Fans of war movies have every reason to love Netflix, and so do those who are new to the genre and are looking to explore it extensively. The streaming service has plenty of expertly made films, including Hacksaw Ridge, about a soldier who refuses to handle weapons due to religious beliefs, and Inglourious Basterds, presenting an alternate history world where a group of commandos kills Hitler and his trusted Third Reich officials. Other popular movies like Jarhead and The Hurt Locker are also available to watch on the platform.
However, the films above only make up the surface of what Netflix has to offer. In any giant library, many gems often go unnoticed, and such is the case here. But it’s never too late to discover a great thing. The films below might have come one gone (partially because they never had the backing of major studios), but they are worth watching, not just for the buffs, but for anyone intending to see what sacrifice and courage really look like.
‘The Forgotten Battle’ (2020)
Three lives intersect in The Forgotten Battle during the Battle of the Scheldt in World War II. Dutch woman, Teuntje Visser (Susan Radder), joins the resistance after her brother is killed by the Nazis. Marinus van Staveren (Gijs Blom), a disgruntled Dutch soldier fighting for the Nazis, develops a conscience. Elsewhere, British glider pilot William Sinclair (Jamie Flatters) does his best to survive after crash-landing in Nazi territory.
The Dutch Vs. Nazis
Will anyone succeed in their daunting quest? That remains the big question. The Forgotten Battle is a great showcase for crisp cinematography and the depiction of the emotional toll a war takes on people. The groundbreaking Dutch film also benefits from great storytelling, resulting in both an entertaining and educational feature. Believe it or not, it’s the second-most expensive Dutch production, yet the budget was only €14 million. Does Hollywood overspend?
‘Thank You For Your Service’ (2017)
Based on the 2013 non-fiction book of the same name by Washington Post journalist David Finkel, Thank You For Your Service follows members of the 2nd Battalion, 16th Infantry Regiment after returning home from a 15-month deployment in Iraq. Adam Schumann (Miles Teller) struggles with PTSD as he tries to reconnect with his family, while his friends face different challenges.
It’s Never Easy
This hard-hitting post-war nail-biter is quite an eye-opener, as it confronts head-on the invisible wounds that keep growing in the hearts of veterans, yet no one seems to care. Miles Teller is riveting in a gritty, largely sympathetic role, and Haley Bennett provides an ideal counterbalance as his somewhat forward-thinking wife who tolerates more than she should. Engrossing from start to finish, Thank You For Your Service is definitely not an easy watch, but it’s an essential one. Teller considered this one of his finest works; you may too!
‘The Photographer of Mauthausen’ (2018)
The Photographer of Mauthausen tells the true story of Francesc Boix (portrayed by Mario Casas), a Spanish photographer who was imprisoned in the Nazi Mauthausen and forced to work in the photo lab. There, he secretly hid hundreds of images that documented the atrocities. He then smuggled the photos out to expose the human rights violations to the world.
A Picture Speaks a Thousand Words
Looking for a great war movie without battle scenes? The Photographer of Mauthausen on Netflix is a great bet. Here, fact proves stranger (and wilder) than fiction, as a determined photographer sends out numerous photos without anyone noticing. However, in the lead actor, Mario Casas, we have a skilled player who pulls off the tricky premise with just the right amalgam of subtlety and emotion. The great Diego Navarro also turns in an atmospheric and spellbinding music score.
‘Unbroken’ (2014)
Unbroken stars Jack O’Connell as Louis “Louie” Zamperini, a bombardier and American Olympian who survived in a raft for 47 days after his B-24 Liberator fell into the ocean after getting hit by enemy fire during World War II. Unfortunately, he was captured by Japanese forces after reaching the Marshall Islands and sent to a series of POW camps.
When It Rains, It Pours
Directed by Angelina Jolie and written by the Coen Brothers, the film was rightly nominated for three Oscars for its technical aspects (Best Cinematography, Best Sound Editing, and Best Sound Mixing). O’Connell deserved a nod, too, and so did the Coen Brothers for the moving and heart-wrenching script based on Laura Hillenbrand’s book, Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption. Also watch out for Garrett Hedlund, who is excellent as Lt. Cmdr. John Fitzgerald, the captain of the submarine USS Grenadier.
‘Number 24’ (2024)
Number 24 is also a biographical tale, focusing on the Norwegian resistance hero Gunnar Sønsteby (codename “Nr. 24”). Events alternate between the present and the WWII days, with an elderly Sønsteby talking to students about tyranny, and flashbacks to the Nazi invasion of Norway. We see a young and brave Sønsteby (Sjur Vatne Brean) publishing underground pamphlets and newspapers, sabotaging key Nazi infrastructure, and constantly changing his identity to avoid capture.
Unofficial Tactics Work, Too
This wonderfully informative, very human war picture provides welcome nourishment for the heart, mind, and soul. There are enough reasons to hate the Nazis, yet Number 24 will give you even more. Additionally, this is one of the rare movies with flawless 100% scores on Rotten Tomatoes. Critics saluted it, and so will you. It’s fun to watch the protagonist in action. As his resistance activities tighten, so does the Nazi dragnet, but he isn’t an easy person to catch. You’ll also learn a great deal about the Oslogjengen, the famous sabotage group to which he belonged.
‘Mosul’ (2019)
In Mosul, Kawa (Adam Bessa), a young Iraqi police officer, is rescued by the elite Nineveh SWAT squad during a bloody firefight against ISIS combatants in the war-torn city of Mosul. Kawa then joins the unit, led by the tough-as-nails Major Jasem (Suhail Dabbach), as they conduct missions. Soon, he learns that Jasem and his team have personal agendas beyond their official duties.
Deep in the Heart of Syria
Mosul is an incredible source of entertainment, providing a picture of Syria that CNN and Al Jazeera rarely show. In one highlight, director Matthew Michael Carnahan shoots a horrific battle sequence in an Apocalypse Now-toned hue that intensifies both the desperation of Kawa and the civilians. Likewise, one early street exchange has an eerie, supernatural feel. The film also benefits from strategic reticence — the avoidance of endless geopolitical discussions — which is solidly in the tradition of talented war movie directors who intend to present themselves as nothing but pragmatic entertainers. Don’t miss it!
‘Will’ (2023)
Events in Will take place in 1942 Nazi-occupied Antwerp, Belgium. Wilfried “Will” Wils (Stef Aerts) and his buddy Lode Metdepenningen (Matteo Simoni) start their new jobs as auxiliary police officers under Nazi oversight. Their orders are simple: “Follow all German rules!” But things change one night when they kill a mean German officer to save innocent Jewish lives.
Will They Be Punished for Doing Good?
Based on the book of the same name by Jeroen Olyslaegers and filmed on location in numerous key scenes, including the Antwerp Central Train Station, this gripping war drama has the distinction of being one of the few Belgian films on Netflix. It’s hard to imagine a police-military fable more lyrical or transporting than this masterpiece, a heartbreaking viewing experience suitable for audiences of any age. Beyond that, the pacing is commendable. Simple character choices have great consequences later on.
‘First They Killed My Father’ (2017)
First They Killed My Father is partially based on the life of Cambodian-American human rights activist Loung Ung. Set in the mid-1970s, the film first introduces us to a 5-year-old Loung (Sreymoch Sareum), who is compelled to work as a child soldier while her siblings are condemned to labor camps during the tyrannical Khmer Rouge regime. The situation only gets worse from there.
Painful from Start to Finish
A powerful film about fission at the heart of a society, First They Killed My Father condemns, in colorful cinematography and caustic resentment, the sins of a terrible regime. At artful moments, the chaos pauses for portraits — not ordinary journalism-inspired stills but wavering poses — of the suffering population, mostly grieving and impoverished, whom Loung meets along the way. Audiences are also treated to an extensive course about the Vietnam War. The major revelation? It didn’t just affect the Vietnamese people. Cambodia also took the heat.
‘The Resistance Banker’ (2023)
Walraven “Wally” van Hall (Barry Atsma), a banker in Nazi-occupied Amsterdam, decides he won’t just sit and watch anymore as friends and neighbors are oppressed. Secretly, he sets up a covert money-transfer network (“shadow bank”) to support the blooming Dutch resistance. Consequently, more underground tabloids get printed, strikes are organized, and collaborators are outed. But how long can he evade the Gestapo and SS in The Resistance Banker?
Money Makes the World Go Round
Nominated for eleven Golden Calves (the Dutch version of the Oscars), this moody, moving trip through Amsterdam in WWII could have been a global hit if it were a Hollywood production. It’s that good. In a remarkable step out of his comfort zone, the normally charming Barry Atsma transforms into a hard-nosed character to deliver an aching, memorable performance. He brings off this challenging role expertly, managing to convey a deep well of melancholy and anxiety beneath his confident exterior. He sure deserves to be given blockbuster roles now.
‘Operation Mincemeat’ (2021)
Operation Mincemeat is a dramatization of the WWII operation of the same name in which two British intelligence officers fooled the Nazis by obtaining the body of a man who died from eating rat poison, dressing him as a Marine, and placing fake ‘crucial’ documents on him, suggesting the Allies planned to invade Greece and Sardinia. The two officers are portrayed by Matthew Macfadyen and Collin Firth.
Brains Over Force
For a quirky, comic drama about lovable fringe types, sign up for Operation Mincemeat. Kelly Macdonald is credible as a secretary maneuvering 1940s chauvinism. But the film truly belongs to the two leads. Firth and Macfadyen (Tom Wambsgans from Succession) are equally watchable as forward-thinking intelligence officers with a gift for ignoring what everyone else thinks. Most of what we see is historically accurate, but director John Madden and writer Michelle Ashford spice things up even more by including a love triangle involving the two main characters.
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