Bachchan and Preity Zinta in the lead roles.

Streaming on Netflix

Uri: The Surgical Strike (2019)

The 2019 military action film is declared as a “tribute to a brave new India” by director Aditya Dhar. Segregated into five chapters, the screenplay reimagines the real-life attack on an Indian Army base in Uri that killed 19 soldiers. The narrative leads up Indian government’s subsequent decision to retaliate with surgical strikes conducted by the Indian Army against militant launch pads in Pakistani-occupied Kashmir. The background score, deep emotions and cliffhangers further authenticate the film.

Streaming on Zee5

Kesari (2019)

Director Anurag Singh’s Kesari is a tipping of the hat to Sikh soldiers. It’s a cinematic retelling of the true story of the Battle of Saragarhi, considered as one of the most note-worthy stories of human valour and courage in history. The plot essays the clash between 21 soldiers of the 36th Sikhs of the British Indian Army and 10,000 Afridi and Orakzai Pashtun tribesmen in 1897. The enthralling war drama is unabashedly fuelled by atrocities of war and violence along with strong human emotions and a towering performance by Akshay Kumar as the protagonist. The optimal use of CGI, carefully-crafted costumes and moments of humour, wit and sarcasm woven into the storyline makes the setting of North-West province (now in Khyber, Pakistan) a compelling one.

Streaming on Amazon Prime Video

Saving Private Ryan (1998)

Steven Spielberg’s Saving Private Ryan is a characteristically complex and condensed vision of war in a movie. It opens with a grunt’s-eye view of the Invasion of Normandy and the horrors that unfolded. A group of US soldiers go behind enemy lines to retrieve a paratrooper whose brothers have been killed in action. The movie masterfully depicts the experiences of a few soldiers led by Captain Miller (Tom Hanks), without any inklings of romance or nostalgia.

Streaming on Amazon Prime Video and YouTube

The Thin Red Line (1998)

Written and directed by Terrence Malick, The Thin Red Line is an American film based on a 1962 novel of the same name. The story unfolds a fictionalised rendition of the Battle of Mount Austen, which was part of the Guadalcanal Campaign in the Pacific Theatre of World War II. The classic portrays the lives of soldiers of C Company, 1st Battalion, played by Sean Penn and Ben Chaplin, with supporting roles from George Clooney, John Cusack and others. Clear-eyed about the realities of warfare, The Thin Red Line is often revered as the greatest epic war film ever made.

Streaming on Directv

The Hurt Locker (2008)

Kathryn Bigelow's masterful revamp of modern-day war genre, The Hurt Locker follows an Iraq War Explosive Ordnance Disposal team who are targeted by insurgents. The movie stars Jeremy Renner, Anthony Mackie, and Brian Geraghty among others. This film beautifully captures not only the politics of the conflict but also the psychological reactions to the stress of combat, which is intolerable to some and addictive to some. With this war thriller, Bigelow became the first and only woman so far to win the Academy Award for Best Director.

Streaming on Directv and YouTube

Inglourious Basterds (2009)

Quentin Tarantino’s sprawling, episodic Inglourious Basterds is informed by an alternate history storytelling of two plots to assassinate Nazi Germany's leadership. This includes a young French-Jewish cinema proprietor Shosanna Dreyfus’ (Mélanie Laurent) plan, and the other by a team of Jewish-American regime led by First Lieutenant Aldo Raine (Brad Pitt). As his film crescendos in Paris, Tarantino spotlights everything, from the racial subtext of King Kong to the power of propaganda. Sad, gruesome, audacious yet witty, Inglourious Basterds is a reminder that through movies, we [might] get a chance to rewrite history.

Streaming on Netflix

Dunkirk (2017)

The 2017 war film is Christopher Nolan’s brilliant, daring account of the 1940 Dunkirk evacuation. Its ensemble cast includes Fionn Whitehead, Tom Glynn-Carney, Jack Lowden, Harry Styles, and Tom Hardy among others. The movie portrays a harrowing campaign in World War II that took place months after Germany invaded Poland via three differently paced timelines and vantage points. One, the narrative of stranded soldiers, followed by civilians attempting to rescue soldiers by boat. The last in which a pilot storms the beach by air. Gripped with deep emotions and action, its denouement translates the spirit of people finding hope during despair.

Available to buy on Amazon Prime Video

1917 (2019)

The British war film is more about pacifism than it is about the victories of World War I. Shot to look like one continuous take, 1917 follows two young British soldiers who are ordered to deliver a message calling off a doomed offensive attack that will stop 1,600 men from walking straight into a deadly trap. The movie is set soon after the German retreat to the Hindenburg Line during Operation Alberich.

Available to buy on Amazon Prime Video

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