21 Best Historical War Movies To Watch In Canada! [Most-Updated]

best-Historical-war-movies

When searching for movies about war, one may find a collection of hundreds of exceptional films from all over the globe that has been chosen just for viewing. Check out the following list if you are seeking some of the best historical war movies ever made in Canada.

War movies have never been behind in increasing adrenaline in our blood. A person who enjoys watching films about warfare should check out one (or more) of the numerous excellent films available.

On the other hand, there are many movies, and it might be challenging to choose the very finest ones. As a result, here is a list of some of the best war movies in Canada that have ever been produced.


Operation Mincemeat 2021

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Director: John Madden
Writer: Ben Macintyre, Michelle Ashford
Cast: Mark Gatiss, Johnny Flynn, Jason Isaacs, kelly Macdonald, Rufus Wright, Paul Ritter
IMDB Rating: 6.6/10
Genre: War/Drama
Runtime: 2h 8m

The tale of Operation Mincemeat is one of a kind compared to other World War II accounts. The real-life drama is simply fantastic, as is the story itself. It’s both strange and appealing, like a high-level espionage thriller with creative fiction. The stakes couldn’t be higher in reality.

The screenplay by Michelle Ashford weaves various themes and moods together, including tense, romantic, exciting, surprisingly funny, and continuously surprising aspects.

It is the narrative of the warriors that we seldom see, who fight a new sort of war in shadows and deception, and are plagued by the awareness that there is no certainty and no assurance of victory wherever to be found. It is a wonderfully human story about those soldiers. If you are a Vudu streamer and want the best collection of war movies they are available.


Greyhound 2020

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Director: Aaron Schneider
Writer: C.S. Forester, Tom Hanks
Cast: Josh Wiggins, Matthew Zuk, Rob Morgan, Matt Helm, Elisabeth Shue, Ian James Corlett
IMDB Rating: 7.0/10
Genre: History/Action/Drama
Runtime: 1h 31m

This action-packed tale is an adaptation of C. S. Forester’s classic “The Good Shepherd,” It takes place in 1942 throughout an Allied convoy’s journey across the North Atlantic while a German submarine wolf pack is relentlessly attacking it.

A naval officer from the United States Navy who is making his first voyage across the Atlantic Ocean commands the destroyer screen that protects the convoy.

The main emphasis of the narrative is on his leadership responsibilities as he battles the harsh elements, including the bitter cold, the unrelenting night, the treacherous sea, and his profound exhaustion while pursuing the enemy submarines in a deadly game of cat and mouse.

Because the book accurately and vividly depicts the aspects of combat leadership, it was used as a text at the United States Naval Academy for a considerable time.

The book tells a compelling narrative that takes the reader on an exciting ride-along with a troubled captain.


Midway 2019

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Director: Roland Emmerich
Writer: Wes Tooke
Cast: Nick Jonas, Aaron Eckhart, Mandy Moore, Ed Skrein, Jake Weber, Kenny Leu
IMDB Rating: 6.7/10
Genre: War/Action/Drama/History
Runtime: 2h 18m

During the month of May 1942, the Imperial Japanese Navy started an assault on the island of Midway, which is located in the Pacific Ocean.

If they can secure it, it will give a base for missions against Pearl Harbor and make it possible for them to assault the west coast of the United States. Nevertheless, the intelligence division of the United States Navy has devised a strategy.

Admiral Chester Nimitz dispatched two United States Task Groups, each consisting of three aircraft carriers, to lure the Japanese navy into an ambush. What occurs after this is considered one of the most significant wars in human history.


Robert the Bruce 2019

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Director: Richard Gray
Writer: Angus Macfadyen, Eric Belgau
Cast: Will Carlson, Patrick Fugit, Judah Nelson, Jared Harris, Shane Coffey, Ian Scott
IMDB Rating: 5.4/10
Genre: Historical drama/History
Runtime: 2h 4m

The legend of the once-nobleman-turned-outlaw hero who rose to King of Scots during the 14th century.

Robert the Bruce anointed himself King of Free Scotland, after supporting William Wallace in the war for independence, as shown in the movie “Braveheart.”

After losing battle after battle, Robert is eventually abandoned by the Scottish aristocracy, who now refuses to fight for him. On the other hand, the English are persistent in their pursuit of reclaiming their former land.

The monarch emerges from obscurity to lead his people in action once again, with nothing but the pursuit of freedom as his only motivation.


A Hidden Life 2019

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Director: Terrence Malick
Writer: Terrence Malick
Cast: Johan Leysen, Bruno Ganz, Tobias Moretti, Maria Simon, Dimo Alexiev, Felix Römer
IMDB Rating: 7.4/10
Genre: War/Drama/Romance
Runtime: 2h 53m

Franz Jagerstatter, an Austrian man, is a conscientious objector during World War II. Therefore he chooses not to fight for the Nazis.

The narrative of Bl. Franz Jagerstatter, an unlikely hero who chose not to serve the Nazis in World War II, is told in the film A Hidden Life. The events of the film are based on real-life occurrences.

When the Austrian peasant farmer is confronted with the possibility of being executed for betrayal, his unshakeable belief and his affection for his spouse, Fani, and their children hold his soul alive at that moment.


Hacksaw Ridge 2016

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Director: Mel Gibson
Writer: Andrew Knight, Robert Schenkkan
Cast: Tim McGarry, Rachel Griffiths, James Lugton, Darcy Bryce, Jacob Warner, Andrew Garfield
IMDB Rating: 8.1/10
Genre: War/Drama/History
Runtime: 2h 19m

This is the incredible real account of a conscientious objector named Desmond T. Doss who, during the deadliest fighting of World War II, rescued 75 soldiers in Okinawa without firing a single shot.

Desmond T. Doss was the first American soldier in World War II to fight on the front lines without a firearm. He did this because he believed that even if the war was right, murdering people was still immoral.

As a doctor in the army, Doss worked alone to remove injured soldiers close to enemy lines, putting himself in danger by dodging hostile fire and putting others’ lives in jeopardy. He was the first person in history to be awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for his actions as a conscientious objector.


Dunkirk 2017

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Director: Christopher Nolan
Writer: Christopher Nolan
Cast: Michel Biel, Jack Lowden, Mark Rylance, Lee Armstrong, Tom Nolan, Adam Long
IMDB Rating: 7.8/10
Genre: War/Action/Drama/History
Runtime: 1h 46m

In May and June of 1940, Four hundred thousand troops from the United Kingdom and France were holed up in the port city of Dunkirk in France. Because the only route out is by water and the Germans have air dominance, they can bomb the British troops and ships with little to no resistance.

The situation seems hopeless, so in desperation, Britain dispatches civilian boats in addition to its overstretched navy to evacuate the troops who are now under attack.

This is the narrative of those besieged soldiers, as seen through the perspective of a soldier who was a member of those troops, two jet pilots from the Royal Air Force, and a group of civilians aboard a boat that was part of the rescue battle group.


Outlaw King 2018

Outlaw-King-best-historical-war-movies

Director: David Mackenzie
Writer: Mark Bomback, David Harrower, James MacInnes, David Mackenzie
Cast: Kevin Mains, Ben Clifford, Paul Blair, Rebecca Robin, Jamie Michie, Josie O’Brien
IMDB Rating: 6.9/10
Genre: Drama/Action/Biography
Runtime: 2h 17m

The actual David against Goliath tale of how the Scottish “Outlaw King” Robert the Bruce of the 14th century used his wits and daring to triumph over the considerably more extensive and better prepared English army occupying Scotland at the time.

In response to Robert Bruce’s status as an “Outlaw,” the English Empire’s occupation of Scotland led to the formation of a rebel army led by Robert Bruce.

This movie takes you on a roller coaster ride across the Scottish landscape as it takes you on an epic trip that is “true to historical events” and portrays the essence of bravery.


Darkest Hour 2017

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Director: Joe Wright
Writer: Anthony McCarten
Cast: Hilton McRae, Samuel West, Lily James, Kristin Scott Thomas, Jordan Waller, Bethany Muir
IMDB Rating: 7.4/10
Genre: War/Drama/Biography
Runtime: 2h 5m

Neville Chamberlain, the PM of the United Kingdom, was forced to quit throughout the Second World War due to the rampaging strength of Adolf Hitler’s Wehrmacht throughout Europe.

Chamberlain recommended Winston Churchill take his position as the next leader of the United Kingdom. But even during his early days as the nation’s president, Churchill is under the heat to either begin peace discussions with Hitler or confront the unstoppable Nazi government head-on, regardless of the cost.

Churchill has no option but to shine at the nation’s darkest hour, no matter how challenging and risky his choices may be. This is the moment when the country needs him the most.


Danger Close 2019

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Director: Kriv Stenders
Writer: Jack Brislee, Paul Sullivan, Karel Segers, Stuart Beattie
Cast: Ryan Hance, Mojean Aria, Richard Te Are, Toby Blome, Leo Stripp, Alex Neal, Tom Yaxley
IMDB Rating: 6.8/10
Genre: War/Drama/Action
Runtime: 1h 58m

“Danger Close: The Battle of Long Tan” is an intense and hard-hitting military drama based on the astonishing real account of the Battle of Long Tan. Despite being outnumbered, outgunned, and never over of bravery, the soldiers never give up.

The Battle of Long Tan is where Major Harry Smith and his company of 108 young and inexperienced troops from Australia and New Zealand are now engaged in a struggle for their life.

Each guy was forced to fight harder than ever as 2,500 battle-hardened Viet Cong forces closed in, their ammo ran short, and losses continued to rise.


They Shall Not Grow Old 2018

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Director: Peter Jackson
Writer: N/A
Cast: Robert Bell, Walter Becklake, Thomas Baker, Walter Aust, John Ashby, Thomas Adlam
IMDB Rating: 8.2/10
Genre: Documentary/War/History
Runtime: 1h 39m

A documentary on World War I will mark the one-hundredth anniversary of the war’s conclusion and include material that has never been seen before.

The soldiers who fought in World War I are the ones who tell the narrative in the film directed by Peter Jackson, which was made possible because of cutting-edge technology and resources provided by the BBC and the Imperial War Museum.

The voices of the troops are used to examine life on the front lines. The soldiers talk about their thoughts and emotions about the war, the food they ate, the friends they formed, and their hopes and goals for the future.


Unbroken 2014

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Director: Angelina Jolie
Writer: William Nicholson, Ethan Coen, Laura Hillenbrand, Joel Coen
Cast: C.J. Valleroy, Louis McIntosh, John Magaro, Jai Courtney, Ryan Ahern, Sandy Winton
IMDB Rating: 7.2/10
Genre: War/Drama/Action/Biography
Runtime: 2h 17m

When Louis “Louie” Zamperini is a little child, he is always getting into mischief; nevertheless, with the assistance of his elder brother, he can turn his life around and channel his energy into running, which eventually leads to his competing for the 1936 Olympics. After the outbreak of World War II, Louie enlists in the armed forces to serve his country.

Following the aircraft crash in the Pacific Ocean, he lived for an incredible 47 days while floating in a raft until the Japanese navy captured him. After being taken captive and sent to a POW camp, Louie quickly became a favourite target of an especially ruthless jail commander.


Anthropoid 2016

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Director: Sean Ellis
Writer: Anthony Frewin, Sean Ellis
Cast: Karel Hermánek Jr., Bill Milner, Toby Jones, Jan Hájek, Brian Caspe, Jamie Dornan
IMDB Rating: 7.2/10
Genre: War/Thriller/Biography/Action
Runtime: 2 hours

Anthropoid 2016 is based on the true tale of Operation Anthropoid, an attempt to kill SS General Reinhard Heydrich by members of the Czechoslovak resistance. Heydrich was the Reich’s third in command after Himmler and Hitler. And the Final Solution’s main architect.

The film follows two Czech soldiers, Jozef Gabčík and Jan Kubiš, who are sent to Prague to carry out the assassination. Although they are successful in their mission, they are forced to flee from Prague and go into hiding.


Free State of Jones 2016

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Director: Gary Ross
Writer: Gary Ross, Leonard Hartman, Gary Ross
Cast: Jessica Ann Collins, Joe Chrest, Bill Tangradi, Sean Bridgers, Keri Russell, Artrial Clark
IMDB Rating: 6.9/10
Genre: Drama/Action/Biography
Runtime: 2h 19m

The narrative of a stubborn Southern farmer named Newt Knight and his great armed insurrection against the Confederacy is told in the film “Free State of Jones,” which takes place during the American Civil War.

Knight, together with a coalition of other regional local producers and enslaved people, began a rebellion that eventually resulted in Jones County, Mississippi, breaking away from the Confederacy and establishing itself as the Free State of Jones.

Knight maintained his fight during Reconstruction, making him a captivating, controversial symbol of resistance long after the War ended.


The Catcher Was a Spy 2018

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Director: Ben Lewin
Writer: Nicholas Dawidoff, Robert Rodat
Cast: William Hope, Sienna Miller, Jirí Vavrusa, Simon Perina, Mark Strong, Paul Rudd
IMDB Rating: 6.2/10
Genre: History/Drama/Biography
Runtime: 1h 38m

The Catcher Was a Spy is a 2018 espionage thriller based on the true story of Moe Berg. The film follows Berg (Paul Rudd), a professional baseball player who becomes a World War II spy for the United States government.

Berg is tasked with assassinating the chief nuclear scientist of Nazis and takes on the extra challenge of going behind enemy lines. However, as he gets closer to his target, Berg begins to question the morality of his mission.


Allied 2016

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Director: Robert Zemeckis
Writer: Steven Knight
Cast: Iselle Rifat, Fleur Poad, Michael McKell, Brad Pitt, Tom Padley, Mark Roper, Ej Martin
IMDB Rating: 7.1/10
Genre: War/Thriller/Romance/Drama
Runtime: 2h 4m

In 1942, as part of his intelligence tasks during World War II, Wing Commander Max Vatan went to Casablanca, Morocco, to assassinate a German diplomat. Marianne Beauséjour, a French Resistance member who had to flee the country when her group was betrayed and slaughtered, is his companion. They met while she was on the run from France.

The two agree that emotions might cause people to be murdered in their line of work, but this does not prevent them from pretending to be married and becoming closer to one another. Marianne, held in high regard by the Germans, can gain Max entrance to the party where they intend to carry out the killing.


Kesari 2019

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Director: Anurag Singh
Writer: Anurag Singh, Girish Kohli
Cast: Vivek Saini, Rakesh Sharma, Ajit Singh, Pritbal Pali, Harry Brar, Akshay Kumar
IMDB Rating: 7.4/10
Genre: Action/War,History/Drama
Runtime: 2h 30m

The film is based on the unbelievable historical account of the Battle of Saragarhi, which took place in 1897 and saw a force of 21 Sikhs fighting against 10,000 Afghans.

This historical battle play takes place in 1897 and focuses on the Battle of Saragarhi. The story revolves around Havildar Ishar Singh, who defended the North-West Frontier Region against an invading army of 10,000 Afghans while commanding a platoon consisting of 21 Sikhs. The action is widely regarded as one of the most notable heroic standoffs in the annals of history.


The Book Thief 2013

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Director: Brian Percival
Writer: Michael Petroni, Markus Zusak
Cast: Nico Liersch, Geoffrey Rush, Rainer Reiners, Sophie Nélisse, Levin Liam, Rainer Bock
IMDB Rating: 7.5/10
Genre: War/Drama
Runtime: 2h 11m

The little girl Liesel seeks some measure of comfort and escape from the terrors of Second World War Germany by stealing books and giving them to her friends and neighbours. A Jewish immigrant is being guarded and cared for by her adoptive parents in the basement.

In 1938, orphaned Liesel made her way to the house of Rosa and Hans, who would serve as her new foster parents. When the kind-hearted housepainter Hans finds out that Liesel cannot read, he decides to instruct the little girl in the marvels of the written language.

Liesel develops a passion for reading and eventually saves a book from being burned during a Nazi rally.

When Liesel’s adoptive family barely manages to survive, their situation becomes even more perilous when they hide a Jewish youngster whose father has rescued Hans from death. Liesel’s new family has taken in Hans’s son because he is Jewish.


The Zookeeper’s Wife 2017

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Director: Niki Caro
Writer: Diane Ackerman, Angela Workman
Cast: Martha Issová, Shira Haas, Efrat Dor, Daniel Brühl, Marian Mitas, Goran Kostic
IMDB Rating: 7.0/10
Genre: War/Drama/History/Biography
Runtime: 2h 7m

During the German invasion of Poland during World War II, Jan Zabinski and Antonina, who run the Warsaw Zoo, are tasked with saving the lives of hundreds of humans and animals.

It is the year 1939, and the setting is Poland, the country of origin for Antonina Zabinski and her husband, Dr. Jan Zabinski. The Warsaw Zoo thrives thanks to Jan’s management and Antonina’s attentiveness to its needs.

As a result of the Nazi invasion of their nation, Antonina and Jan Zabinski are compelled to report to Lutz Heck, who has just been appointed to the position of chief biologist for the Reich.

The Zabinskis begin secretly collaborating with the Resistance and put plans to rescue hundreds of people from the Warsaw Ghetto during the Holocaust.


USS Indianapolis: Men of Courage 2016

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Director: Mario Van Peebles
Writer: Richard Rionda Del Castro, Cam Cannon
Cast: Joey Capone, Callard Harris, Cody Walker, Brian Presley, Matt Lanter, Nicolas Cage
IMDB Rating: 5.2/10
Genre: Drama/HisstoryWar/Action
Runtime: 2h 15m

An American military ship was destroyed by a Japanese submarine during the Second World War, and as a result, 890 of the ship’s crew members were left adrift in seas filled with sharks.

A terrifying account of what happened to the sailors of the USS Indianapolis when they left adrift in the Philippine Sea for five days after dropping the atomic bombs that would finally end World War II. They suffered from severe thirst, intense hunger, and constant assaults by sharks while awaiting rescue.


Dragon Blade 2015

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Director: Daniel Lee
Writer: Daniel Lee
Cast: Taili Wang, Mika Wang, Adrien Brody, Jackie Chan, Si Won Choi, Qing Xiu, John Cusack
IMDB Rating: 5.9/10
Genre: Fantasy/Drama/Action
Runtime: 2h 7m

When the corrupt Roman commander Tiberius comes with a massive army to seize the Silk Road, Huo An and his gang of skilled warriors join forces with an elite legion of deserted Roman soldiers headed by General Lucius in order to preserve the delicate balance of power in the area.

To defend his homeland and the new allies he has made, Huo An assembles the most potent warriors from thirty-six different ethnic groups to do battle with Tiberius in an unbelievable epic struggle.


Conclusion

Most of the movies in this list focus on modern warfare that started after the 19th century. These are the 21 best historical war movies ever created concerning the many forms of human action (and the politics behind it).

Oliver Grayson

Oliver is an ambivert who scratches his creative itch by writing on different topics of interest. Being a movie buff, he’s almost always updated about the latest movies and shows releasing worldwide. When he’s not writing or binging movies, he’s gaming and socializing online from his couch.

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