10 Essential War Movies of the 1990s, Ranked

While 1990s films are, without a doubt, some of the campiest out there, the war genre did something different. Dramatic and suspenseful war movies in the ‘90s were top-tier entertainment, depicting some historic moments in history while giving a little fictional flare to it. There were even some films based on real people, such as Oskar Schindler (Liam Neeson) in Schindler’s List, showing a behind-the-scenes look at actual people who are being affected by the war but not actually in the line of fire.

Of course, then there are the really violent and bloody war films, such as Saving Private Ryan and Braveheart, films that are truly known for fight sequences, weapons, and, of course, numerous casualties. These war films are essential viewing, as they depict war while bringing viewers an intense narrative with complex characters, people who may or may not make it to the end credits. From The Thin Red Line to Three Kings, these are some essential war movies that came out of the 1990s.

10

‘Crimson Tide’ (1995)

Directed by Tony Scott

The USS Alabama is dispatched to launch a pre-emptive nuclear strike during a Civil War in Russia, a worldwide threat that would be catastrophic. Crimson Tide follows the soldiers aboard the United States submarine as they, under the leadership of Captain Frank Ramsey (Gene Hackman), are set to attack in case things go south. Lieutenant Commander Ronald Hunter (Denzel Washington), on the other hand, doesn’t think they should be giving any green light to launch the missile but rather stop anyone from either side from shooting. The result is a potential mutiny aboard the USS Alabama, something that may lead to more lives lost.

Crimson Tide is an action-packed war movie with a lot of thrills, suspense, and action. The dialogue between Hackman and Washington is top-notch, leaving viewers with questions regarding which of the two characters is right and which one is actually in the wrong during a huge moment in history. While things look bleak on the outside, the real war struggle is between two men who are technically on the same side.

9

‘Gettysburg’ (1993)

Directed by Ronald F. Maxwell

With the backdrop of the Civil War, Gettysburg dives into one of the biggest battles of the war, the Battle of Gettysburg. Exploring the three-day conflict, the movie showcases Confederate General Robert E. Lee (Martin Sheen) marching his troops to Pennsylvania, where Colonel Joshua Chamberlain (Jeff Daniels) waits with Union Soldiers and other forces. The narrative travels from both sides of the frontlines to the men working tirelessly on strategy and maneuvers, hoping their side will win.

The dramatized plot depicted in Gettysburg shows viewers different sides of one of the biggest conflicts to occur on American Soil, a turning point in the war where the Confederacy lost. A bloody battle with over 50,000 casualties, Gettysburg is an astounding portrayal of some of the biggest names in American History. With marvelous performances and a bleak narrative where viewers know the outcome, the film is one from the ‘90s that not only Civil War buffs should watch but also those who enjoy the war genre as a whole.

8

‘Three Kings’ (1999)

Directed by David O. Russell

The Gulf War might have ended, but there are still battles to be fought, especially when it comes to figuring out where Saddam Hussein hid his gold. Led by U.S. Army Special Forces Major Archie Gates (George Clooney), a group of soldiers decide to go look for the gold. While they eventually find it, a firefight starts between the Iraqi Republican Guard and rebels, resulting in US Sergeant Troy Barlow (Mark Wahlberg) being taken hostage. Rescuing him is a deadly mission, but Gates and Chief Elgin (Ice Cube) won’t leave him to be interrogated by Iraqi Intelligence. They rescue him, and since the rebels help with the escape, the US soldiers agree to help them across the border to safety. Of course, nothing is ever as simple as it sounds.

Three Kings is a strange mix of violence, comedy, and political anger as it showcases some of the questionable aspects of what happened during the Gulf War (fictional, of course). It shows what can happen when outside forces work together and the effects of such an agreement. According to David Edelstein of The New York Times, “It remains the most caustic anti-war movie of this generation.”

7

‘The Thin Red Line’ (1998)

Directed by Terrence Malick

The Thin Red Line is based on James Jones’ 1962 novel of the same name and brings viewers into the Pacific Theater of World War II and the Battle of Mount Austen, part of the Guadalcanal Campaign. The film looks into the lives of different United States soldiers from C Company, 1st Battalion, 27th Infantry Regiment, 25th Infantry Division, including Private Witt (Jim Caviezel), who went AWOL, and Sargeant. Welsh (Sean Penn), the commanding officer who found him and returned Witt to active duty, training for the battle to come. From there, soldiers gear up for the Battle of Mount Austen, showcasing a violent war field full of machine guns, death, and a squadron who need to figure out their respective attitudes in life or death situations and war as a whole.

The Thin Red Line is an emotional tale about a group of men who find love in unlikely places, namely in each other, as they try to overrun a Japanese bunker during the battle. It is powerful and takes viewers on a journey through an intense battle and sequences of bloodshed that are nothing short of heart-piercing moments. It is a film about how people deal with life-or-death situations and how they find peace in their final moments.

6

‘Braveheart’ (1995)

Directed by Mel Gibson

Braveheart follows the story of William Wallace (Mel Gibson) during the First War of Scottish Independence against King Edward I of England (Patrick McGoohan). He isn’t taken with revenge until after the love of his lie is murdered. From there, Wallace, a Scottish Patriot, takes up arms and leads an army to battle against England, eventually turning it into a monumental war. His bravery and status among the Scottish people begin to threaten the King’s throne. But even capture and execution don’t take away his symbol as a man who wanted nothing more than a free Scotland.

An epic war tale with romance and gore, Braveheart dives into Scottish history with swordplay, revenge, and a whole lot of violence with some of the most epic battle scenes in film. With drama and intense action scenes, Braveheart is wildly entertaining and should be one of those ‘90s war movies everyone should watch at least once as it brings swordplay classics back to the silver screen.

5

‘Life is Beautiful’ (1997)

Directed by Roberto Benigni

Life is Beautiful follows the story of Guido Orefice (Roberto Benigni), a Jewish-Italian bookshop owner who falls in love with Dora (Nicoletta Braschi), a schoolteacher. They marry, are happy, and have a son, Giosue (Giorgio Cantarini), together. But tragedy strikes when Guido and Giosue are separated from Dora and brought to a concentration camp during World War II. In the face of absolute horror, Guido does his best to shield his young son from what is going on around them, making it seem as though their circumstances are nothing more than a game.

While the film does dive into the horrors of life within a concentration camp, Life is Beautiful is less about the war and the Holocaust and more about the human spirit, keeping the soul alive. It is about keeping hope and dreams alive in the face of Fascists and Nazis, utilizing humor and comedy to soften what is actually happening to the Orefice family. Life is Beautiful is a different type of war film, taking a look at humanity and how one father will do whatever it takes to keep a smile on his son’s face.

4

‘Dances With Wolves’ (1990)

Directed by Kevin Costner

After a failed suicide attempt, 1st Lieutenant John J. Dunbar (Kevin Costner) of the Union Army asks to be relocated to the American frontier, a place that will disappear with western expansion. While there, he stumbles upon Stands With A Fist (Mary McDonnell), a white woman who was adopted into the Sioux Native American tribe. Dunbar begins to appreciate the Sioux’s simple way of living and caring for one another, growing close to Stands With A Fist and other members of the tribe, and is even given the Sioux name Dances With Wolves. But, the United States Army is growing closer, and their way of life might come to a tragic end.

The epic film brings viewers on a journey of self-discovery as Dunbar befriends his supposed enemy and sticks by their side when the army begins to take over their land. It is a beautiful film depicting American History with strong romance elements thrown into the mix, something that isn’t often seen in the war genre. With powerful shots and great performances, Dances with Wolves is one of the essential films within the genre from the 1990s.

3

‘The Last of the Mohicans’ (1992)

Directed by Michael Mann

Based on the 1826 James Fenimore Cooper novel of the same name, The Last of the Mohicans brings viewers into a war that often isn’t depicted on the silver screen: The French and Indian War. The movie follows the last members of the Mohican tribe, a people who are slowly dying off, and yet they live in peace alongside British colonizers. That is until Colonel Edmund Munro’s (Maurice Roeves) two daughters, Cora (Madeleine Stowe) and Alice (Jodhi May), are kidnapped, and Uncas (Eric Schweig), his father Chingachgook (Russell Means), and his adopted brother Hawkeye (Daniel Day-Lewis) find themselves saving the girls, joining a war, falling in love, and fighting for their lives.

With emotional performances set with a stunning backdrop of the North Carolina wilderness, The Last of the Mohicans might be a war movie, but it is also an epic romance that levels the playing field and allows for a more emotional depth than is seen in typical war movies. Of course, the battles are still intense, and the brutality of war is still at the forefront of the film, making it one of the essential must-see war movies of the 1990s.

2

‘Schindler’s List’ (1993)

Directed by Steven Spielberg

Schindler’s List follows the true story of Oskar Schindler (Neeson), a businessman who wanted to make his fortune during the start of World War II. After traveling to Krakow, Germany, Schindler joins the Nazi party and staffs his new factory with Jewish workers. Little does Schindler know that doing so would save the innocent lives of those employees. While people are dying in the ghettos, Schindler makes it a point to ensure his employees are safe, if just to keep his business up and running. Even so, he saves more than 1,000 lives from the SS soldiers who want to take the people to camps during the Holocaust.

Emotional, deep, and disturbing, Schindler’s List dives into a place that isn’t often seen in war films. It shows a person who is in something for himself but, at the end of the day, sees that there are innocent people’s lives at stake, and he will do what he can to protect them from the outright horrors taking place outside of his factory. Unlike other films in the war genre, Schindler’s List doesn’t take viewers onto the front lines but rather into the reality of those who were lucky enough to find employment from an industrialist. Shot in black and white, Schindler’s List is an emotional telling of true events, one of the best epic films that is essential viewing.

1

‘Saving Private Ryan’ (1997)

Directed by Steven Spielberg

On the beach of Normandy in 1944, Saving Private Ryan follows a group of soldiers as they embark on a mission. Led by Captain John Miller (Tom Hanks), the men are tasked with finding Private James Francis Ryan (Matt Damon) and sending him home. He isn’t injured or in trouble, to their knowledge, but his three brothers were killed in combat, and the military wasn’t about to let the fourth brother go. Courage and gunpowder are all these men have as they face an uncertain journey as they make their way to Private Ryan’s location.

Saving Private Ryan shows the brutality of war, especially in the opening battle on the beach, one of the most violent depictions of what happened on Omaha Beach. It is a powerful film where death is brutal, sacrifices are made, and characters have nothing but their virtue and strength in the face of the unknown. Even showcasing a mission where lives are bound to be lost, Hanks’ performance presents Miller with vulnerability and empathy, something that isn’t seen in the genre very often. It is one of the best war movies not only from the 1990s, but ever made.

Next: 10 War Movies That Are Almost Perfect