There is seldom a more moving genre than the war film. The scale, the loss, the fight for freedom. What makes the genre so compelling is more often than not, the war film is telling a story associated with a real historical event and occasionally about the real people who fought. Cinema is rich with tales of war, and the ’90s gave us arguably some of the best war movies of all time. Let’s examine some of them and see which one tops the rest.
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7 Three Kings
Warner Bros.
Three Kings tells the tale of four US soldiers on a gold heist following the Gulf War in Iraq and features a cast that includes; George Clooney, Mark Whalberg, Spike Jonez, and Ice Cube. The film examines the aftermath of war through a unique lens and uses action, drama, and comedy to do so while also offering a damning critique of American foreign policy. It showcases the directorial skills of David O. Russell, who would go on to have great success in the mid 2000s.
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6 Mulan
Buena Vista Pictures
There is more than one way to tell a war story, and Mulan is a prime example of this. This 1998 Disney animated film blends fact and fiction to tell the story of a young woman trying to prove her worth as she enters the Imperial Chinese Army in the war against the invading Huns. She does so disguised as a man and going in place of her elderly father out of fear for this life. The film shows the impact that battle can have on a family and the sacrifices that some make for that battle. While Mulan does feature the songs, animal sidekicks, and humor of most Disney animation, it tells a rich story in the middle of war and does so incredibly well.
5 The Thin Red Line
The Thin Red Line retells the fictionalized version of the Battle of Mount Austen which took place in the Pacific Theater of World War II. Thin Red Line is one of the most beautifully shot war films ever made, and its scope can make up for any flaws the movie may have. It is nevertheless a brilliant philosophical look into war from a brilliant director, Terrence Malick, who returned to Hollywood to direct the film after a two-decade absence.
4 The Last of the Mohicans
20th Century Fox
Most war films tend to focus on World War I and II, as well as the Vietnam War; not much is told in cinema regarding the French Indian War of the mid 1700s. One film that deals with this conflict is the 1992 Michael Mann classic, The Last of the Mohicans. A film that is not just one of Michael Mann’s best movies, but one of the best performances of celebrated actor Daniel Day Lewis. Using the conflict as more of a background piece for this fictional drama, audiences were delighted by an epic romantic action adventure film.
3 Gettysburg
New Line Cinema
Gettysburg tells an epic tale starring an endless cast of A-Lister actors, about one of the most deadly battles to take place on United States soil during the Civil War. Critics have hailed it as a reverent retelling of the battle. The film is also credited for featuring top-notch performances from those involved, in particular Jeff Daniels, whose performance was snubbed for Oscar consideration at the 66th Academy Awards.
2 Braveheart
Icon Productions
Braveheart is widely considered to be one of the most iconic films of all time. Directed, produced, and starred in by Mel Gibson, the movie tells the story of Sir William Wallace, a Scottish warrior who led his people in the First War of Scottish Independence in 1296. From the cinematography, to the soundtrack, to Gibson’s best acting to date, Braveheart is an epic of a film as there is. The culmination of the movie’s success came at the 68th Academy Awards, where the film won both best picture and best director.
1 Saving Private Ryan
DreamWorks Pictures
If there is one war movie from the ’90s that can top the epic scope of Braveheart, look no further than Steven Spielberg’s masterpiece, Saving Private Ryan. Boasting a truly all star cast of actors, the movie tells the tale of a group of U.S. soliders who venture behind enemy lines to save the life of Private First Class James Francis Ryan, played by Matt Damon in one of his best roles. The movie tests the will and resolve of its main characters as they put their lives on the line to rescue a fellow soldier they have never met. The one blemish on the movies record, and not one of its own fault, is its unfortunate loss to Shakespeare in Love at the 71st Academy Awards. Saving Private Ryan continues to be one of the most harrowing and accurate portrayals of war ever put on film.
