10 Best European War Movies, Ranked

Europe, like any continent, is no stranger to war. Multiple conflicts have erupted in and about the land mass for thousands of years, which includes numerous of the most essential in globe history. With so numerous stories to inform, not all of them are going to have the priviledge of creating it to the silver screen. Fortunately, numerous European filmmakers took the reins and opted to inform some fairly potent stories with their films.

While most of them take place throughout the two World Wars, numerous of these European war films are ought to-sees for any cinephile, with some becoming thought of amongst the greatest of all time. So lengthy as fans do not thoughts reading subtitles (if they do not speak the movie’s language, that is), these European war flicks are positive to be loved by any lover of cinema. They are intense, revealing, thrilling, and in the end essential.

10 ‘The Forgotten Battle’ (2021)

Country of Origin: Netherlands

The Forgotten Battle portrays the Battle of the Scheldt in the Netherlands, a pivotal moment in World War II. True to its name, the battle is not broadly talked about, and the film itself also flew largely below the radar. In spite of how underrated it is, The Forgotten Battle is masterful in almost every single way. It requires the unconventional method to show the battle from numerous diverse sides, showcasing not just Allied soldiers but Axis troops and even civilians. These stories finish up intersecting in distinctive techniques, creating the film regularly fascinating.

Showing an essential moment in the war that is largely ignored in the modern day day, the film scored 100% on Rotten Tomatoes. It may perhaps not have entirely deserved this score, specifically contemplating it really is primarily based on only nine testimonials, but The Forgotten Battle is nevertheless an fantastic and essential film. The sacrifice throughout this battle was immense, and it is not some thing that should really be forgotten.

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9 ‘The Inglorious Bastards’ (1978)

Country of Origin: Italy

The Inglorious Bastards should really sound familiar to fans of Quentin Tarantino. Tarantino’s acclaimed alternate history film was heavily inspired by this Italian original, although the two share differing plots and characters. This Italian film is absolutely far more of an action film following a group of misfit soldiers escaping from their respective units.

Despite becoming made in Italy by Italian filmmakers, the film is in English and options English-speaking actors, but that does not detract from something at all. Its action is excellent and feels refreshingly ahead of its time, mixing brilliant spectacle with death-defying stunts in service of a subversive narrative. It’s not just a terrific choose for war or Tarantino fans but for action film lovers as effectively, who will be positive to appreciate its explosive sequences and amazing sensible effects.

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8 ‘Das Boot’ (1981)

Country of Origin: Germany

Das Boot is a German film that requires spot throughout World War II. It follows the lives of a crew on board a German U-boat, a submersible craft meant for sinking ships even though staying hidden. This is a film that is not for the faint of heart, as the story is far from heroic or inspiring. Instead, the film shows the accurate horrors of war as the protagonists gradually comprehend that they are going to shed.

Claustrophobic and usually difficult to endure, Das Boot is a distinctive piece of war cinema. Historians and critics had been really a great deal on board with this film, with the former deeming it an incredibly precise depiction of what life on a U-boat is seriously like. Critics also gave it superior testimonials, with famed critic Roger Ebert providing it a glowing evaluation. Now, Das Boot is thought of to be one particular of the greatest war films of all time, thanks to its accuracy and brutality.

Das Boot

Release Date

February 10, 1982

Cast

Jurgen Prochnow , Herbert Grönemeyer , Klaus Wennemann , Hubertus Bengsch , Martin Semmelrogge , Bernd Tauber , Erwin Leder , Martin May

Runtime

149 Minutes

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7 ‘Downfall’ (2004)

Country of Origin: Germany

2005’s Downfall is a World War II drama detailing the events top up to the defeat of Germany at the hands of the Allies, along with the final days of ruthless dictator Adolf Hitler. Hitler is played by Swiss actor Bruno Ganz, who brings a legendary and terrifying overall performance as one particular of the most evil guys in history. The film does not inspire sympathy for him on the contrary, it really is fairly satisfying to see the vise closing in on the Third Reich as Germany gradually loses ground to the Allies. Hitler grows far more desperate and comes to the devastating realization that his backward vision for Germany is about to come crashing down.

Many historians authorized of Ganz’s overall performance and the film in basic, stating that the actor proficiently displays the paranoia and denial of reality that Hitler was usually identified for. However, other critics deemed that it does not proficiently portray the evils Hitler committed even though acknowledging that displaying this on film is most likely not possible for the reason that the scale of it is unmatched and challenging to comprehend. Regardless, Downfall is an absolute ought to-see for any cinephile or aspiring actor.

6 ‘Ivan’s Childhood’ (1962)

Country of Origin: Russia

Ivan’s Childhood, identified in some nations as My Name is Ivan, was the function film debut of renowned Soviet-Russian filmmaker Andrei Tarkovsky. In this film, a young Soviet boy named Ivan (Nikolai Burlyayev) is orphaned as a outcome of Operation Barbarossa, which was the German invasion of the USSR in World War II. This was the deadliest military campaign in human history, with tens of millions killed in the method. While roaming the devastated landscape, Ivan comes across a handful of Soviet soldiers. Wanting to enable the war work as a way to avenge his parents, Ivan delivers to spy on the Germans.

This film may perhaps not generally be the most action-packed, but it does portray an fascinating dynamic in Ivan. The war forces the young boy to develop up if he desires to survive, but pieces of his childhood attempt desperately to hang on by way of the horrors of war. This battle of childhood and trauma is what tends to make Ivan’s Childhood such an fantastic film, displaying that war spares no one particular, not even the innocent.

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5 ‘The Pianist’ (2002)

Country of Origin: Poland

The Pianist comes from Polish film director Roman Polanski, identified for directing the classic horror film Rosemary’s Baby amongst numerous other ambitious and iconic projects. Poland was one particular of the nations hit hardest throughout the Holocaust and World War II in reality, Germany’s invasion of it is usually thought of the begin of the conflict. With these harrowing information in thoughts, it really is clear that The Pianist is not going to be a delighted film.

Adrien Brody plays actual-life Jewish piano player Władysław Szpilman as he is topic to unspeakable horrors at the hands of the Nazis. Many critics deemed this depressing flick to be one particular of Polanski’s greatest thanks to its raw imagery, spectacular performances, tragic irony, and morbid beauty. Subtle and striking, The Pianist is touching and rewarding but undeniably demanding and emotionally exhausting. However, it really is also potent and insightful, creating it effectively worth the watch.

The Pianist

Release Date

September 17, 2002

Director

Roman Polanski

Cast

Adrien Brody , Emilia Fox , Michal Zebrowski , Ed Stoppard , Maureen Lipman , Frank Finlay

Runtime

149 minutes

Writers

Ronald Harwood , Wladyslaw Szpilman

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4 ‘Narvik’ (2022)

Country of Origin: Norway

Narvik is a lately released flick portraying the doomed offensive at the titular town in Norway. Invaded by German forces, Norwegian defenders race to defend the port town and the households inside, although this defense is destined to fail. Showcasing terrific action and familial divide, Narvik stands as a modern day triumph in the war film genre and shows the value of hunkering down and fighting oppression against all odds, even if the outcome appears bleak.

It also depicts a nation that is usually overlooked even though discussing World War II. Norway suffered just as a great deal as numerous other European nations did below the shadow of the Reich, and it really is good to see that struggle seem in a stellar film. The film received a excellent 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, which speaks to its high-quality. Any fan of war films is not going to want to miss this one particular.

Narvik

Release Date

December 25, 2022

Director

Erik Skjoldbjaerg

Cast

Kristine Hartgen , Carl Martin Eggsbø , Cristoph Gelfert Mathiesen , Henrik Mestad , Stig Henrik Hoff

Runtime

1h 48m

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3 ‘The Battle of Algiers’ (1966)

Countries of Origin: Algeria, Italy

The Battle of Algiers is an Italian-Algerian joint project focusing on the titular battle, which occurred from 1956-1957 as element of the Algerian War, primarily based on the novel Souvenirs de la Bataille d’Alger by Saadi Yacef. The film initially premiered domestically at the Venice International Film Festival, exactly where it received the Golden Lion award. From there, its attain expanded to numerous other nations, exactly where it received close to-excellent testimonials from critics and audiences alike.

It was also hugely controversial on account of the Algerian War becoming a hot-button problem in France at the time. The Battle of Algiers was one particular of the very first films to confront imperialism head-on, which was incredibly daring at the time. It performed especially effectively in America for the reason that of it, as numerous Americans had been opposed to their nation’s involvement in the Vietnam War. The Battle of Algiers influenced quite a few actual-life movements, cementing its value in and out of the silver screen. The movie’s cynicism was unrivaled, creating it way ahead of its time and a accurate masterpiece that holds up every single bit now as a great deal as it did then.

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2 ‘Come and See’ (1985)

Country of Origin: Belarus

Come and See was way ahead of its time and is identified to be one particular of the most horrifying and deeply moving anti-war flicks ever created. Coming from the Eastern European nation of Belarus, formerly element of the USSR, the film depicts a young Belarusian resistance fighter named Flyora (Aleksei Kravchenko) throughout World War II. Many dark ideas seem in Come and See, exploring surrealism even though simultaneously hunting at hyper-realism. In reality, the film was so dark that director Elem Klimov had to fight Soviet censorship laws for almost a decade ahead of he was permitted to place the film into production.

Despite how visceral the imagery is, it proved to be a enormous achievement, with numerous entertainment outlets such as Timeout, Empire, and Vulture ranking it as amongst the 100 greatest films of all time. It was truly so harrowing that Klimov reported ambulances had been named to film theatres in the USSR and other nations for men and women who had been so emotionally distressed by it one particular German veteran even testified that the visuals had been spot on. Those hunting for an anti-war film that paints a brutally realistic image of what it really is like, this is it. But it really is also a superior decision for these hunting for a film that is emotionally moving or deeply scarring.

Come And See (1985)

Release Date

September 3, 1985

Director

Elem Klimov

Cast

Aleksey Kravchenko , Olga Mironova , Liubomiras Laucevicius , Vladas Bagdonas

Runtime

142 minutes

1 ‘All Quiet on the Western Front’ (2022)

Country of Origin: Germany

Erich Maria Remarque penned his novel All Quiet on the Western Front in 1929 and primarily based it on his experiences serving in World War I. The book has been adapted to film quite a few occasions: after by Hollywood in 1930, a further time as a British direct-to-tv film in the 70s, and far more lately as a German Netflix film in 2022. The 2022 adaptation is by far the most visually spectacular and gruesome. It portrays war as the harsh reality it is: it is senseless slaughter, with numerous men and women losing their lives for no actual cause. There are no heroic sacrifices, no terrific crusades, only death.

The story follows 17-year-old Paul Bäumer (Felix Kammerer), who is deceived into joining the war work through the use of propaganda. All Quiet on the Western Front makes use of hidden particulars to drive its anti-war message property and an unorthodox but masterful soundtrack. It won quite a few Oscars, which includes one particular for its score and 3 far more for Best International Feature Film, Best Cinematography, and Best Production Design. All Quiet on the Western Front is simply one particular of the greatest films ever created and by far the greatest European War Film in current years, probably even of all time.

All Quiet on the Western Front

Release Date

October 28, 2022

Director

Edward Berger

Runtime

148 minutes

Writers

Edward Berger , Lesley Paterson , Ian Stokell

Subsequent: The Best War Movies of the 21st Century So Far