The English-American productionNapoleonis the latest Ridley Scott war epic released in theaters. With a high-scale production value, the film tells the story of the French revolutionary leader who rose to prominence in the 1700s and wreaked havoc throughout the Revolutionary Wars in France.
Scott’sNapoleonis told from the emperor’s personal perspective and revolves around his relationship with Joséphine Bonaparte. Starring Joaquin Phoenix and Vanessa Kirby as the titular characters, the film has given audiences much to talk about, andreception has been dividedbecause of the film’s peculiar lack of accuracy. Needless to say, it is not a film to be taken as factual.
Amidst the hype for Scott’s biographical war filmNapoleon, we checked out some similar epics you can also watch if you’re a fan of the genre.
Napoleonis exclusively available on theaters, but it will stream on the platform Apple TV+ some time later in the future.
Read our Review of Napoleon
Braveheart (1995)
Braveheart
Mel Gibson’s war epicBraveheartis the 1995 blockbuster that told the story of Sir William Wallace, a military leader who led the Scottish rebels in the First War of Scottish Independence when the Scots tried to free themselves from the King of England’s authority.
Why We’ve Included Braveheart
LikeNapoleon, it was a film heavilyaccused of being too historically inaccurate. The multiple Academy Award-winning film proved to Hollywood that Mel Gibson could do just about everything behind and in front of the camera and get away with himself. Except maybe be the best actor of the year, as he wasn’t nominated in that category but snatched the Best Picture and Best Director awards. It’s a solid film in the genre that cemented an idea in the industry: you don’t have to make a very realistic war film to make it very emotional.
Stream on Prime Video
Kingdom of Heaven (2005)
Kingdom of Heaven
Napoleonwasn’t Ridley Scott’s only foray into the war genre.Kingdom of Heavenis also one of his heavily underrated films, which tells the story of a crusader noble by the name of Balian of Ibelin (Orlando Bloom in one of his best performances ever), who takes it upon himself to defend the Kingdom of Jerusalem in the 12th century during the Crusades.
Why Kingdom of Heaven Makes the List
As heavily criticized as it was for its lack of realism and historical inaccuracies,Kingdom of Heavenis the ultimate Crusades film, as there aren’t many historical movies depicting that period. It is one of the few films in Hollywood with a Director’s Cut that’s been hailed asvastly superior to the original theatrical version, with some critics and audience members dismissing the original version they saw because it felt incomplete.
Stream on Starz
Related:The 20 Best War Documentary Films of All Time, Ranked
Lawrence of Arabia (1962)
Lawrence of Arabia
David Lean’sLawrence of Arabiatells the story of T.E. Lawrence, the military leader and writer who played a key role in uniting the Arab communities in World War I as they rebelled against the Ottoman Empire. It’s considered one of cinema’s most important films, and not just in the war genre.
Why Lawrence of Arabia Is a Must-Watch
Hollywood classicLawrence of Arabiahas been called by many (including the best directors in the industry), the greatest motion picture ever made. It won multiple Academy Awards the year after its release, andit’s still as relevant todayas it was back then. It’s hard to find any flaws in all of its 227 minutes of running time, as every second of it represents Hollywood history.
Stream on The Criterion Channel
The Last Samurai (2003)
The Last Samurai
Starring Tom Cruise in a very good performance,The Last Samuraitells the story of Nathan Algren, an American captain who gets captured by the samurais during a battle in Japan in the mid-1800s. Algren swore to exterminate the community, but slowly he becomes engrained in the culture and falls for its values.
Why The Last Samurai Makes the List
Edward Zwick’s direction ofThe Last Samuraiis exceptional. The film’s sequences are great and very well-shot, but Zwick’s direction of the more emotional side of the film is solid. The best thing about it is that it doesn’t feel like a whitewashed version of a story, even though it stars an actor that one would commonly associate with that, and which actually was the basis ofan unnecessary controversy.
Rent on Prime Video
Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World (2003)
Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World
Master and Commander: The Far Side of the Worldtells the story of Captain Jack Aubrey, a fictional figure of the Royal Navy who takes it upon himself to complete a mission during the Napoleonic Wars. Aubrey’s mission is to seize a French vessel in South American waters, and pushes the crew of his warship to unimaginable lengths.
Why You Need to See Master and Commander
The film isone of the best films by Peter Weir, one of Australia’s most important directors of all time.Master and Commander: The Far Side of the Worlddeserves all the reappraisal it has gotten in recent years, during which it has gained a well-deserved cult status. Like other films on the list, it was nominated for multiple Academy Awards and actually won two on Oscar night. Scale-wise, it’s one of the most realistic films on this list, even though it’s not based on a specific true story.
1917 (2019)
Sam Mendes'1917tells the story of a British soldier on a key mission during Operation Alberich in World War I. Will Schofield (the impressive young actor George MacKay) is commissioned to deliver a message to ally forces in order to prevent an offensive attack against the Germans because it won’t be successful.
Why 1917 Makes the List
1917is a modern war masterpiece that wasn’t appreciated enough by audiences when it was released a couple of years ago. It’s an emotional experience that left audiences shivering because of how realistic it felt, but most of this effect was due to an ambitious technical backdrop consisting of Academy Award-winning special effects, sound and thefantastic cinematography by Roger Deakins.
Stream on Showtime
Troy (2004)
Directed by German filmmaker Wolfgang Petersen, thevery underrated filmTroyis based on the epic poem by Homer, theIliad. It tells the story of the conflict between Achilles and Hector in the Trojan War, when Greek forces attempted to invade the city of Troy. LikeNapoleon, it’s heavily centered on Achilles, a single character.
Why Troy Is an Epic Worth Seeing
Critics were not as enamored with the film as audiences were. But most of this was because of Brad Pitt’s leading performance, which is ironic considering he doesn’t really dig his association with the film. Nevertheless, it’s an ambitious Greek mythology story that doesn’t have to be accurate to be effective. It was one of the first Hollywood scripts byGame of Thrones' showrunner David Benioff.
Saving Private Ryan (1998)
Saving Private Ryan
Steven Spielberg’sSaving Private Ryantells the story of John H. Miller, a U.S. Army captain who must put together a team of brave soldiers to go on a hard-to-believe mission after the Normandy invasion: they must go and rescue Private James Ryan because all of Ryan’s brothers have been killed in combat and military leaders don’t want his mother to lose all her sons in World War II.
Why Saving Private Is One of the Best of All Time
Saving Private Ryanisnear the top spot of the greatest war filmsever made. Spielberg’s realistic vision truly translates into a harrowing movie experience that puts audiences at the center of conflict. However, the film also allows viewers to witness a strong sense of cynicism and nihilism that’s constantly shown in the film’s dramatic core. This isn’t only a well-executed film. It’s an exceptionally emotional journey.
Stream on Netflix
Gladiator (2000)
InGladiator, Maximus Decimus is the favorite general of Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius, and he may be the leader’s choice to pass on the throne. However, when the Emperor’s son, Commodus, murders his father, the ruthless man inherits the throne and submits Rome to his dominance. Maximus' family is killed, and he’s forced to serve as a slave, but then becomes a gladiator who fights in the Emperor’s arena. Of course, Maximus' ultimate goal is to avenge the deaths of his family and the former emperor.
Why Gladiator Belongs Here
Without question,one of Ridley Scott’s best films,Gladiator, is a modern classic of the genre that hasn’t suffered the test of time. It’s extremely violent, emotional, and quite epic in terms of scale. Winner of five Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Actor for Russell Crowe’s portrayal of Maximus, the film was master thespian Oliver Reed’s last performance before his passing. There’s no doubt it was a project that heavily inspired Scott’s ownNapoleon, as it also includes Joaquin Phoenix’s essential performance as Commodus.
Related:The Best Historical Films You Haven’t Watched (Yet)
Inglourious Basterds (2009)
Inglourious Basterds
Quentin Tarantino’sInglourious Basterdsis the ultimate war film that allows itself to rewrite history. In the movie, Americans try their best to infiltrate French territory under German dominance to overthrow the tyrannical reign of Adolf Hitler. Yes, it sounds like classic war film shenanigans, but let us tell you, Tarantino adds a powerfully cinematic twist and changes the version of the truth you’re familiar with.
Why Inglourious Basterds Is Included
On the list of inaccurate war films and the fine line between fact and fiction that’s often blurred for the sake of spectacle,Inglourious Basterdsserves the audience with an auteur’s vision of collective desire, seen through the schematics of his own genre of film. The movie is funny, violent, and tense, and it never aims to change your perception of facts. It just allows you—or forces you—to experience conflict resolution literally through the power of cinema. This is a great example of Tarantino’s ability todesign his scenes to be unique exercises of tension.
