The war movie genre is one of the most versatile, as the way conflict is experienced internationally, personally, and by the soldiers on the ground changes the way these narratives unfold. However, there are still plenty of tropes and formulas that can be seen across the genre, and these have become the elements that audiences and critics think of when they picture a film about war. While a movie can fit into this mold and still be an incredible contribution to cinema, this also creates the opportunity for movies that strike a different tone to stand out.

Some of the most underrated war movies use unexpected cinematic techniques, directorial styles, and story structures to distinguish themselves among the many films that fall into this category. Many of the best directors of both the past and present have tried their hand at the war genre, putting their own spin on these stories and imbuing them with their social and political opinions. It's often the movies that present the most unique and revolutionary stories that end up being ed as the clearest picture of what war was like during these conflicts.

10 Dunkirk (2017)

Directed by Christopher Nolan

Dunkirk takes many of the familiar beats of a Christopher Nolan movie and refreshes them to suit the gravity of the subject matter in Dunkirk. Though this wouldn't be the last time the director engaged with World War II, as he returned to the topic with his 2023 film Oppenheimer, it's a great addition to the genre. The editing immediately sets Dunkirk apart from the typical war movie, as it uses different timelines and structures to give insight into various experiences of the conflict.

Dunkirk also does a good job of demonstrating the tension and horrors of war without including much bloodshed or grotesque violence. The lack of gore and battle sequences gives Dunkirk a sparse and detached atmosphere, as it's a tale about the agony of waiting and the possibility that these men might never have been rescued. There are many actors Christopher Nolan should cast in his movies, as he did a great job elevating the performances of newcomers like Fionn Whitehead through Dunkirk.

9 Full Metal Jacket (1987)

Directed by Stanley Kubrick

Full Metal Jacket is ed as one of Stanley Kubrick's best movies, taking direct aim at the Vietnam War and the dehumanizing effects of conflict in general. Though the film was released in the late 1980s, the public consciousness hadn't forgotten about the devastating effects of the Vietnam War or the movement dedicated to ending American intervention. Though it wasn't new for a war film to take a deep dive into the psyche of a soldier, Full Metal Jacket was unlike anything audiences and critics had seen.

For the first chunk of the film, the viewer is taken through basic training and the horrors the characters have to endure before they're even deployed. Though Full Metal Jacket didn't strike a new tone in of its thematic purpose, the dialogue and script are what make the film stand out. The way the characters interact with each other and their environment is purposefully jarring and disconnected, making the audience uncertain and off balance from the first moments of the story.

8 M*A*S*H (1970)

Directed by Robert Altman

The balance of the comedic and serious tones in the 1970 movie M*A*S*H went on to inspire the hit TV show of the same name that ran for eleven seasons. Based on the original 1968 novel by Richard Hooker, M*A*S*H takes a look at the ins and outs of an army hospital positioned close to the front line during the Korean War. It was well known at the time of the movie's release that though the story took place in Korea, it was directly in conversation with the contemporaneous Vietnam War.

Featuring an iconic leading performance by Donald Sutherland as Hawkeye and expert direction by Robert Altman, M*A*S*H made waves because of how funny this war movie managed to be.

Featuring an iconic leading performance by Donald Sutherland as Hawkeye and expert direction by Robert Altman, M*A*S*H made waves because of how funny this war movie managed to be. While every drama needs elements of lightness to combat the relentless crush of war, M*A*S*H was most concerned with how its characters are able to retain their spirit in the face of witnessing young men die on their operating tables every day. Achieving this juxtaposition and making the audience care so deeply is the legacy of M*A*S*H​​​​​​.

7 The Woman King (2022)

Directed by Gina Prince-Bythewood

It's no secret that woman-centric war movies are few and far between, let alone one led by a cast of phenomenal Black actresses. However, The Woman King proved that this was a niche that needed to be filled by bringing the story of the Agojie to life. The Agojie were a unit of female warriors in West Africa, and The Woman King blends the historical importance of ing these women with the brilliantly choreographed action sequences that make the narrative so propulsive.

The heart and soul of The Woman King​​​​​​, Viola Davis, has recently been tapped to star in the adaptation alongside Thuso Mbedu, who also costarred with her in The Woman King. The actresses will reunite with The Woman King's director, Prince-Bythewood, who's slated to direct Children of Blood and Bone. After the stellar performances that Davis and Mbedu gave in The Woman King, it's exciting to imagine them back onscreen together in a fantasy film. However, The Woman King isn't only memorable because of its cast but because of how it tells its story.

Children of Blood and Bone is slated to be released in 2027 (via The Hollywood Reporter).

6 All Quiet On The Western Front (1930)

Directed by Lewis Milestone

Though the recent 2022 remake of All Quiet on the Western Front made waves, this film, and almost every anti-war filmed after 1930, owe a lot to the original All Quiet on the Western Front. Based on the experience of German soldiers during World War I, All Quiet on the Western Front sees a unit of young men become disillusioned by the promise of glory and heroism in war. The main characters enlist, expecting to quickly win the war and return home, only to find devastation and an inescapable cycle of violence.

As a pre-code film, All Quiet on the Western Front was able to use violent and graphic imagery that later films wouldn't be able to portray.

As a pre-code film, All Quiet on the Western Front was able to use violent and graphic imagery that later films wouldn't be able to portray. However, because of its explicit nature and unabashed anti-war sentiment, All Quiet on the Western Front shaped much of modern filmmaking's approach to the war genre. Few movies up to this point were able to transport the viewer into the action in the way that Lewis Milestone did.

5 The Battle Of Algiers (1967)

Directed by Gillo Pontecorvo

Shot in documentary style and in black and white, The Battle of Algiers encapsulates the Algerian War, during which Algeria struggled against the invading French colonists for independence. The intimate filmmaking style lends itself to the guerrilla warfare techniques used by the Algerian resistance fighters and the urban setting that distinguished it from so many war films set in the countryside. Considered one of the greatest movies of all time, The Battle of Algiers demonstrated a new way to engage with war in film.

The sequence of the two bombings in The Battle of Algiers is a testament to the film and is mandatory viewing for cinema and war buffs. By putting the audience into the action so effectively and making the movie almost look like a newsreel, The Battle of Algiers is able to touch upon the difference between how opposing sides of a conflict are portrayed through Western media. Prioritizing realism and immersion into the narrative, The Battle of Algiers has not lost any of its relevance today.

4 Inglourious Basterds (2009)

Directed by Quentin Tarantino

Quentin Tarantino's revisionist history of World War II is a violent, slapstick, and unbearably tense addition to the genre, looking at war through a lens that's representative of its director. While there's loss, devastation, and countless deaths in Inglourious Basterds, the movie is an action-packed ride from beginning to end, doing away with realism to pave the way for entertainment and Tarantino's unmistakable style. Even if Inglourious Basterds isn't for every audience member, it's impossible to deny that it makes a statement.

While other projects about World War II are meant to make the audience reflect and grapple with the cycles of war and discrimination, Tarantino wants his audience to have fun.

Featuring one of the most unforgettable character introductions in movies through Christoph Waltz's chilling entrance as Hans Landa, Inglourious Basterds expertly plays with tension and audience expectation. While other projects about World War II are meant to make the audience reflect and grapple with the cycles of war and discrimination, Tarantino wants his audience to have fun. It's a unique take on the genre but hasn't struggled to find its audience.

3 Starship Troopers (1997)

Directed by Paul Verhoeven

Though it might seem strange to blend the sci-fi and war genres into one film, Starship Troopers pulls off this genre-bending narrative with ease. Initially, Starship Troopers received mixed-to-negative critical and audience reception. Its more subtle satirical tone and anti-war themes didn't automatically land on the viewer. However, with time, fans of the war genre have come to respect how Starship Troopers communicates its anti-authoritarian message through its futuristic setting and science fiction war.

Starship Troopers takes aim at the American government and is highly critical of its own country, giving it an edge that has aged well, connecting with contemporary audiences. Portraying the soldiers in Starship Troopers as relentlessly devoted to their cause of violence and destruction was a story choice meant to reflect the damages of the military-industrial complex. While it's far from a perfect film, Starship Troopers is a lot more interesting and intelligent than many early viewers gave it credit for.

2 Grave Of The Fireflies (1988)

Directed by Isao Takahata

Grave of the Fireflies is one of Studio Ghibli's most underrated early works and isn't helmed by its most famous director, Hayao Miyazaki. Instead, Isao Takahata led Grave of the Fireflies, a gripping and tragic film that follows two siblings struggling to survive in the wake of the destruction of their home. Like most war movies, Grave of the Fireflies isn't always easy to watch and is engaged with some difficult themes throughout the story.

The reality of the Allied Forces bombing civilians takes center stage in Grave of the Fireflies, which comes off as a distinctly anti-war movie, even if the themes are more complex than that. Takahata has spoken about how he never wanted Grave of the Fireflies to be pigeonholed simply as a war movie or as a statement of propaganda (via CBR). Instead, Grave of the Fireflies uses its wartime setting as a tool to discuss larger themes, like loss of innocence. The movie also stands apart because there are so few animated additions to the genre.

1 Ivan's Childhood (1962)

Directed by Andrei Tarkovsky

Andrei Tarkovsky would later become best known for his 1972 film Solaris, but a decade earlier, he would break boundaries with the critically acclaimed Ivan's Childhood. Nikolai Burlyayev stars as Ivan, a boy whose life is destroyed by war who becomes a spy for the Russians during World War II. Though the trauma and cost of war that's inflicted on children have been explored in cinema over the years, Ivan's Childhood is a visual feast and emotionally ravaging, touching upon the light and darkness of coming of age.

Many filmmakers have described Ivan's Childhood as a pivotal influence on their work, as the non-linear story structure and juxtaposition between the intense beauty and horror of life make for an unforgettable feature. Ivan's Childhood was Takovsky's directorial debut and, at just 95 minutes, one of his shorter works. However, the breadth of his narrative and the instinctual way he captures the truth of Ivan's tragedy makes this war film feel as though it captures a lifetime.