By Eric Myford
Some war movies are horror movies, and some horror movies are war movies. This is one of the more rare genre crossovers regarding horror, but it sure has yielded some gems. So that's what we're going to look at today. Ten awesome war horror films that blend together well to give fans of both exactly what they want. So let's get started!
10 of the Best War Horror Movies
Come and See (1985) – Elem Klimov
This film, while not overtly a horror film, at the same time is a blatant horror film. It concerns a boy who joins Soviet forces to fight the Nazis and follows him as he observes the horrors of war. Not only is this an amazing war movie but it also is easily one of the darkest and grittiest films of all time. Most horror films don't even reach the level of atrocity on display here and every genre fan owes it to themselves to see this classic.
Men Behind the Sun (1988) – Tun Fei Mou
This movie displays the vile acts committed by Japanese Unit 731 on Chinese citizens and prisoners of war during World War II. It stands as one of the most brutal and disturbing films ever made, and the fact that it is based on a true story makes it even more intense. This film is away from the front lines but still very much ingrained in war, and accurately displays what occurs behind closed doors during wartime is sometimes even worse than the bodies piled on the battlefield.
Firebase (2017) – Neill Blomkamp
During the Vietnam war, both sides are forced to face off against a foe they never expected, an old God with the power to resurrect the dead. Such an effective short film and I'm bummed the feature length version hasn't come to fruition, yet. But this is still pretty awesome, despite it being so open ended. It's a smorgasbord of violence and gore with every aspect of the film is downright amazing.
Overlord (2018) – Julius Avery
A group of American soldiers are behind enemy lines on the eve of D-Day only to discover the successful Nazi experiments that have allowed them to resurrect the dead. Such a well rounded movie. From the acting to the direction to the overall story, it's seriously awesome. And with so many Nazi zombie movies that utterly failed, this was a real pleasure. And it had a budget behind it that definitely did not go to waste.
Trench 11 (2017) – Leo Scherman
In the final days of WWI, a unit of soldiers is sent to investigate a mysterious underground facility and all they manage to uncover are the horrors that killed the German soldiers stationed there. I feel this is such an underrated movie, I was just so into it but hardly anyone seems to talk about it. Not sure why. Great acting and direction mixed with a story that is fairly unique and a horror threat that really stands out among the others.
Philosophy of a Knife (2008) – Andrey Iskanov
This docu-drama also chronicles the exploits of Unit 731 but in a documentary as well as a horror movie. It's highly informative and also has a plethora of torture and death scenes which do get very intense. Given the massive runtime, you can imagine how many atrocities were covered here. Some may refer to it as arthouse torture porn but I just found it to be a rather gripping and engrossing film that must be seen.
The Objective (2008) – Daniel Myrick
A special forces team find themselves in a hostile part of Afghanistan when they wander into an area beset by an ancient evil. This was really a surprise for me because it kind of looked like cheese but it ended up being my favorite war/horror movie that took place during a desert war. The setting works well for the supernatural forces encountered and all facets of the film are just handled so well.
R-Point (2004) – Su-Chang Kong
A Korean unit receives a distress call from another unit that was thought to be dead amidst the backdrop of the Vietnam war. This movie proves why there should be more Vietnam War era horror films. It just drips with atmosphere and the supernatural encounters on display here make for a seriously awesome viewing experience. I love a good zombie war movie but it's nice to see something different every once in a while and this film pulls it off so great.
The Devil's Rock (2011) – Paul Campion
Two New Zealand soldiers are sent on a stealth mission to destroy gun emplacements on the eve of D-Day only to discover occult dabbling that allowed the Nazis to summon a demon. Yes, this is a flat out great movie. Summoning demonic forces to win the war is such a great idea and this movie makes all the right steps. Highly entertaining from start to finish, this is just such a great film overall.
Deathwatch (2002) – M.J. Bassett
A group of soldiers are stuck behind enemy lines during WWI and seek escape through a network of German trenches only to discover that which is pursuing them is not human. Another movie set in the first world war and it is nothing short of exceptional. From the cast to the pacing to the overall storyline, this one in particular blends the war and horror together so well and so evenly. A must see.
I always seek out these kind of movies but they do tend to be very hit or miss. It's hard to do a war movie on a low budget and there are so many that fail spectacularly. They really need some semblance of a budget to be pulled off well. But I'm going to keep seeking them out and hope for more great movies in the future. War is hell, but your movie watching doesn't have to be!
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