Netflix has an extensive library of different genres. In addition to dramas and comedies, you can also find hard-hitting, patriotic or traumatizing war films and miniseries. With the amount of content Netflix has about WWII alone, Netflix could probably offer an entire spin-off service dedicated just to WWII.
These movies and shows span time periods, countries, and perspectives. We’ve picked out some worthy Netflix war movies and series to stream right now.
“Born on the 4th of July”
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The film was directed by Oliver Stone, himself a Vietnam veteran. With “Born of the Fourth of July,” Tom Cruise became the leading actor and received an Oscar nomination. He plays Ron Kovic, a US Marine from Long Island who is sent to Vietnam as a soldier. After a few years, he is wounded and paralyzed.
When he returns home, Ron struggles with the effects of his injury and is haunted by his war experiences. He finds meaning in life by becoming a peace activist and speaking at the 1976 Democratic National Convention. The film is based on the memoirs of the real Kovic. It is a powerful story that shows how hard it is to survive the horrors of war. The film also feels very authentic as it was directed by two real veterans.
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“The Women King”
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In this film, the legendary Viola Davis plays Nanisca, the general of the Agojie, an elite female military unit in the African kingdom of Dahomey. Set in the 1820s, the film shows them battling other local kingdoms and the Dahomey trying to accept their role in the European slave trade. Although she is a fierce and celebrated warrior, Nanisca sees the benefits of a more peaceful life and advises the king to make palm oil, not people, their biggest export.
She is always aware of the threats to her kingdom and is also busy training the newest recruits. The film follows these young women as they try to find their place and one of them also has a special connection with Nanisca. The fight scenes here are really interesting because they favor hand-to-hand combat with spears and machetes, as opposed to the more commonly filmed war scenes with men on horseback and with firearms or artillery. Also, it was exciting to see female soldiers in combat roles as you rarely see that on screen.
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“Band of Brothers”
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This may be the biggest WWII project ever, and that’s saying something because there are so many of them! The miniseries, which originally aired on HBO, follows Easy Company, paratroopers from the 101st Airborne Division, from training camp to D-Day and through the end of the war in Europe.
Based on Stephen Ambrose’s book of the same name, the production is excellent. The actors are great on-screen companions, making for an incredibly realistic and watchable show. Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg were executive producers, so the series is also a great complement to their 1998 collaboration, Saving Private Ryan, which saw soldiers from the same division follow the invasion of Normandy.
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‘Nothing new in the West’
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This German-language epic is the third adaptation of Erich Maria Remarque’s 1929 novel, which was inspired by his personal wartime experiences. The story follows a group of idealistic German teenagers who, out of chauvinistic zeal, enlist to fight in World War I. As the reality and horrors of trench warfare begin to affect the group of friends, one boy finds himself alone, disillusioned, and trying to survive until the armistice.
It is a well-made but hard-to-watch film that does not neglect the trauma of war. This makes it an effective way to deter even the most ardent warmongers. The deaths in All Quiet on the Western Front are senseless tragedies.
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“Bomb: The Hedy Lamarr Story”
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This documentary examines the life, career and star image of Hedy Lamarr, an Austrian-born actress of Jewish descent. In 1937, she fled her arms dealer husband and the Nazis to pursue a career in Hollywood. When World War II began, she was determined to do her part, using her fame to sell war bonds and develop an invention that could help the U.S. military.
The invention was frequency hopping, which she developed with her friend and composer George Antheil, inspired by his work with synchronous pianos. She was upset when the Navy ultimately decided not to use her invention, and thus received no credit for it until the end of her life. It later became the basis for Wi-Fi, GPS and Bluetooth technologies. The documentary is a fascinating look at one clever woman’s often overlooked contribution, as well as her unique connection to World War II.
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