While countless classicwar movieshave focused on major conflicts like WWII or theVietnam War, it’s not as common to see great films exploring more recent conflicts. As many of these conflicts have not been fully resolved and have deep political implications for contemporary times, it’s interesting to see how modern war movies address warfare in the current age. This means that modern war movies give a fascinating insight into current conflicts, as filmmakers are depicting topics that could still be traumatic for the many veterans and victims who are still around to watch them.
Some ofthe best war movies evermade focused on modern conflicts and addressed aspects of warfare that will still be fresh in many viewers' memories. While conflicts in the Middle East serve as the basis for many modern war movies, they also address timely issues such as drone strikes and the dire effects of PTSD on veterans. As a genre that showcases the dark consequences of violence,modern war movies highlight the undeniable need for peace in modern times.
The action filmmaker Michael Bay has explored genuine conflicts before, as his World War II filmPearl Harbortold a fictionalized love story set in the lead-up to that attack. Then, after alitany ofTransformersmovies, Bay once again returned to the war genre for13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi, a thriller starring John Krasinski andbased on Mitchell Zuckoff’s book about the terrorist attack by Islamist militants at the American diplomatic compound in Benghazi, Libya, on August 22, 2025.
With a dark tone and powerful action sequences,13 Hoursmay not have been the most nuanced account of conflict ever committed to screen, but it felt like a welcome return to more mature content for Bay. As a ground-level depiction of bravery in the face of active battle,13 Hourswas a gritty and harrowing portrayal of the true nature of bloodshed. While the film could have leaned more heavily into the actions of genuine Libyans in the attempt to save the US ambassador,13 Hourssucceeded as a document of American heroism.
There were hundreds of thousands of casualties during the Iraq War, a bloody invasion that stemmed from President George W. Bush’s wider war on terror. As a defining conflict of modern times, director Clint Eastwood set his sights on the story of the deadliest marksman in U.S. military history, Chris Kyle, who had a reported 255 kills from four tours in the Iraq War, 160 of which were officially confirmed by the Department of Defense (viaHollywood Reporter.) With Bradley Cooper as Kyle,American Snipershowcased the heavy toll such violence takes on a person’s psychology.
American Sniperhighlighted the traumatic nature of war for those doing the killing, as even though their actions may be perceived as heroic, they must bear the psychological brunt of taking hundreds of lives. As a critical and commercial success,American Sniperwas a testament to Eastwood’s continued talent in the war genre, as he was already in his 80s at the time. With Kyle as a symbol of the collective trauma of the Iraq War on the American psyche,American Snipertapped into the complex relationship the public has with that conflict.
WhileGuy Ritchie’s The Covenantwas not based on a true story, it was inspired bythe collective experiences of hundreds of interpreters and soldiers during the war in Afghanistan. With Jake Gyllenhaal as Master Sgt. John Kinley,The Covenantexplored his relationship with Ahmed (Dar Salim), a man whose job was about far more than money, as he wished to fight against the Taliban who murdered his son.
As a well-acted thriller with a significant level of dramatic depth,The Covenantpushed past Ritchie’s reputation for gritty British crime stories to tell a tale of sacrifice, honor, and humanity. Apart from all the guns and violence, what’s left was a story of two men who went through hell together as lives are risked in the name of survival. With an interesting story that tackled serious topics,The Covenantwas a change of pace for Ritchie that represented one of his best movies.
Lone Survivortold the true story of a four-man SEAL reconnaissance and surveillance team tasked with tracking down the Taliban leader Ahmad Shah during the war in Afghanistan. As a thrilling look at the unsuccessful United States Navy SEALs counter-insurgent mission, Operation Red Wings saw these men fighting for their lives as they were forced into an increasingly brutal, violent, hopeless situation. With Mark Wahlberg as Hospital Corpsman First Class Marcus Luttrell, this was as much a story of camaraderie and friendship as it was one of heroism.
With the four men facing off against dozens of Taliban fighters,Lone Survivorbrought the urgency of this mission to life, even if it didn’t delve quite deeply enough into nuanced issues at hand. Through a fast-paced and frantic sense of style,Lone Survivorstood as a solid statement on the chaotic and unpredictable nature of battles and bloodshed.
Drone warfare is a notably new development when it comes to how modern warfare is conducted in the world today. With this technology comes a whole host of ethical issues around their use and utilization, which was the central focus of the British thrillerEye in the Sky. With a stacked cast including Helen Mirren, Aaron Paul, and Alan Rickman in his last live-action appearance, this timely thriller offered a thought-provoking glimpse into the complex application of drone strikes.
Eye in the Skyhighlighted how information gleaned from surveillance can lead to tough decisions that may result in collateral damageand even the death of an innocent child. As U.K., U.S., and Kenyan officials wrestle with the ethics of pulling the trigger on a strike, they are forced to confront the potential of much larger casualties from a potential suicide bombing attack. As a nail-biting look into a situation that felt totally believable,Eye in the Skyis an insightful look at war in the modern age.
The Battle of Mosul was a major battle initiated by the Iraqi government forces with allied forces to try and retake the city of Mosul, which had been overtaken by ISIS. This tense battle was one of the largest land conflicts of modern times and was powerfully dramatized in the Netflix war movieMosul. With a focus on a police unit caught in the battle,Mosulshowcased their attempts to liberate the citizens from hundreds of ISIS militants.
As an Arabic-language film that shifts the focus away from American soldiers for once,Mosulhighlighted the Iraqi government’s attempts to stand against jihadist groups' endeavors to create their own quasi-religious state. By depicting things from the point of view of people who are actually living through the war as it’s happening,Mosuloffered unique insights into the effects of conflict in the Middle East not commonly seen in Hollywood productions with American actors.
The Outpostpowerfully depicted the American engagements of Operation Enduring Freedom, as 53 U.S. soldiers and two Latvian military advisors battled 300 enemy insurgents at the Battle of Kamdesh. As the story of soldiers at PRT Kamdesh during the war in Afghanistan, a base commonly regarded as a deathtrap, the men stationed here were subjected to regular onslaught attacks by the Taliban. WithOrlando Bloom as Captain Benjamin D. Keating,The Outpostwas a thrillingly realistic tribute to U.S. soldiers.
With a point-of-view style that took viewers right into the heart of the conflict,The Outposthighlighted its characters' split-second decisions and brave sacrifices in an immersive and harrowing exploration of battle. As a story of collective heroism,The Outpostgave its ensemble cast time to shine as it highlighted the sheer magnitude of the attacks they endured.The Outpostwas well-received by veterans, with one participant in the battle even writing a piece inThe New York Timesabout how well the movie captured his experience.
The Hurt Locker’sexploration of a bomb squad in the Iraq War was the biggest surprise success ofits era. From director Kathryn Bigelow, everything from Jeremy Renner’s astounding performance, incredible editing, immersive score, and nail-biting action sequences received widespread praise.The Hurt Lockerwas one of the most influential war movies of the 2000s and signaled a historic moment as Bigelow became the first woman to make a Best Picture-winning movie.
As an intensely shot, action-packed war epic,The Hurt Lockercaptured the nervous nature of conflict in the Middle East in an intelligent and thoughtful way. While the audience’s hearts were surely racing as they witnessedthe trials of the Iraq War Explosive Ordnance Disposal team, Renner’s steely, calm nature showcased soldiers' required ability to keep their cool under extreme pressure. As a vivid showcase of urban warfare in Iraq,The Hurt Lockerwas a true triumph.
Kathryn Bigelow followed up her Best Picture-winning success,The Hurt Locker, with yet another exploitation of modern warfare inZero Dark Thirty. This story about the nearly decade-long international manhunt for the terrorist leader Osama bin Ladenstarred Jessica Chastain as Maya, a CIA intelligence analyst modeled after Alfreda Frances Bikowsky. As a glimpse into the military tactics that are conducted behind the scenes in major operations, Bigelow showcased a side of war rarely seen on film.
With unique insight into the assassination of Bin Laden by U.S. forces,Zero Dark Thirtywas an essential depiction of the fight against Al-Qaeda and the choices that must be made in the pursuit of peace and victory. WhileZero Dark Thirtydid receive some criticism for its historical inaccuracies surrounding the portrayal of torture techniques, it was still a fascinating insight into a top-secret military raid that led to the assassination of one of the most notable figures of conflict in the Middle East.
Black Hawk Downwas a hugely influential war movie that depicted modern warfare with a level of heart-pounding power rarely seen on screen. From famed filmmaker Ridley Scott,Black Hawk Downhighlighted how a quick capture mission was transformed into a desperate rescue operation after a crew’s Black Hawk helicopter was shot down during the Battle of Mogadishu in Somalia in 1993. With a need to make on-the-spot decisions in an urban environment,Black Hawk Downaddressed the clever tactics and split-second choices that are needed to survive in active warfare.
With an impressive cast of actors who would only become more acclaimed in later years,Black Hawk Downfeatured early performances from the likes of Josh Hartnett, Tom Hardy, Ewan McGregor, and Orlando Bloom. Through a sympathetic portrayal of the experiences of soldiers atwar,Black Hawk Downaddressed the frantic nature of battle in a way that allowed viewers to connect with these young soldiers. As a film that’s had an undeniable effect on the war genre itself,Black Hawk Downwas one of Scott’s best movies.
