15 Best World War II Movies on Netflix 

Image by Sam Williams-Pixabay.

15 Best World War II Movies on Netflix 

Events surrounding World War II, and the brutal war itself, have inspired film producers and directors to create award-winning movies. Some are historically accurate, bringing to life the events that occurred more than 7 decades ago. Others, while largely based on real-life stories, employ a great deal of creative liberty. Either way, these movies have graced our screens time and again, not only reminding us of the grave cost of war but also depicting the power of hope, humanity, and courage in the face of atrocities. We’ve compiled a list of 15 best of these that are available on Netflix for your convenience. Take a look!

Best Biographical Movies on World War II

1. The Pianist- Wladyslaw Szpilman

Adrien Brody, who plays the Pianist Wladyslaw. Photo by Georges Biard. Wikimedia Commons.

The Pianist is a 2002 adaptation of the 1946 memoir by the Polish-Jewish pianist, Wladyslaw Szpilman. It follows the heartbreaking tale of the pianist during the Holocaust, having lost everything during the Invasion of Poland and being sent to a Nazi concentration camp. The movie is directed by Roman Polanski, who was also an escapee from the Krakow ghetto in Poland during the war. It is therefore quite personal for him as well. It stars Adrien Brody as the pianist, who does an exceptional job of portraying a man in utter despair, yet still, hoping to survive in the worst conditions. The movies won the 75^th Academy Awards for Best Director, Best Actor (Brody), and Best Adapted Screenplay.

2. Darkest Hour- Winston Churchill

Sir Winston Churchill by Biblioarchives. Wikimedia Commons.

Released in 2017, Darkest Hours follows the role played by Winston Churchill in standing up against Hitler after he takes office as the British Prime Minister. History remembers Churchill for his adamant resolve against appeasing Hitler, amidst dissenting views from members of the British leadership. Gary Oldman brings his A-game to his role as Churchill, ably capturing the spirit of the moment culminating in one of the bloodiest wars in history. The movie is directed by Joe Wright, with a screenplay by Anthony McCarten. Churchill’s wife, Clementine is portrayed by Kristin Scott. The movie was well-received, grossing over $ 150 million worldwide. Gary Oldman won Best Actor at the Academy Awards, the Golden Globe Awards, and the BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role.

3. My Best Friend Anne Frank

This 2021 Dutch film is based on the real-life friendship of Anne Frank and Hanneli Goslar during the events leading to the Holocaust and is narrated from Hanneli’s perspective. The director, Ben Sombogaart held several interviews with Hanneli while researching the film. Hanneli recently passed away on 28 October 2022. The film is based on Alison Leslie Gold’s Memories of Anne Frank: Reflections of a Childhood Friend. It won the Golden Film award in 2021 and is the first Dutch drama film about the life of Anne Frank.

Read more on 10 Facts about Anne Frank.

4. The Photographer of Mauthausen

Based on the true story of Francisco Boix, a Spanish Civil War veteran and photographer turned prisoner at a Nazi concentration camp, this movie is as terrifying as it is inspiring. It follows Boix’s dangerous attempts to document evidence of the horrors committed by the Nazis in the concentration camps. Boix secretly took photos and hid the negatives, preserving evidence of the atrocities. By risking his life and that of other prisoners, he was able to show the world the true account of what was happening in Nazi concentration camps. He is played by Mario Casas, who had to lose weight in preparing for the role of a malnourished prisoner. The film received 4 nominations at the 33^rd Goya Awards.

5. The Resistance Banker

Image by Thibault Penin. Unsplash.

Few know about the Dutch hero who helped finance the Nazi resistance during World War II; Walraven van Hall. This 2018 Dutch film is directed by Joram Lursen and was the most-watched Dutch film of 2018. It was nominated for 8 Golden Calves and selected as the Dutch entry for the Best Foreign Language Film category at the 91^st Academy Awards. It follows the life of banker van Hall, as he risks his life and family by operating an illegal, underground funding ring to help finance Nazi resistance in occupied Amsterdam. As thrilling as it is authentic, it’s a great depiction of one of the little-known heroes of World War II.

6. The Imitation Game

Benedict Cumberbatch at the premier of The Imitation Game , 2014 Toronto Film Festival. Photo by GabboT. Wikimedia Commons.

Anyone fascinated by the art and science of cracking codes will be thrilled by this one. The Imitation Game is a 2014 American film based on the 1983 biography Alan Turing: The Enigma by Andrew Hodges. Turing was a British cryptoanalyst and computer scientist, who is now considered a pioneer of Artificial Intelligence. The film follows Turing, played by Benedict Cumberbatch, as he joins the British team tasked with decrypting German intelligence codes during World War II. The cast also features Keira Knightley, Matthew Goode, Charles Dance, and Rory Kinnear in supporting roles. It grossed over $ 233 million on a $ 14 million budget, becoming the highest-grossing independent film of 2014. It also received 8 nominations at the 87^th Academy Awards and won Best Adapted Screenplay.

Best Movies about Battle Operations in World War II

7. Dunkirk

Actor Fionn Whitehead attending the World Premiere of Christopher Nolan’s Dunkirk in London. Photo by Foxy59. Wikimedia Commons.

Christopher Nolan, director of Inception and Interstellar, does what he does best in writing, directing, and producing this 2017 epic war film. The movie is based on the famed Dunkirk evacuation, in which more than 338,000 Allied soldiers were evacuated from the beaches of Dunkirk, North of France during the Battle of France. Germany had invaded France. In what is also referred to as the Miracle of Dunkirk, the Allied troops surrounded by German soldiers were evacuated by a fleet of over 800 vessels.

With an all-star cast, featuring Fionn Whitehead, Cillian Murphy, Tom Hardy, Jack Lowden, Kenneth Branagh, and James D’Arcy, Nolan gives us one of his best works. He employs minimal dialogue and cinematography to create a suspenseful mood all through. The movie received numerous awards including 8 nominations at the 90^th Academy Awards and 3 wins for Best Film Editing, Best Sound Editing, and Best Sound Mixing.

8. Shadow in my Eye- Operation Carthage

This is a 2021 Danish war movie, also known as The Bombardment. It is largely based on the events surrounding Operation Carthage in Copenhagen by the British Royal Air Force, in which the Institut Jean d’Arc was mistakenly targeted, killing 86 children and 18 civilian adults at the school. The target had been a Gestapo headquarters at the city center, in which 18 prisoners were freed and Nazi anti-resistance quelled. The film is directed and written by Ole Bornedal, with a running time of 107 minutes. The devastating loss of life and destruction in war is central to the theme.

Check out 15 Best World War I Movies you should watch now.

9. Operation Mincemeat

The 2021 British war film follows the famed ‘Operation Mincemeat’, which was a successful deception campaign by the British to conceal the Allied Invasion of Sicily during World War II.  Directed by John Madden, the film is based on Ben Macintyre’s book of the same name. Its cast includes Kelly Macdonald, Colin Firth, Matthew Macfadyen, and Penelope Wilton. With brilliant performances from the cast and quite the screenplay, this is an absolute thriller worth streaming. It premiered at the 2021 British Film Festival in Australia and was released on Netflix in North and South American countries in May 2022.

10. The Forgotten Battle- Battle of the Scheldt

A column of ‘Alligator’ amphibious vehicles passing Terrepin amphibious vehicles on the Scheldt River near Terneuzen, October 13th, 1944 during the Battle of the Scheldt. Photo by Donald Grant. Wikimedia Commons.

Just as the title of the movie suggests, The Forgotten Battle focuses on the often overlooked Battle of the Scheldt in 1944 and Canada’s contribution to Allied victory during World War II. It is a 2020 Dutch war film, directed by Matthijs van Heijningen Jr. Set in German-Occupied Zeeland, in southwest Netherlands, the film follows a Dutch Axis soldier, played by Gijs Blom, and a British glider pilot played by Jamie Flatters, whose lives intertwine as they cross paths in the war. The cinematography is quite gripping and impressive, and it is no wonder that this is the second most expensive Dutch film made after Black Book, with a budget of about € 14 million. It captures the harrowing reality of war while reminding us of the sacrifice of soldiers in the ‘forgotten battle’ of the Scheldt.

Best Movies about Hitler

11. Hitler: A Career

Hitler by Bundesarchiv. Wikimedia Commons.

Released in 1977, this is a documentary film directed by one of the most renowned biographers of Hitler, Joachim Fest, alongside Christian Herrendoerfer. It follows the rise of Adolf Hitler at the brink of World War II, and his consequent regime. With real-life video clips from that period, it gives quite a clear depiction of Fuhrer’s persuasive techniques, capturing the overall state of mind of the German people in dire need of a revolutionary. The film is an unfiltered documentary of Hitler’s career, offering perspective on why the Germans were drawn to him. History buffs and movie lovers alike will find it interesting, given the incredible narration and archival footage. This is also the kind of film that attracts controversy and criticism for various perceptions of Hitler but is still worth streaming.

10 Facts about Adolf Hitler.

12. Munich: Edge of War

This is a 2021 German-British spy war movie, largely based on the events surrounding the signing of the Munich Agreement with the hope of avoiding a Second World War. The two main characters, a British civil servant and a German diplomat, are however fictional. Directed by Christian Schwochow, it is based on the 2017 novel Munich by Robert Harris. Set in late 1938, Hitler’s demands are on the rise, and he seeks to invade Czechoslovakia. Neville Chamberlain, then British Prime Minister is resolute about avoiding war and seeks to appease Hitler. While the failure of the Munich Agreement is nothing new to history buffs, movie junkies will enjoy the thrilling backstory to this one. It stars George MacKay, Jeremy Irons, and Jannis Niewohner.

Read on: Tracing the Origins of World War II: How did the World War 2 Start?

Best Movies about the Holocaust

13. The Boy in Striped Pajamas

This 2008 movie is based on the book by John Boyne of the same name. While the main characters, two 8-year-old boys are fictional, the movie’s setting is largely based on historically true events. It follows two innocent boys engulfed in the darkness of the holocaust; one a Jew, and the other, the son of a German Commandant at a Nazi Concentration camp. The two form a friendship, although separated by barbed wire, oblivious of the horrors that separate them in the war.

Brilliantly directed by Mark Herman, this is one of the most gripping stories that reveal the harrowing reality of atrocities committed in the war, from the perspective of two young boys. The cast, led by Asa Butterfield and Jack Scanlon, does an impressive job of bringing the story to life, and although fictional, the plot twist at the end is heart-dropping. The movie was nominated at the 2008 British Independent Film Awards for Best Director, Most Promising Newcomer (Asa Butterfield), and Best Actress (Vera Farmiga). It was also nominated for Best International Film at the 2009 Irish Film and Television Awards.

Read more on 30 Facts about the Holocaust.

14. Schindler’s List

Liam Neeson at the Deauville Film Festival. He plays Oskar Schindler in Schindler’s List. Photo by Douglas Biard. Wikimedia Commons.

Perhaps one of the best movies on events surrounding the holocaust, Schindler’s List is a 1993 war film directed by Steven Spielberg. It is an adaptation of the 1982 novel by Thomas Keneally, Schindler’s Ark.  It follows the man who rescued thousands of Jews, Oskar Schindler, a German businessman faced with a moral dilemma during World War II. While at first, he is keen on making a profit from Jewish labor, he soon realizes that he cannot remain apathetic about the atrocities being committed by the Nazis against the Jews. Liam Neeson portrays him quite well, as he courageously risks his life to save as many as he can.

It’s a tale of redemption and hope in humanity in the face of evil, and the movie is undoubtedly one of Spielberg’s best works. It has been widely considered one of the greatest war films ever made, grossing over $ 322 million worldwide on a $ 22 million budget. It has been nominated for 12 Academy Awards and has won 7, including Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Picture, and Best Director.

Best Satire-Fiction about World War II

15. Inglourious Basterds

Brad Pitt at the Berlin premiere of Inglourious Basterds in July 2009. Photo by SpreePiX. Wikimedia Commons.

Quentin Tarantino creates a masterpiece in this alternate version of World War II. It is a 2009 war film, featuring an all-star cast including Brad Pitt, Eli Roth, Christoph Waltz, Michael Fassbender, Diane Kruger, and Daniel Bruhl. It follows two plots to assassinate Nazi Germany’s leadership by a group of Jewish-American soldiers, and a French-Jewish cinema owner seeking revenge. Tarantino employs intense violence in shoot-out scenes, and the use of analogy and humor, satirizing the glorification of war. It’s indeed one of his best works, grossing over $ 321 million worldwide on a $ 70 million budget. It has won numerous awards, including 8 Academy Award nominations for Best Picture, Best Original Screenplay, and Best Director. Christoph Waltz won the Cannes Film Festival’s Best Actor Award, Screen Actors Guild, BAFTA, and Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor.

See more on 30 World War II Movies you should watch Right Now.