The great critic Susan Sontag once said that “cinema has done more to shape our perception of war than war itself.” That’s true. But is the genre in decline? Once upon a time, studios and directors couldn’t ignore war movies. A few big-budget military flicks would come out each year because there was always a high chance of Oscar nominations whenever you showed people suffering on the battlefield. In fact, a whopping 22 war movies have won Best Picture in the past.
In 2025, there haven’t been any war movies by A-list directors, so fans have every reason to be worried. Could the genre fade in glory the same way Westerns did after the ‘70s? Even though the likes of Spielberg and Nolan haven’t told any battlefield stories this year, plenty of great films have been released, most of which haven’t gotten the publicity they deserve. And they are all available to stream, too.
Here are 10 war movies that deserved way more press this year.
‘Truth & Treason’
Not every German supported the Third Reich. Helmuth Hübener (Noah Baird) from Truth & Treason is a 16-year-old boy bothered by the Nazi’s propaganda and crimes against humanity. He reaches a breaking point after his Jewish friend gets arrested, so he begins listening to banned BBC radio broadcasts and distributing anti-Nazi leaflets across the city of Hamburg. What will the consequences be?
Risking It All
Loosely based on various historical accounts of resistance against the Nazis by German youth, Truth & Treason doesn’t shy away from the shaded moral complexity that plagued the minds of many citizens during World War II. It’s also bold in highlighting the outsized flaws of the Third Reich. Better yet, Noah Baird gives a fierce, combative performance, begging us to not only remember the Allied soldiers but the ordinary citizens who put their lives at risk to ensure change came about.
‘The Battle of Oslo’
The Nazis are coming to Norway in The Battle of Oslo, and Colonel Birger Eriksen (Bjørn Sundquist), commander of the understaffed Oscarsborg Fortress, doesn’t intend to let them take over easily. There are no reinforcements and no defined orders from above, so he orders his men, stationed at the Oscarsborg Fortress, to fire at the approaching German cruiser Blücher. Such a decision will trigger a major boomerang.
Never Surrendering Without a Fight
This intimate, perceptive story of one of the tensest battles in World War II is understated yet achieves a dominant resonance. The Norwegian war movie’s leisurely pace grants audiences time to grow close to each soldier. All the actors find ways to shine under director Daniel Fahre’s watchful eye. But the most credit goes to Sundquist, who gives his conflicted, emotionally burdened Captain Eriksen a terrific profundity and complexity. A flash forward to 1946, when Eriksen is summoned to justify his actions before an inquiry, is also intriguing.
‘Words of War’
Words of War is the heartbreaking yet inspiring story of Anna Politkovskaya (portrayed by Maxine Peake), a prominent Russian investigative journalist and human rights activist who reported on the Second Chechen War and tried to expose corruption within Russia under the governance of Vladimir Putin. She was ultimately assassinated in the elevator of her house on Putin’s birthday, October 7, 2006.
Celebrating a Martyr
Comic actress Maxin Peake’s turn as Politkovskaya is surprisingly powerful. She fully immerses herself in the role, and you can truly feel the character’s passion for her work through the eyes of the performer. And, for a British actress, she pulls off a Russian accent quite well. Meanwhile, director James Strong (better known for his work on Holby City and Doctor Who) shoots each scene with artistic precision, evoking the intense experience of the characters right from the first frame to the last.
‘Atropia’
In the satirical war movie Atropia, a fake Iraqi town is built in the California desert to train the military for combat. Known as Atropia, the facility is a total 24/7 simulation, complete with Hollywood stars playing civilians and enemy forces. Among the actors is the aspiring actress, Fayruz (Alia Shawkat), who sees all this as the perfect opportunity to salvage her wobbly career from ruins. But things get complicated when the lines between reality and fiction start becoming blurred.
Training Has Never Been This Weird
For her debut, director Hailey Benton Gates makes the questionable human impact of war the theme of the extraordinary movie. Though comical, Atropia examines the massive current of change that often sweeps across a country when it’s invaded. And while at it, it interweaves love and work, resulting in a story that is totally relatable even when the events feel completely alien to audiences. You’ll be glad to know that Atropia is actually a real military location in America.
‘Valiant One’
Valiant One opens with a U.S. Army helicopter crashing in the Korean DMZ during a storm. Sgt. Edward Brockman (Chase Stokes) thus leads the surviving soldiers to safety. Despite great assistance from his ally Selby (Lana Condor), navigating the harsh North Korean territory proves challenging. Whether it’s getting pursued or running out of supplies, they face the biggest nightmares of their lives.
The Biggest Test of Their Lives
Director Steve Barnett crafts a saga that’s lightly drawn, entertaining, and deeply affecting, examining emotional pressure during times of crisis on the battlefield. The situation is anything but still in this wrong-place tale. And the visuals of a landscape in a chaotic state — explosions, dust, dull vistas — add weight to the general mood of despair. The events feel refreshing, too, since Hollywood often shies away from depicting conflicts with North Korean forces.
‘The World Will Tremble’
The World Will Tremble is the story of Polish Jews Michael Podchlebnik (portrayed by Jeremy Neumark Jones) and Szlama Ber Winer (portrayed by Oliver Jackson-Cohen), who escaped from the Chełmno extermination camp during the Holocaust. Set in 1942, the film finds the prisoners plotting an escape after being forced to bury the bodies of those killed in gas vans. Their goal? To inform the world about the unspeakable cruelty
Living To Tell the Story
Not much is overtly said or expressed in The World Will Tremble, but, as events unfold, everything becomes clear. There is pain and hope in watching small details, and all the delicate gestures add up to a satisfying emotional payoff. Historians will also be glad, since director Lior Geller never plays fast and loose with facts. He understands that this is a sensitive story that needs to be narrated as it happened. You won’t find many better movies about the Holocaust.
‘V13’
Set in Vienna in 1913 at the start of World War I, V13 introduces audiences to Hugo (Liam Aiken), a privileged musician who seeks the psychiatric help of Sigmund Freud (Alan Cumming) after developing extreme hatred toward Jews. But getting over such impulses will be hard, especially after he forms a friendship with Adolf Hitler (Samuel H. Levine), who at this point is a struggling artist keen on German nationalism.
Where Evil Began
Filmed in New York and Vienna, this terrifying, soufflé-light drama keeps our eyes close to the delusion that led to widespread anti-Semitism. The movie extensively examines the flawed thought process of the Nazis and never hesitates to jump into condemnation. As the boyishly inept Hugo, Liam Aiken is effortlessly good, while the radiant Alan Cumming registers as the Founder of Psychoanalysis, Sigmund Freud.
‘Operation Hadal’
In Operation Hadal, mercenaries seize Deep Blue 3, a crucial station in China’s territorial waters. After learning how formidable the team is, the Chinese Navy deploys a commando squad and the Longjing, a futuristic high-tech submarine. Who will come out on top?
Battle in the Seas
This Chinese-made, semi-realistic fable about territorial defense features soulful, assured performances, chases, extraordinary ocean shots, and artsy editing; all working in service of a gripping saga that builds to a memorable climax. Dante Lam, an under-appreciated master of film, even works in elements of homage and comedy, satirizing some of China’s geopolitical policies. No minute is to be missed.
‘Fog of War’
After getting injured, American WWII pilot Gene (Jake Abel) starts living with the family of his fiancée, Penny (Brianna Hildebrand), who happens to be an OSS agent. Unknown to everyone, he has been recruited to spy on the family because a few documents about the upcoming D-Day invasion have disappeared. How will these dangerous games end in Fog of War, considering a Nazi agent has also infiltrated this community?
Doom Is Around the Corner
Witty, twisty, and studded with exquisite views (the Massachusetts estate setting is something to behold), Fog of War is one of the sweeter WWII confections. Guns don’t go off often, but a lot happens. It’s a game of brains and conversations, with the dialogue touching on major key events that unfolded during the war. And if you have been wondering what happened to John Cusack, worry no more. He’s still doing what he loves, with the same energy and dedication. You’ll love his work here.
‘Prisoner of War’
Set during the Battle of Bataan (fought by the United States and the Philippine Commonwealth against Japan during WWII), Prisoner of War has British RAF officer Wing Commander James Wright (Scott Adkins) captured by Japanese forces and dumped in a harsh POW camp in the Philippines. Forced into hand-to-hand fights for the amusement of the officers, he drums up support and organizes a revolt.
A Punch Hits Harder Than a Bullet
A riveting war and martial arts adventure with a revolutionary fervor, Prisoner of War enthralls throughout its running time. In fact, there are so many great moments and so little time. It feels like the movie could have gone on for hours if not for time requirements. Think of it as a hybrid of Boyka and Steve McQueen’s The Great Escape. Most importantly, we have Scott Adkins at his merciless best. Are you ready to be entertained?
This story originally appeared on Movieweb
