'Best' World War 2 movie named - and it's not a popular choice like Saving Private Ryan
A recent survey sought the expertise of filmmaker Quentin Tarantino to compile a list of the 50 best WW2 movies ever made, with a surprising film taking the lead
The top World War 2 movie isn't a well-known title like Saving Private Ryan, but rather an older film that outshines other war films.
War movies continue to be a favorite among cinema-goers and streaming service users alike, with WW2 being a historical period that captivates both filmmakers and audiences. There's an overwhelming number of WW2 movies produced over the past several decades.
In a recent ranking, Time Out sought the expertise of Quentin Tarantino to compile a list of the 50 best WW2 movies ever made, with a surprising film taking the lead. Alongside polling its readers, the publication also invited Quentin Tarantino, the creator of one of the most iconic WW2 movies in recent years, Inglorious B------s, to share his thoughts.
However, it's a much older film that clinched the top spot on the list. According to Time Out readers and Tarantino himself, the greatest WW2 movie ever made is Come and See, which premiered in 1985.
Come and See tells the story of a Belarusian boy named Florya who enlists in the Soviet Army against his family's wishes. After experiencing unfair treatment during his army stint, he returns home to devastating news: his entire family has been killed.
While the film isn't readily available for streaming as part of a subscription, it can be rented for free on Apple TV Plus. And it might just be worth it, given the film's rave reviews.
On review site Rotten Tomatoes, movie enthusiasts have described it as a "masterpiece," "terrifying" and "one of the best war films ever made." One critic noted, "It's not an easy watch, but it's not supposed to be."
Time Out's Dan Jolin penned for their WW2 movie rankings, "Making the infamous opening of Saving Private Ryan look like a Sunday stroll in the park, Elem Klimov's hallucinatory masterpiece feels like the nearest cinema has ever come to recreating the ruthlessly discombobulating sensory experience of war. After much deliberation, we thought it fitting to place this singular film at the top of our list, not just for its strikingly candid take on the human toll of warfare but as a work of sublime visual and aural intensity that uses every tool in the filmmaker's arsenal to unforgettable and often nauseating effect."
While Come and See claimed the number one position, the top 10 section featured both hidden treasures and WW2 favorites. The top ten greatest WW2 movies ever created, based on this ranking, are:
- Come and See (1985)
- The Thin Red Line (1998)
- Schindler's List (1993)
- Shoah (1985)
- Das Boot (1981)
- Went the Day Well? (1942)
- Dunkirk (2017)
- The Cranes are Flying (1957)
- A Matter of Life and Death (1946)
- The Big Red One (1980)
Additionally, other renowned WW2 pictures that secured spots in the top 50 include Downfall (2004), The Great Escape (1963), The Zone of Interest (2023), Saving Private Ryan (1998), Inglorious B------s (1978) and Battle of Britain (1969).