Until humanity finds a way to end all war, there will be no shortage of stories to tell since there is no safe place to come up with new plots.
The best war movies on Hulu don’t only show the blood and gore of combat. They also show love stories, philosophical studies, political dramas, and compelling horrors that lurk under the surface.
If you are interested in watching a war movie, Hulu has a fantastic selection available. Below is a long list of the best war movies on Hulu.
1. Moffie (2019)
- Director: Oliver Hermanus
- Star cast: Kai Luke Brummer, Hilton Pelser, Barbara-Marié Immelman, Michael Kirch, Remano De Beer, and Emil van Niekerk
- IMDB rating: 6.8/10
Like other white men and boys in South Africa over the age of 16, Nicholas was drafted into the South African Defense Forces in 1981 for his two years of required duty.
When his country is drawn into a border war with Angola, Nicholas is forced to enlist and undergo rigorous training.
He does this while hiding his homosexuality and developing feelings for another shirt lifter, Dylan, also serving in the military. The hyper-masculinity of men is analyzed in Moffie with high passion, sorrow, and candidness.
2. The Hurt Locker (2008)
- Director: Kathryn Bigelow
- Star cast: Jeremy Renner, Anthony Mackie, Brian Geraghty, Ralph Fiennes, Brian Geraghty, David Morse, and Guy Pearce
- IMDB rating: 7.5/10
Jeremy Renner plays a soldier in The Hurt Locker, set during the Iraq War. Renner, however, does not play any old soldier; instead, he portrays Sergeant James, a specialist in dealing with IEDs.
After the previous specialist on the EOD squad dies in battle, Sergeant James takes command of the new unit. This group processes reports of IEDs and responds immediately. Their tasks are so distinct from one another, and the movie follows them all.
Even though they were risky, most situations were resolved peacefully. Like other best war movies on Hulu, the Hurt Locker has graphic violence and often results in bloodshed.
3. Allied (2016)
- Director: Robert Zemeckis
- Star cast: Brad Pitt, Marion Cotillard, Jared Harris, Vincent Ebrahim, Camille Cottin, Michael McKell, and Vincent Latorre
- IMDB rating: 7.1/10
Allied stars Brad Pitt and Marion Cotillard. It is a World War II espionage movie about an American pilot and a French resistance fighter who form an alliance to assassinate the German ambassador.
Max and Marriane pretend to be married but end up falling in love while they’re acting as a couple. Their plan works, but the struggle continues.
Max and Marianne are married soon after they finish their assignment. Everything seems to be going well until a call comes in, which will cause friction between them and may ultimately lead to their downfall.
4. Crimson Tide (1995)
- Director: Tony Scott
- Star cast: James Gandolfini, Matt Craven, George Dzundza, Rocky Carroll, Denzel Washington, Gene Hackman, and Viggo Mortensen
- IMDB rating: 7.3/10
At times, Crimson Tide seemed to be less about war and more about the prospect of war is one of the best war movies on Hulu.
After being deployed in response to military instability in Chechnya, the missile submarine U.S.S. Alabama is instructed to release missiles against a Russian site.
Second-in-command CNO Ron Hunter questions Captain Ramsey’s attack choice because he believes the orders may have been withdrawn before the sub’s radio was destroyed.
Ramsey and Hunter fight during a heated conflict of wits while the remaining sub’s officers are compelled to take sides in the battle of wills. The outstanding cast and crew of Crimson Tide made it a fantastic show.
5. Saints and Soldiers (2003)
- Director: Ryan Little
- Star cast: Corbin Allred, Alexander Polinsky, Kirby Heyborne, Larry Bagby, Peter Holden, Ethan Vincent, and Melinda Renee
- IMDB rating: 6.7/10
Although it’s one of the unpopular best war movies on Hulu, Saints and Soldiers are no less fantastic. The movie centers on a handful of Allie’s who get out of a German prison camp. They must flee when the Germans open fire on them due to a misunderstanding.
Almost all of the troops were killed, but some escaped into the jungle, where they eventually came into a British Intelligence officer.
The troops set aside their disagreements to bring the commander home safely since he possesses knowledge that might end the conflict.
They must go through enemy territory and overcome several obstacles, but they eventually return to Allied land. However, not everyone makes it there in one piece.
6. The Messenger (2009)
- Director: Oren Moverman
- Star cast: Jena Malone, Lisa Joyce, Eamonn Walker, Yaya DaCosta, Woody Harrelson, Ben Foster, and Samantha Morton
- IMDB ratings: 7.1/10
Sergeant Will Montgomery, under the leadership of Captain Tony Stone, is tasked with one of the Army’s worst responsibilities. That is, informing loved ones of service members killed or seriously wounded in battle.
When Will becomes engaged to one of the widows he has to break the terrible news too, things get much more difficult for him. As unpleasant as this task is, Will is already prepared to deal with the anguish it will cause him.
The Messenger is an effective military drama that deals with a sensitive topic thanks to the efforts of the cast and the director.
7. The 12th Man (2017)
- Director: Harald Zwart
- Star cast: Thomas Gullestad, Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Marie Blokhus, Mads Sjøgård Pettersen, Geir Vegar Hoel, Håkon T. Nielsen, and Eirik Risholm Velle
- IMDB rating: 7.3/10
Acclaimed Norwegian historical drama The 12th Man depicts the experiences of one brave hero, the Nazis who hunted him, and the allies who rescued him during World War II.
Thomas Gullestad plays Jan Baalsrud, a Norwegian soldier, in the movie. German officers led by Kurt Sage are hunting Baalsrud.
However, no one is prepared to come to his rescue except the townspeople, who desire freedom from the Nazis just as much as Baalsrud.
The struggle to stay alive and put up a fight inside the 12th Manis is both terrifying and riveting. This movie is one of the best war movies on Hulu.
8. Legion of Brothers (2017)
- Director: Greg Barker
- Star cast: George W. Bush, Clifford J. Richardson, Mark Nutsch, and Jason Amerine
- IMDB rating: 5.9/10
Legion of brothers is one of the best war movies on Hulu. After many attacks, the United States heavily deployed special operations forces to Afghanistan to ultimately overthrow the Taliban.
The Legion of Brothers helps soldiers readjust to civilian life after they have completed their military duty. At no point is this being done for political reasons.
Legion of Brothers features troops who are thankful for the opportunity to fight in Afghanistan and those who regret ever going there.
It is important to them to speak their truths and highlight the bonds of brotherhood they’ve forged through hardships.
9. Eye in the Sky (2015)
- Director: Gavin Hood
- Star cast: Aaron Paul, Helen Mirren, Alan Rickman, Barkhad Abdi, Faisa Hassan, Aisha Takow, Armaan Haggio, and Bob Chappell
- IMDB rating: 7.3/10
Traditional fighting techniques in this thrilling war movie take a back seat to something more modern and novel.
Intense circumstances arise during an attempt to apprehend a terrorist in Kenya when a disguised surveillance drone feeds back a video revealing that militants are organizing an attack.
The presence of a child in the area of operation makes it more difficult to decide between “capture” and “kill,” and hence forces a shift in strategy.
Helen Mirren, Aaron Paul, and the late Alan Rickman are just a few talented actors featured in The Eye in the Sky.
10. Shadow in the Cloud (2020)
- Director: Roseanne Liang
- Star cast: Chloe Grace Moretz, Nick Robinson, Taylor John, Benedict Wall, Callan Mulvey, Byron Coll, and Beulah Koale
- IMDB rating: 4.9/10
Maude Garrett has a lot on her plate as a chef on the B-17F Fool’s Errand. She has even more with her peculiar history and the undeniable truth that most crew would rather she not be in charge of food preparation.
However, during the intermittent strikes from the Japanese planes, Maude and the crew had to cope with a massive gremlin.
Blending action drama with spectral fear, Shadow in the Cloud is not only an exciting adventure but also one of the best war movies on Hulu.
11. The Thin Red Line (1998)
- Director: Terrence Malick
- Star cast: Sean Penn, Nick Nolte, Jim Caviezel, Adrien Brody, Kirk Acevedo, Benjamin Green, Penelope Allen, and Simon Billig
- IMDB rating: 7.6/10
During WWII, a squad of troops is sent in to relieve the Marines who have been in the danger zone for an extended period.
Private Bell, Private Doll, and Captain James Staros are among the recently arrived troops contemplating their lives and the impending invasion.
Invasion is Lieutenant Colonel Tall’s final opportunity for fame and glory. Upon arriving in Guadalcanal, the force begins to advance on the island in search of Hill 210, a strategic enemy stronghold.
The hill has bunkers installed, and anybody who tries to ascend it will be faced with machine-gun fire.
The group is triumphant and takes the hill, but there’s little time to rejoice during their brief respite from fighting. A few weeks later, Lieutenant Band’s unit is surrounded by Japanese forces while on patrol crossing a river.
The Thin Red Line focuses extensively on the August 1942 beginning of the war for Guadalcanal in the Solomon Islands. Some have complained that the almost three-hour running length doesn’t convey enough historical detail.
Despite the absence of an effort to produce a comprehensive narrative of the war for Guadalcanal, the director’s portrayal of the dead and wounded is believed to be generally realistic. There is no doubt that this movie is among the best war movies on Hulu.
12. Black Hawk Down (2001)
- Director: Ridley Scott
- Star cast: Josh Hartnett, Ewan McGregor, Tom Sizemore, Sam Shepard, Eric Bana, William Fichtner, and Ewen Bremner
- IMDB rating: 7.7/10
The movie Black Hawk Down also draws on actual events. The movie recalls the events of 1993 in Mogadishu, Somalia.
At that time, the country was in a war-torn condition, and the United States intervened to offer humanitarian support to the country’s civilian populace.
During one mission, two Black Hawk helicopters are blasted out of the sky, forcing the remaining troops to battle their way out of a dangerous area populated with well-armed opponents. Black Hawk Down uses various interactions to tell these troops’ stories.
