Though it depicts a specific moment in World War II, there are movies like Dunkirk that feel like similar entries in the genre. Christopher Nolan's Academy Award-winning war film was released in 2017 but has left a lasting impact on its viewers, and the world of cinema. The film is set during World War II, when British, French, and Belgian soldiers desperately evacuate Dunkirk after losing to Nazi . The story is split across several points of view and timelines; one takes place on the ground in Dunkirk, another in the sky, another on the sea.
With Christopher Nolan's Oppenheimer taking a look at another crucial aspect of WWII history, fans may be interested in revisiting Dunkirk or similar war movies. Some of these movies capture that same realism and desperation seen in Nolan's Dunkirk — something the multiple academy award-winning World War 2 film did exceptionally well. Others examine true stories of war and war heroes. Some movies even touch on the events of Dunkirk as well. These war movies like Dunkirk all offer something to fans who were impacted by Nolan's war masterpiece.
13 Midway (2019)
One of the best movies like Dunkirk takes place on an entirely different battlefront of the second world war, but where stakes are just as high — 2019's Midway. From disaster movie director Roland Emmerich, Midway details the Battle of Midway in which American and Japanese fleets battled for victory in the Pacific Theater. Like Dunkirk, the movie focuses both the heroes on the boats and in the skies. Despite Pearl Harbor for its many similar themes, it's a solid WWII movie in its own right, and definitely one to watch for those who enjoyed Dunkirk. Emmerich's bombastic style makes it thrilling while also featuring a solid ensemble, including Woody Harrelson, Dennis Quaid, and Patrick Wilson.
12 Hacksaw Ridge (2016)
Dunkirk stands out among war movies as it doesn't focus on the heroism of battle, but rather the heroism of survival. Hacksaw Ridge takes a similarly new approach to depicting war heroes as it tells the true story of Desmond Doss, a pacifist who volunteered to serve in WWII but refused to carry a weapon. Nevertheless, Doss successfully saved countless lives as an Army Medic. The movie's intense and brutal depiction of battle earned it Oscar nominations for Best Director and Best Picture while Andrew Garfield was also nominated for Best Actor for his powerful performance as Doss. Much like Dunkirk, Hacksaw Ridge is among WWII movies noted for their historical accuracy (despite some narrative liberties being taken in both).
11 All Quiet On The Western Front (2022)
In war movies like Dunkirk, whether set in the first or second world war, it is rare to get many perspectives from the German army. Indeed, the Germans in Nolan's movie are more of an unseen threat than actual characters. Based on the novel of the same name, All Quiet on the Western Front explores WWI from the perspective of the German soldiers fighting a losing battle and being marched to their death by indifferent leaders. The movie is a harrowing and brutal depiction of war that earned with several Oscar nominations including Best Picture. It also won the Oscar for Best International Feature Film. All Quiet on the Western Front shares with Dunkirk a focus on brutality of war, notably the impact of industrial warfare seen in the early 20th century on the soldiers who fought.
10 Darkest Hour (2017)
Gary Oldman won an Academy Award for his role as Winston Churchill in Darkest Hour. As the title suggests, this film is all about the darkest time during the war, and one of the darkest times in Britain's entire history. Prime Minister Winston Churchill is faced with a tough decision: sign a peace treaty with but capitulate to the Nazis, or continue fighting. As the country loses faith in him, Churchill decides to keep fighting, plunging them deeper into shadow. The movie premiered the same year as Dunkirk, making for an even more impactful viewing experience. Additionally, the Dunkirk and Darkest Hour coincide, with Churchill's famous speech (which was built up to over the course of Darkest Hour) being heard in Dunkirk's final moments.
9 The Boy In The Striped Pajamas (2008)
A harrowing watch, The Boy In The Striped Pajamas thrust Asa Butterfield into the limelight. He stars as Bruno, the eight-year-old son of the commandant at a concentration camp. The curious Bruno befriends one of the Jewish boys being held in the camp. Vera Farmiga, David Thewlis, Jack Scanlon, and Rupert Friend also star. Like Dunkirk, this movie leaves a lasting impact, but for a completely different reason. Viewers can't help but feel for the young, innocent characters and thus understand the real scope of war. Whereas Dunkirk shows what it's like to be a solider in combat, The Boy In The Striped Pajamas shows how horrifying it is to be a civilian during wartime. Both, however, are showing different sides to the horrorific time in history that the second world war was.
8 Unbroken (2014)
One of the lesser-known movies like Dunkirk that's more than worth a watch is 2014's Unbroken. Angelina Jolie directs this brutal yet epic movie about an American track athlete who finds himself in an inhuman situation. Like Dunkirk, Unbroken presents a different perspective than war movies that simply detail a squad of soldiers struggling through a specific conflict. Unbroken picks up after Olympian Louis Zamperini survives a plane crash. He ends up becoming a prisoner of war, the harshness of which Unbroken doesn't avoid. Jack O'Connell portrays Zamperini, alongside castmates Garrett Hedlund, Miyavi, Finn Wittrock, Jai Courtney, and Domhnall Gleeson.
7 The Zookeeper's Wife (2017)
Truth be told, The Zookeeper's Wife would be a suitable choice for those who loved the unconventional aspects of Dunkirk. This movie also takes place during World War II, but focuses on the people left behind rather than those on the front lines. Antonina Zabinska (Jessica Chastain) is the wife of a zookeeper (Johan Heldenbergh) in Poland in 1939. The Zabinskis make the Warsaw Zoo a secret hiding place for Jews and other people who would otherwise be victims of the Nazis' cruelty and inhumanity.
6 Schindler's List (1993)
For those looking for the harshest, most realistic portrayal of war and its effects on people who aren't even fighting in it, Schindler's List is one of the greatest war films ever made. Directed by Steven Spielberg, Liam Neeson stars as Oskar Schindler, a member of the Nazi party who tries to save Jews after witnessing the horror they face in Poland. The film is shot in black and white to give it a timeless effect, and one that leaves no room for beautification or iration of beauty. Schindler's List takes the incredible true story and successfully portrays both the horrors of war and the surprising good that rises in the face of such evil.
5 The Book Thief (2013)
For viewers who enjoyed Dunkirk's artistry and storytelling, The Book Thief is a perfect choice. Narrated by Death (Roger Allam) himself, the film adaptation of the book of the same name follows a Lisel, who becomes orphaned when her communist mother gives her away. On her way to her adoptive home, her younger brother dies. She has a hard time adjusting to her new life and the new world that World War II has trusted her into, only finding solace in stealing books and sharing them with the Jewish refugee who's hiding in her adoptive family's basement.
4 The Imitation Game (2014)
Benedict Cumberbatch appears in several standout war movies, but he has the starring role in this biographical movie. The Imitation Game is based on true events that tell the story of British mathematician Alan Turing who s the cryptography team to decipher the Nazi Enigma encryption device's nigh incomprehensible code. His portrayal of Turing earned him an Oscar nomination and the film won Best Adapted Screenplay. Keira Knightley stars as Joan Clarke, while Alex Lawther portrays a younger, more timid Turing in his schooldays. These flashbacks are key scenes that show how Turing comes to be the way he is as an adult: reserved, independent, and serious.
