Rising to prominence in the early part of the '40s as World War II raged on, war cinema has been enticing ever since. Reveling in the darkest aspects of human history while exploring themes of valor, morality, sacrifice, camaraderie, and the futility of war, the very best war films are defined by their powerful and thought-provoking stories and visual might. While everything from the trenches of Europe to the shores of the Pacific and the jungles of Vietnam have been depicted en masse, military movies set in the desert are no less striking.
These movies explore the unique and sometimes insurmountable challenges of desert warfare and the complex political and geographic issues of the region, making sublime use of the visuals on display. Indeed, the subgenre has produced some of the greatest war films ever seen. Whether they’re covering campaigns in Northern Africa or exploring modern conflicts in the Middle East, these war movies have all excelled at depicting desert warfare.
10 'Jarhead' (2005)
Directed by Sam Mendes
While it received only a lukewarm response from critics upon release, Jarhead excels not only as a desert war film but as a bitterly funny yet grueling anti-war perspective on the lives of active soldiers as well. It follows Sgt. Anthony Swofford (Jake Gyllenhaal), a U.S. sniper who is dispatched to serve in Operation Desert Storm and, along with his spotter and their squad, finds ways to pass the time while longing to be called into action.
At its best, Jarhead is a disturbing anti-war film that sees the soldiers eager to engage in combat, partially to justify all their training but also as a means to end their boredom. It is a touch burdened by military movie clichés at times, but it remains a striking and bold war drama that uses the Gulf War to come to interesting conclusions about the purpose of soldiers in modern warfare.
Jarhead
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Release Date November 4, 2005 Cast Jake Gyllenhaal , Scott MacDonald , Peter Sarsgaard , Jamie Foxx , Lo Ming , Lucas Black Runtime 127 minutes Writers William Broyles Jr. , Anthony Swofford 9 'Three Kings' (1999)
Directed by David O. Russel
Starting as a heist comedy that gradually transitions to a well-executed mixture of action spectacle and gritty war drama, Three Kings is best defined by its deft juggling of tone and its impressive ambition. As the Persian Gulf War comes to an end, three American soldiers embark on a quest to retrieve a stash of Kuwaiti gold. However, what should be a simple snatch-and-grab mission soon becomes a dire fight for survival.
Not dissimilar to Jarhead, Three Kings is an excellent portrayal of the aimlessness many soldiers experience, especially in the malaise when a war is resolved, but the ground must still be held. For all its comedy and action, however, it is at its best when operating as a bleak satire of politics, media representation, and foreign policy that takes the time to recognize innocent civilians helplessly embroiled in such conflicts.
Three Kings
RActionComedyWarRelease Date September 27, 1999 Cast George Clooney , Mark Wahlberg , Ice Cube , Spike Jonze , Cliff Curtis , Nora Dunn Runtime 114 minutes Writers John Ridley , David O. Russell8 'The Big Red One' (1980)
Directed by Samuel Fuller
CloseA sprawling war epic that isn’t limited to desert warfare, The Big Red One is an awe-inspiring depiction of the life of a soldier in World War II. Lee Marvin stars as a nameless sergeant, the commanding officer of the U.S. First Infantry Division who leads his men on a grueling campaign that sees them fight in Northern Africa and Sicily, participate in the D-Day invasion, and fight through Europe before liberating a Nazi concentration camp.
The film closely resembles the experiences of director Samuel Fuller during his service in WWII, giving it a gripping authenticity that marks it as one of the greatest and most underrated war movies ever made. Its strict focus on camaraderie and the soldiers is both resonant and striking, while its display of desert warfare is notably intense and one of the more memorable elements of the film.
7 'The English Patient' (1996)
Directed by Anthony Minghella
A romantic epic cast against the backdrop of the Second World War, The English Patient is a defining film of the 1990s, winning nine Academy Awards from 12 nominations and thriving as a box office success. It follows the bond between Hana (Juliette Binoche), a French-Canadian nurse, and László Almásy (Ralph Fiennes), an English Airforce pilot being treated for burns. He recalls his tumultuous love affair with a married woman and his work mapping out the African landscape, which intensifies as WWII progresses.
Sweeping in its grandiosity and emotionally powerful with its tragic story of heartache and forbidden romance, The English Patient brilliantly uses the conflict in Northern Africa as a backdrop to the reflective love story. It may not depict much in the way of intense warfare, but its navigation of the political and geographical issues with the campaign in Northern Africa is an intriguing insight into the conflict in the area.
The English Patient
RRomanceDramaWarRelease Date December 6, 1996 Cast Ralph Fiennes , Kristin Scott Thomas , Juliette Binoche , Colin Firth , Willem Dafoe Runtime 162 Minutes Writers Michael Ondaatje , Anthony Minghella6 'Five Graves to Cairo' (1943)
Directed by Billy Wilder
CloseJust the third film of Billy Wilder’s career, Five Graves to Cairo represents a criminally underrated entry in his prestigious filmography and, indeed, in the history of war cinema. It follows a British soldier who, as the lone survivor of a fierce battle in Egypt, assumes a false identity when he ends up at a hotel commandeered by German forces. Mistaken by the Nazis for a German spy, the soldier plays along with the cover while gathering intel that could alter the course of the war in Northern Africa.
A master of his craft, Wilder excels at juggling the spy thrills and war drama against each other, creating an immersive and suspenseful film that covers espionage in WWII to intriguing effect. Running at a brisk 96 minutes, Five Graves to Cario has a keen interest in desert warfare and mixes it with poignant drama to deliver a stirring and enthralling anti-war film that still holds up well over 80 years later.
5 'Black Hawk Down' (2002)
Directed by Ridley Scott
As visceral as it is relentless, Black Hawk Down is a brutal depiction of modern warfare that focuses on real events in Somalia in 1993. It tracks a U.S. special forces mission to abduct pivotal figures in the region’s tyrannical political power that will destabilize the government while allowing soldiers to bring food and aid to the starving populace. However, when two black hawk helicopters are shot down, the assignment becomes a desperate and lengthy scramble for survival.
Ridley Scott brings the battle to the screen with striking ferocity. It is willing to make concessions on character development and overriding narrative drama in order to completely immerse viewers in the horrific chapter in recent history. A scorching portrait of war, Black Hawk Down is a confronting display of desert warfare that completely envelops its audience in the harsh and unforgiving conditions of this notoriously daunting environment.
Black Hawk Down
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Release Date January 18, 2002 Cast Josh Hartnett , Ewan McGregor , Tom Sizemore , Eric Bana , William Fichtner , Ewen Bremner Runtime 144 minutes Writers Mark Bowden , Ken Nolan4 'Ice Cold in Alex' (1958)
Directed by J. Lee Thompson
CloseBased on Christopher Landon’s novel of the same name, Ice Cold in Alex is a true triumph of British war cinema. It follows an alcoholic and weary captain as he, two nurses, and a fellow soldier become separated from their ambulance company during an evacuation. Deciding to trek across the desert to get back to British lines, the situation grows complex when they agree to let an Afrikaner officer go with them, only to develop suspicions that he may be a German spy.
The brilliance of Ice Cold in Alex as a desert war movie resides in its use of the terrain itself as a perilous threat. Also encountering a minefield, German infantry, and the ethical dilemma of what to do when they realize their fellow traveler is, in fact, a Nazi spy, the film is a fascinating portrayal of WWII in Northern Africa that also thrives as a profoundly human tale of morality in times of war.
3 'Sahara' (1943)
Directed by Zoltan Korda
CloseOutstandingly scripted and imbued with powerful and emotion-stirring performances, 1943’s Sahara overcomes its at-times dated style to remain a brilliant war film capable of having a profound impact on viewers. Set in Libya in 1942, it follows an American tank crew who become separated from their unit during a retreat. Forced to travel south and running low on supplies, they band together with fellow Allied soldiers and an Italian prisoner as they try to reach a desert fortress before the Germans get there.
In addition to being a fascinating depiction of war and humanity amid conflict, Sahara also stands as one of the best World War II movies released when the war was still active. It revels in themes of valor, sacrifice, and camaraderie, but it also thrives as a great depiction of desert warfare and the many unique obstacles the sun-scorched terrain of Northern Africa presented for soldiers in the deathly conflict.
2 'The Hurt Locker' (2008)
Directed by Kathryn Bigelow
Still standing as the best and most enthralling depiction of the Iraq War, The Hurt Locker is famous for being a phenomenal war movie that saw Kathryn Bigelow become the first ever woman to win Best Director at the Oscars. It focuses on a bomb disposal unit in Baghdad following the final weeks of their tour, with every hazardous job they do placing further strain on the bond the three men share.
The film is empowered by sublime tension and an arresting sense of momentum. Bigelow places emphasis on the adrenaline rush of the soldiers’ job and leans into how each of the three men responds to it differently. A grueling yet addictively immersive portrayal of war in the Middle East, The Hurt Locker is among the best modern movies and the best desert warfare movies, certain to remain an enduring classic for decades to come.
The Hurt Locker
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Release Date June 26, 2009 Cast Jeremy Renner , Anthony Mackie , Brian Geraghty , Guy Pearce , Ralph Fiennes , David Morse Runtime 105 minutes Writers Mark Boal1 'Lawrence of Arabia' (1962)
Directed by David Lean
David Lean’s mesmerizing, sweeping epic war drama is heralded as one of the greatest movies ever made on account of its breathtaking visual display that brings the vast might of the desert to life in spectacular fashion. It follows the exploits of T. E. Lawrence (Peter O’Toole), a British lieutenant and hero of the First World War who unites the feuding Arab tribes to fight as one army against the Turks.
Lawrence of Arabia remains arguably the single greatest WWI movie ever put to film. It uses its immense 227-minute runtime to cover the political brilliance of Lawrence’s achievements and the harsh and hostile terrain of the desert. Winning seven Academy Awards from ten nominations, it is a defining film of the 1960s and is still considered the best portrayal of desert warfare cinema has ever seen.
Lawrence of Arabia
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Release Date December 11, 1962 Cast Peter O'Toole , Alec Guinness , Anthony Quinn , Jack Hawkins , Omar Sharif , Jose Ferrer Runtime 227 minutes Writers T.E. Lawrence , Robert Bolt , Michael Wilson ncG1vNJzZmibn6G5qrDEq2Wcp51kxKK%2BjKamr6GVqHqlsdKeqa1lkprAtXnRmqWknZRk