War movies have inspired a century of cinema depicting real history, chaos but also remembering victory, resilience, and humanity. In remembrance of the 1973 Egyptian war’s 44th anniversary, here are the top 15 war movies (Egyptian and International) to watch that portray bravery, pride, and patriotism.
P.S: Be warned that some can make you cry.
The Hurt Locker
The Academy Award for Best Picture and Best Director, The Hurt Locker, is a thriller war movie directed by Kathryn Bigelow and starring Jeremy Renner and Anthony Mackie. The movie’s settings take place during the Iraq War and revolve around the tensions and pressures of combat. It is based on Mark Boal, a freelance journalist who stayed with an American bomb squad for two weeks during the actual Iraq war in 2004. It’s a movie that topped many critics’ top ten lists, as well as ours.
El Mamar
Our newest Egyptian war movie starring Ahmed Ezz, along with a cast of very talented actors, El Mamar is a cinematic depiction of our 1973 war and the bravery of our soldiers. It is a movie that will stir up all the patriotism you have in you and make you proud of where you come from.
Dunkirk
Christopher Nolan’s first historical film made, Dunkirk, features strong visuals, a young cast, and an intense combat story during World War II that portrays the complexity of war. The story of the Dunkirk evacuation unfolds from three perspectives: land, sea, and air.
And the movie features Harry Styles!
Schindler’s List
A masterpiece by Steven Spielberg based on the 1982 non-fiction novel Schindler’s Ark by Australian novelist Thomas Keneally, Schindler’s List is a raw depiction of the horrors of the holocaust. No need to say more you now just have to watch but be warned that it will be an emotional ride.
Braveheart
A classic starring Mel Gibson, Braveheart is about a Scottish rebel who goes with his clan to battle King Edward I of England. If you haven’t seen it yet, you must as it shows a very raw picture of courage, leadership, and unity in a time of suffering in medieval times.
Inglourious Basterds
There can’t be a war list movie without Quentin Tarantino’s Inglourious Basterds starring Brad Pitt, Christopher Waltz, and Micheal Fassbender.
All you need to know is that it is about an undercover mission to bring down the Nazi government to end the war and that it is done masterfully in terms of acting, screenplay, and directing.
1917
The most recent war movie on the list, 1917, is a brilliantly made movie about the horrors of the First World War. For two hours you will be glued to your seat. You will be transported to the year 1917 with all its horrifying happenings which were portrayed in a captivating way with a stirring playlist to match. An absolute masterpiece but not for the faint-hearted.
El Rosasa La Tazal f Geiby
Al Rosasa La Tazal Fe Geiby, (The Bullet is Still in My Pocket) was produced in 1974, based on a story by Egyptian author Ihsan Abd al-Qudus. It stars Mahmoud Yassin, Nagwa Ebrahim, and Hussein Fahmy during the defeat of 1967 and the emotional turmoil that soldiers went through until the 1973 war broke out, and Egypt returned victoriously!
The Lawrence of Arabia
The Lawrence of Arabia stars our beloved Omar El Sharif in a big international production alongside Peter O’Toole and Anthony Quinn. Even though it is more of a historical film than a war one, it still depicts combat and survival.
The movie won seven Oscars!
Saving Private Ryan
An Academy Award recognized movie by the committee and with a score of 93% on Rotten Tomatoes by the public, is a must-watch movie. Steven Spielberg strikes again, with a film that is set during the invasion of Normandy in World War II with the assigned task to search for the missing Private James Ryan. It’s a mixture of the inhumanity of the war in parallel to the humanity of the soldiers and unity they share.
Watch it to know what happened during the search.
El Omr Lahza
This Egyptian movie follows the story of a female journalist who volunteers at a hospital after the defeat of the 1967 war where she meets wounded and brave soldiers. After hearing the war stories, she decides to visit the actual battle location to inspect the soldiers.
El Omr Lahza (Life is a Moment) stars Magda, Ahmed Mazhar and Ahmed Zaki.
Asad Sina
Asad Sina was produced in 2016 starring Amr Ramzy, Noha Ismail, and Hanan Youssef and takes place during the 1973 war. It shows sacrifice, patriotism, and loyalty to Egypt.
Al Nasser Salah Al-Din
Written by Youssef El Sebai based on the novel by notorious Naguib Mahfouz, Al Nasser Salah Al-Din depicts the events of the third Crusade after Salah Al Dine reclaimed Jerusalem. It’s a powerful historical war film starring big names in Egyptian cinema: Ahmed Mazhar, Salah Zulfikar, Leila Fawzi, Nadia Lutfi, Mohamed Abdel Gawad, Laila Taher, Omar El Hariri, and Hussein Riad.
Stalingrad (1993)
The title reveals the plot. The movie is about one of—if not the bloodiest battle in history, the Battle of Stalingrad. It’s a German movie that depicts the German army’s first major defeat during World War II. A heart-wrenching movie with gore depictions and a powerful piece of history nonetheless shows survival, loss, bravery, and loss.
Days of Glory
This French movie, originally titled “Indignènes” is a true reflection of the contribution of North African soldiers during World War II to the Free French Forces. It’s an acclaimed piece that tackles racism and discrimination by the authorities against these soldiers coming from Algeria, Morocco, and Sub-Saharian Africa.
The film received many awards including, Cannes Best Actor and César Awards for Best Writing. And it was nominated for the Academy Awards Best International Feature Film.
