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10 Movies To Watch if You Love 'Saving Private Ryan'

Published 1 month ago12 minute read

An epic war-scale movie about courage, bravery, and sacrifice, is arguably one of the best epic war films around. While it has one of the most emotional opening scenes in film, the narrative is still one viewers were eager to watch, as a squadron of soldiers led by Captain John Miller () go behind enemy lines in World War II with orders to save Private James Ryan (). It is a brutal telling of one of the deadliest wars in history, taking viewers into a violent and bloody battle where no one is safe.

From the eagerness of Paul Bäumer () in to the last stand seen in , Saving Private Ryan isn’t the only film that will have viewers on the edge of their seats. These films are fast-paced and filled with action and consequences arising from various military operations. So, , check out these movies that are similar to the ferocity seen in Saving Private Ryan.

Maximus screaming with his arms spread in Gladiator
Image via Universal Pictures

follows the story of Maximus Decimus Meridius (), taking viewers back to the time of Ancient Rome and gladiators fighting in an arena for the entertainment of the empire. Once an honored general for Emperor Marcus Aurelius (), Maximus soon finds himself bound in chains after the Emperor’s son, Commodus (), murders his father. Jealous that his father wanted Maximus to be his successor, Commodus frames him. Maximus’ family is eventually sold to Proximo (), a gladiator trainer. It isn’t long before Maximus is thrown into Rome’s Colosseum, fighting for his life and, eventually, taking on Commodus and killing him for the spectators.

. Like Saving Private Ryan, it moves at just the right pace, so when the action sequences do happen, they are all out entertaining, if not wildly violent. Crowe’s performance as Maximus is magnificent, creating a quiet yet strong-willed person who wants revenge for the murders of his family while still wanting to fight for the freedom of himself and the other gladiators forced into slavery. Visually stunning and electric, Gladiator won five Oscars at the 73rd Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Actor for Crowe.

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Gladiator

May 5, 2000

Ridley Scott

Russell Crowe , Joaquin Phoenix , Connie Nielsen , Oliver Reed , Richard Harris , Derek Jacobi , Djimon Hounsou , David Schofield , John Shrapnel , Tomas Arana , Ralf Moeller , Spencer Treat Clark , David Hemmings , Tommy Flanagan , Sven-Ole Thorsen , Omid Djalili , Nicholas McGaughey , Chris Kell , Tony Curran , Mark Lewis , John Quinn , Alun Raglan , David Bailie , Chick Allan , David J. Nicholls , Al Hunter Ashton , Billy Dowd , Giannina Facio , Giorgio Cantarini

155 minutes

German officers surveying the town of Narvik
Image via Netflix

A suspenseful tale of the true events that happened during the Battles of Narvik from April 9, 1940, to June 8, 1940, brings viewers into the tiny Norweigan port town as German forces are invading the country, intent on taking over the iron ore exports the village is known for. The movie follows Ingrid Tofte () and Corporal Gunnar Tofte (), a married couple who want nothing more than to live a normal life and to keep their family safe even though they are now caught up in a war.

The film brings to question . An emotional and impactful movie, Narvik has a way of making every decision made by the characters feel as though it is life or death, a moral obligation, and less of a strategic way of taking on the encroaching German forces. It is interesting to watch, as viewers aren’t sure if the characters are going to break under the emotional turmoil or continue to fight for their town.

Narvik Movie Poster

Narvik

January 23, 2023

Erik Skjoldbjaerg

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

109 minutes

Benjamin (Mel Gibson) charges into battle carrying an American flag, with soldiers in the background
Image via Sony 

Benjamin Martin () is a widowed farmer living in Berkeley, South Carolina, and a French Indian War veteran who wants nothing more than to stay out of another war, even though the British are coming and the American Revolutionary War is on his doorstep. But when British Troops come and disrupt his life, killing one of his sons, Thomas (), he joins ranks. Getting to one of the American camps, Benjamin meets up with Colonel Harry Burwell (), who, knowing Benjamin’s fighting skills, tasks him with creating a militia unit and engaging in guerrilla warfare. Benjamin fights alongside his son, Gabriel (), who is eventually killed, and does his best to win the war, one bloody battle after the other.

is like Saving Private Ryan as it is , just with an eccentric villain in ’ Colonel William Tavington, who viewers can’t help but hate to love with his zero-remorse and guilt-free attitude. While it is not as thought-provoking as the squadron tasked with saving another soldier's life, it is still wildly entertaining, with incredible acting and a strange juxtaposition of sentiment and brutality, a similar theme seen in Saving Private Ryan.

Rent on Apple TV

A group of soldiers crouches in the tall grass in The Thin Red Line’ (1998)
Image via 20th Century Studios

Based on ’ 1962 novel of the same name, brings viewers into the Pacific Theater of World War II and the Battle of Mount Austen, part of the Guadalcanal Campaign. The film looks into the lives of different United States soldiers from C Company, 1st Battalion, 27th Infantry Regiment, 25th Infantry Division, including Private Witt (), who went AWOL, and Sargeant. Welsh (), the commanding officer who found him and returned Witt to active duty, training for the battle to come.

From there, soldiers gear up for the Battle of Mount Austen, showcasing a violent war field full of machine guns, death, and a squadron who need to figure out their respective attitudes in life or death situations and war as a whole. about a group of men who find love in unlikely places, namely in each other, as they try to overrun a Japanese bunker during the battle. It is powerful and takes viewers on that are nothing short of heart-piercing moments.

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The Thin Red Line

Paul has a sad look on his face while standing with other soldiers in All Quiet on the Western Front
Image via Netflix

All Quiet on the Western Front is based on the 1929 novel of the same name and brings viewers back to the start of World War I in 1914 Germany. It follows the story of Paul Bäumer, a young German man who, alongside his friends, enlists in the army. The film is interesting, as it shows Paul as an excited young man, ready to go to the front lines for his country and become a decorated war hero. He sensationalizes being a soldier but is quickly struck by the realities of warfare, the death and destruction it causes, and the body count growing every hour of every day. Instead of becoming the hero he dreamed of being, all Paul wants to do is survive and make it back home to his family.

The film shows the personal development of Kammerer’s character, first, as this young schoolboy who thinks it would be glorious and an honor to die for his country and then realizes the truth, conditions, and horrific nature of where he is. It is a harrowing portrayal of soldiers and war, . Like Saving Private Ryan, All Quiet on the Western Front explores the notion that war is something else altogether for those actually fighting and how the experience isn’t an adventure but something that will stay with you forever.

Farrier in a plane with his mask off in 'Dunkirk'
Image via Warner Bros. Pictures

Set on the beaches of Dunkirk during World War II, viewers watch as both British and French soldiers are stuck with no way to escape as the German troops advance to their location and trap them. With aerial strikes and the enemy gunning them down, the Allied forces try their best to stay alive but are quickly losing hope. The world of the Allies wasn’t going to leave them there to die. The military and civilians band together, using every available vessel to get the men safely out of the line of fire. In the end, they wind up saving hundreds of thousands of lives.

One of , doesn't utilize a lot of dialogue; instead, it focuses on the sounds of battle, keeping time with the suspenseful narrative of the story along with the horrified expressions of the young men on the beaches. A film filled with chaos and horror, Dunkirk does an amazing job showcasing true events by filming not only the land perspective of the soldiers but also the sea and air. Dunkirk keeps viewers in suspense from start to finish. While this film isn’t about a group of soldiers on a mission, , hoping beyond all odds that someone out there will come to their rescue.

A group of soldiers running into battle in The Forgotten Battle
Image via Netflix

A depiction of the Battle of the Scheldt in 1944 during World War II, sees three very different people cross paths during the war, changing each other and their sides’ fate. First, there is Marinus van Staveren (), a soldier in the German army; then there is British glider pilot William Sinclair (); and, lastly, a Dutch resistance fighter, Teuntje Visser (), who needs to get important photographs of German artillery to the Allied troops. While each of these characters starts in various positions across the battle, their lives eventually intertwine, with Marinus and William letting one another live and Marinus saving Teuntje from capture.

The Forgotten Battle is just that, a battle that actually occurred during World War II but was never really discussed. at certain points in time, whether it be letting one another live or saving a young girl from a horrible fate. It approaches the war in a different way than most films, zeroing in on a group of people who have nothing to do with one another but are fated to meet in some way during the war. Like Saving Private Ryan, The Forgotten Battle is an emotional tale of what people can do to one another, both good and evil, and is one of out there.

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The Forgotten Battle

December 14, 2020

Matthijs van Heijningen Jr.

Gijs Blom , Jamie Flatters , Susan Radder , Jan Bijvoet , Tom Felton , Coen Bril , Theo Barklem-Biggs , Scott Reid

124 Minutes

Doss looking over a ledge and looking dirty in Hacksaw Ridge
Image via Lionsgate

tells the true story of Desmond Doss (), a brave soul who, in the Battle of Okinawa during World War II, saves 75 men. He manages to do so without firing a single shot at the enemy. A Seventh-day Adventist Christian and a combat medic who would be on the front lines during the war, Doss refused to bear arms or carry a weapon of any kind. Even though he was ostracized by command and never earned the respect of his comrades, Doss saved many of his comrades and became the first conscientious objector to be awarded the Medal of Honor for his bravery on the ridge.

A deeply emotional and moving film, . Sticking true to his faith and convictions, Doss doesn’t let other people’s views of him sway his beliefs. Garfield gives one of his career-best performances, a raw portrayal of a man who wants to do the right thing, but not if it means turning over to a belief that doesn’t represent him. Even though Doss doesn’t fire a weapon in the film, others do. Hacksaw Ridge is a violent and bloody portrayal of World War II and men who go into battle not knowing if they are going to make it home in one piece.

Brad Pitt smoking as Don "Wardaddy" Collier in Fury
Image via Sony

Set in April of 1945, as the Allies advance into enemy territory, of an army but rather the tale of five individuals in a Sherman tank, Fury. Viewers watch as Army sergeant and tank commander Don "Wardaddy" Collier (), tank gunner Boyd "Bible" Swan (), tank driver Trini "Gordo" Garcia (), tank loader Grady "Coon-Ass" Travis (), and unexperienced assistant tank driver Norman "Machine" Ellison () take on a deadly mission to move the tank deeper into German territory. They do so, knowing that where they are going, they will be wildly outmanned and outgunned. Not to mention, Ellison is inexperienced in combat, so he’s just a liability. By the end, the team takes its last stand against German forces.

While it is a raw and violent depiction of warfare, Fury is also a film about a team of people bonding, especially while under extreme duress. The film is full of stellar performances and showcases a side of war that is often overlooked in cinema: the small teams working the tanks. Like Saving Private Ryan, , not focusing on the other battles waging around them. It is suspenseful and violent, and no one knows if anyone is going to make it out alive.

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Fury

October 17, 2014

David Ayer

135 Minutes

Lance Corporal William "Will" Schofield, looking stunned and being held back by other soldiers in a trench in 1917
Image via Universal Pictures

Taking place during World War I after the German retreat to the Hindenburg Line, focuses on the story of Will Schofield () and Tom Blake (). The two British soldiers are tasked with delivering a very important message to the front in order to ward off an offensive attack, something that would kill many people. The problem is, in order to deliver the missive, the two young men have to cross into enemy territory. Not going isn’t an option, as getting the word to Colonel Mackenzie of the 2nd Battalion (Benedict Cumberbatch) would potentially save 1,600 fellow soldiers, including Blake’s brother. So, the two-man army does its best to run, hide, and run some more in order to get the message to the Colonel in time.

Visually stunning with raw emotions portrayed through the performances of McKay and Chapman, 1917 was also a technical marvel, with cinematographer Roger Deakins and editor Lee Smith not constructing the film with numerous cuts. Instead, they took long takes and presented the film in two continuous shots.1917 really is an immersive experience as it feels as though the viewers are running alongside Schofield and Blake across enemy lines and into the horrors of World War I’s trench warfare. Like Saving Private Ryan, viewers also have no idea if the men are going to survive long enough to complete their mission.

1917 Movie Poster

1917

Release Date
December 25, 2019

Director
Sam Mendes

Cast
Colin Firth , Teresa Mahoney , Andrew Scott , Dean-Charles Chapman , Gerran Howell , Richard Madden , Daniel Mays , Benedict Cumberbatch , Adrian Scarborough , Mark Strong , George MacKay

Runtime
119 minutes

NEXT: The Most Rewatchable War Movies, Ranked

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