Like us, you must be looking for movies like American Sniper that can give you the same thrilling, adrenaline-fueled experience that American Sniper was able to. If you liked American Sniper, you would love these movies compiled for you.
American Sniper is among the most potent war films Hollywood has ever made, particularly for how it depicted life after the conflict using the framework of a contemporary plot.
After serving in Iraq for four deployments, Chris Kyle returns to his life as a husband and father only to find that the war hasn’t left him.
Because it is based on a true story—the life of Chris Kyle, the American Sniper—this amazing, moving tale is all the more tragic.
And while American Sniper may be the model for films about life after war, it is not the only one.
Therefore, please scroll down to see what incredible movies we have in store for you today.
1. The Hurt Locker (2008)
First on our list of movies like American Sniper is The Hurt Locker.
The Hurt Locker exhibits a remarkable concentration on the individual convictions that motivate troops to fight, even while it lacks the kind of focus on life after the war that made American Sniper so well-known.
It gives viewers a powerful, brutally emotional picture of the Iraq War. It follows Staff Sergeant William James (Jeremy Renner) as he takes over the command of an Explosive Ordnance unit.
The man appears at ease in times of war and takes many risks. He supports them with his bomb-disposal expertise even if he conducts risky actions.
James is impulsive and seems to like fighting, yet when defusing bombs, he is surgically exact.
Compared to the great majority of war movies, this one is exciting, suspenseful, and better exemplifies the complexity of combat and the guys who engage in it.
2. Saving Private Ryan (1998)
The main character in Saving Private Ryan, an old WWII veteran with grandchildren who must relive the horrors of war while recalling the military team assigned to rescue him from enemy territory, serves as the basis for the entire plot.
One real-life WWII veteran claimed he could smell diesel gasoline inside the cinema because the film’s opening scene on Normandy Beach was genuine.
No other war film has effectively depicted the price of war or its long-lasting repercussions on the human psyche.
Each guy will experience personal hardships and learn things about themselves that they would never have known had it not been for the conflict as they undertake this dangerous quest.
Everyone should watch this film because it is one of the greatest war films ever. This is the movie for you if you want a war film with a heart that will elicit nearly every emotion.
3. 12 Strong (2018)
Next on our list of movies like American Sniper is 12 Strong. During 9/11, Captain Mitch Nelson is at home.
He offers to lead a Green Beret strike force into Afghanistan as the first boots-on-the-ground to subdue the Taliban in response to the attack.
The Berets must ally with regional warlords to capture the Taliban stronghold city of Mazar-i-Sharif, which swiftly complicates this conflict.
They are short on time, lack reinforcements, and have no vehicles. They ride into deadly, high-stakes combat with only 12 soldiers in charge of the warlord’s irregular forces.
The film is grim and grounded in reality, distinguishing a good war movie from a fantastic one.
If you want a war epic with non-stop bone-crunching action, you must see this one.
Additionally, we all know how fierce Chris Hemsworth can be. It gets even wilder because this is based on a true story!
4. The Deer Hunter (1978)
The stellar cast of this famous wartime epic is Robert De Niro, Christopher Walken, and Meryl Streep.
It centers on a group of Pennsylvania-based blue-collar friends just a few days away from embarking on a tour of duty in Vietnam.
The crew’s strained relationships and pointless disagreements dominate the movie’s first section, while the second act concentrates on the horrors of their time in Vietnam.
A heartbreaking yet moving comparison between how young American men perceived the Vietnam War and the horrific reality is presented.
5. Black Hawk Down (2001)
Ridley Scott made waves with Black Hawk Down, a retelling of the 1993 American military raid in Mogadishu that fundamentally altered the direction of American foreign policy in the Middle East.
When a Black Hawk chopper is shot down, everyone involved must hurry to set up a perimeter defense against the invading attackers.
The gritty action scenes in the movie are terrifying and fraught with suspense.
Still, the main focus is on the heavy psychological toll on military personnel who find themselves in similar situations.
You’ve found the war movie you want to watch if you want to be on the edge of your seat and feel your heart race. If you haven’t watched this, you must do so immediately!
6. Home of the Brave (2006)
Next on our list of movies like American sniper is Home of the Brave.
Home of the Brave is a straightforward account of post-war healing and one soldier’s quest for peace after a lifetime of failure.
The movie centers on four soldiers who survived their return from Iraq but were severely injured.
A doctor, a teacher, and two fellow soldiers cannot get over the atrocities they witnessed, including the unintentional killing of a civilian and the loss of a close friend.
This movie delivers an essential tale meaningfully, illuminating the problematic road soldiers must travel to escape war trauma.
7. Shooter (2007)
Bob Lee Swagger is one of the top shooters the U.S. Marine Corps has to offer (Mark Wahlberg).
After quitting the military, former Marine sniper Bob Lee Swagger (Mark Wahlberg) was able to go without a trace.
Now that he must elude a massive search, he intends to exact retribution by finding those who harmed him.
But he disappears without a trace when a mission goes wrong. Eventually, he is persuaded to return to duty to stop a conspiracy against the American president.
But after realizing that the entire expedition was a setup, he decides to wreak his vengeance on some of the most influential people in the world.
The shooter is a clever, honorable action thriller that succeeds because of Wahlberg’s strong performance.
8. Full Metal Jacket (1987)
A realistic U.S. Marine witnesses the degrading consequences of the U.S.-Vietnam War on his fellow recruits, starting with their grueling boot camp training and continuing through the horrific street fighting in Hue.
Private Davis (Matthew Modine) and Private Lawrence (Vincent D’Onofrio) swiftly acquire the monikers “Joker” and “Gomer Pyle” after enduring the demanding basic training.
Davis is sent to Vietnam to join the Marines and serve as a journalist after completing the course.
But due to circumstances, he finds himself fighting at the Battle of Hué.
Stanley Kubrick envisioned the Vietnam War! We don’t know what will convince you to watch this if it doesn’t!
9. Hacksaw Ridge (2016)
Hacksaw Ridge is also one of the movies like American sniper. Desmond T. Doss, a World War II American Army medic who served in the Battle of Okinawa, refuses to murder people and is awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for his refusal.
Pfc. Desmond T. Doss (Andrew Garfield) received the Congressional Medal of Honor despite his refusal to handle a gun.
Desmond first faced criticism and jeered for choosing not to carry a weapon.
However, he quickly earned respect and admiration of his fellow soldiers. Desmond intervened in the Battle of Okinawa and saved 75 troops without firing a shot.
10. The Wall (2017)
A deadly cat-and-mouse game is played between an American sniper and his spotter and an Iraqi sniper.
A skilled sniper pins down two American soldiers as the war in Iraq ends.
It quickly evolves into a not-so-subtle political allegory about the wisdom of the government’s initial choice to start the Iraq War.
But before the film gets mired down in overtly political allusions, it develops a decent amount of suspense and establishes that John Cena is capable of playing a sad part.
While it may not be the best account of the Iraqi War, it is nonetheless interesting enough to see.
11. Sniper: Special Ops (2016)
Sniper: Special Ops is also one of the movies like American sniper. The story follows a group of elite Navy SEALs as they train for a special operation in Afghanistan.
After being selected for a top-secret mission, a highly trained Navy SEALS team is deployed to Afghanistan to eliminate a high-value target.
12. Training Day (2001)
In the early morning of July 4th, 2001, three men break into the house of a wealthy family in Beverly Hills, California.
They hold the entire family hostage inside the house, including the parents and children.
13. The Green Berets (1968)
Last on our list of movies like American sniper is The Green Berets.
This movie tells the story of the United States military’s efforts to teach guerilla warfare techniques to Vietnamese forces during the Vietnam War.
There you have it! 13 movies like American Sniper for your viewing pleasure.
