War is already horrific enough as it is. There doesn’t need to be a scary twist to make a story about military-based conflict more enjoyable. From brutal kills to endless suffering, there is always enough to leave audiences upset. And most of it is an accurate reflection of how things play out on real-world battlefields. But adding some extra spice never hurts, so things can get even more interesting when war is blended with actual horror, whether it’s the supernatural, psychological, found footage, or the slasher kind.
Blending horror and war is also a good idea since both genres are wildly popular. There’s thus the likelihood of attracting fans from both sides, hence boosting revenue for studios. Such movies aren’t normally guaranteed awards, as is the case when the genres are separate, but they provide a unique experience. If you are looking to see servicemen battling unusual kinds of threats or causing unusual kinds of threats themselves, these are the horror movies to watch.
Here are the 10 best and most essential horror movies about war.
10
‘Overlord’ (2018)
Release Date
November 1, 2018
Runtime
110 minutes
Writers
Billy Ray
Producers
J.J. Abrams, Jo Burn, John Cohen, Lindsey Weber, Cory Bennett Lewis
-
Jovan Adepo
Private First Class Edward Boyce
Events in Overlord begin on the eve of D-Day during World War II. An American paratrooper squad is sent to destroy a German radio-jamming tower in an old church, but upon arrival, the members discover horrific Nazi experiments in a secret underground lab, where monstrous, reanimated super-soldiers are being created. What will they do?
Tense and Progressive
It’s always interesting to see scenarios where guns don’t help much. Here, the troopers have to rely on their instincts and intelligence. As a result, audiences get treated to rather refreshing scenarios. You are also likely to appreciate how the alternate history angle is handled. Overlord is set in an alternate version of WWII where Executive Order 9981 (abolishing racial discrimination in the military) is signed during the war rather than after the end of the war. Consequently, the unit sent to destroy the tower is shown to be integrated.
9
‘The Devil’s Backbone’ (2001)
Set during the final year of the Spanish Civil War, The Devil’s Backbone follows Carlos (Fernando Tielve), a young boy driven to the edge of madness by anger, solitude, and uncertainty about the future. He has been left at a remote orphanage after his father dies in battle, and his problems soon pile up when the ghost of a murdered boy begins haunting the facility.
Boy Against the World
With a spirited, moving performance by Fernando Tielve, this stylish, tense, low-budget horror from Guillermo del Toro strikes harder than most blockbuster productions. Interestingly, Tielve auditioned to be an extra, but Toro cast him as the lead after seeing his potential. Well-plotted and visually inventive, The Devil’s Backbone remains a gut-twisting fable with enough disturbing moments to keep you glued in for its entire running time.
8
‘The Bunker’ (2001)
Release Date
September 14, 2001
Runtime
95 Minutes
Director
Rob Green
Writers
Clive Dawson
-
Andrew Tiernan
Cpl. Schenke
-
Christopher Fairbank
Sgt. Heydrich
In The Bunker, the remaining members of a platoon of German Panzergrenadiers retreat to a remote bunker located in the Ardennes forest after coming under heavy Allied attack. As they examine the underground tunnels linked to the banker, they encounter eerie phenomena.
No Respite
Mapping the horrific places where war losers go to hide, The Bunker subverts genre tropes with its slow, somber rhythm and air of unspoken despair. The director’s poetic evocation of both the architectural and bucolic surroundings — birds, tunnels, and vegetation — add to the shade of unsettling melancholy. The film might feel laggy at times, but patient audiences will be rewarded by what awaits in the third arc.
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7
‘Below’ (2002)
Release Date
August 11, 2002
Runtime
105 minutes
Director
David Twohy
Writers
Darren Aronofsky
Producers
Andrew Rona, Bob Weinstein, Eric Watson, Harvey Weinstein
Below is set aboard a U.S. Navy submarine, USS Tiger Shark, during World War II. While patrolling the Atlantic Ocean, the crew receives orders to rescue survivors from a damaged British hospital ship, but as soon as the people are picked up, paranormal occurrences start playing out.
Deep Terror
All the cast members are good in their roles, making for the perfect servicemen, some tough but fair, others freaking out in a remarkably natural way. But the star is undoubtedly Matthew Davis as Ensign Douglas Odell, a curious man with a slew of facial expressions and a mega personality. Eternal themes of patriotism, responsibility, and individualism are also explored in this marvelous war-horror flick guaranteed to freak out everyone.
6
‘In My Mother’s Skin’ (2023)
Release Date
January 20, 2023
Runtime
97 Minutes
-
Felicity Kyle Napuli
Tala
-
James Mavie Estrella
Bayani
-
Jasmine Curtis-Smith
The Fairy
As WWII plays out in In My Mother’s Skin, Tala, a 14-year-old girl, struggles to survive without her ailing mother and younger brother. Her father has gone to seek help from Americans after being accused of a crime. As her mother’s condition worsens, Tala tries to get help from a mysterious fairy, only for the remedy to turn the matriarch into a flesh-eating monster. Now Tala must not only fight against enemy forces, but also her own mother.
Mommy Isn’t the Same
Few films hack visual storytelling better than In My Mother’s Skin. Lush imagery is perfectly intertwined with body horror, resulting in a gem that punches from all sides. Additionally, Felicity Kyle Napuli is outstanding in the lead role, while the sound helps add to the eerie effect. Beyond that, it’s refreshing for war to be used as a backdrop rather than the main focus.
5
‘Jacob’s Ladder’ (1990)
Jacob’s Ladder
Release Date
November 2, 1990
Runtime
113 Minutes
Writers
Bruce Joel Rubin
Jacob’s Ladder shoves us right into the woes of Vietnam War veteran Jacob Singer (Tim Robbins), who keeps experiencing hallucinations and flashbacks after coming back home. Everyone around him tries to help him to little avail. As Jacob’s ordeal worsens, he takes it upon himself to find a cure.
Fighting Unseen Forces
From a tentacle protruding from a sleeping homeless person to faceless vibrating people, Jacob keeps experiencing the worst hallucinations. You won’t find many better war movies about PTSD, and this gem feels even more superior because it has special twists and doesn’t hesitate to condemn the American government for the way servicemen get treated. And without this film, the Silent Hill horror franchise wouldn’t exist.
4
‘Trench 11’ (2017)
Release Date
October 6, 2017
Runtime
90 minutes
Director
Leo Scherman
Writers
Matt Booi
Producers
François Dagenais, Jane Tattersall, Jeff Beesley, Martin Katz, Michael Paszt, Walter Gasparovic, Tyler Levine, Anders Palm, James Fler, Andrew Thomas Hunt, Devan Towers
-
Rossif Sutherland
Lt. Berton
-
Charlie Carrick
Dr. Priest
-
Shaun Benson
Kaptain Mueller
As the First World War comes to an end, Lieutenant Berton (Rossif Sutherland), a Canadian tunneler, is recruited to lead a platoon of Allied soldiers into a secret German bunker labeled “Trench 11.” Inside, they discover that German scientists have developed a parasitic biological weapon. Soon, they encounter a group of violent infected soldiers. Will our protagonists make it to the end of Trench 11?
Hell Below the Ground
Wisely avoiding war sentimentality and overt political discourse, Trench 11 is instead an intriguing quest to find the true reason behind the enemy’s dominance. Unfortunately, despite its brilliance, it remains an under-exposed winner. It won Best Feature Film Gold at the Toronto After Dark Film Festival, but was largely ignored by other award organizations. Big mistake! Watch it and see why.
3
‘Under the Shadow’ (2016)
Release Date
October 7, 2016
Director
Babak Anvari
Writers
Babak Anvari
The mayhem in Under the Shadow begins after a building is hit by a missile during the Iran-Iraq War. Shideh (Narges Rashidi) insists that the missile was cursed and contained malevolent Middle-Eastern spirits. She soon becomes convinced that a spirit is trying to possess her daughter Dorsa (Avin Manshadi), so she vows to confront the malevolent force.
The Threats Keep Piling
In Under the Shadow, we see the impact war has on ordinary citizens. Better yet, we see how war triggers fears that aren’t even related to war. Through Shideh’s fears and experiences, the movie explores several key topics revolving around physiology, geopolitics, and Iranian culture. The performances are excellent all around, so you can be guaranteed a good and scary time.
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2
‘Ghosts of War’ (2020)
Release Date
July 3, 2020
Runtime
94 minutes
Director
Eric Bress
Producers
Billy Zane, Alastair Burlingham, Adrian Jayasinha, Joe Simpson, Alana Crow, Charlie Dombek, Joe Simpson, Simon Williams, Shelley Madison, Colleen Camp, Matthew Reese, Delphine Perrier, D. Todd Shepherd, Andrew Mann, Henry Winterstern, Arianne Fraser, Jonathan Bross
Ghosts of War is about five American paratroopers tasked with protecting a French Chateau that is of strategic importance. Once there, they get attacked by the ghosts slain family who once lived in the house. And a major twist later on reveals that this movie was actually about the War in Iraq.
Nothing Is as It Seems
This tough, impassioned movie seamlessly blends intense action sequences with a grim tale of oppression. Benefiting from Eric Bress’ sure-handed direction, all cast members are first-rate (check out a frustrated and frantic Alan Ritchson). Interestingly, this gripping entry manages to feel as dark as the blackest pits of hell, even early on when its protagonists are bantering! Add in a bloody good score from Michael Suby, and you have all the necessary ingredients for a dangerously captivating war horror film.
1
‘Predator’ (1987)
Release Date
June 12, 1987
Runtime
107 Minutes
Writers
Jim Thomas, John Thomas
In Predator, Dutch Schaefer (Arnold Schwarzenegger), the leader of an elite paramilitary rescue team, takes his men to a Central American rainforest to rescue a Cabinet Secretary who is being held hostage. There, they find several corpses of guerrilla fighters and Green Berets. Before they can figure out what’s going on, a skilled, technologically advanced extraterrestrial starts hunting them down.
Man Vs. Alien
A groundbreaking horror war action film in its time, Predator was a blunt, fun, and unswervingly bleak take on militarism that wowed audiences all across the globe. So good was it that everyone would have predicted that it’d bear a franchise. And who can forget that iconic arm wrestling scene between Arnold Schwarzenegger and Carl Weathers, followed by some cool bro-banter? Classics don’t come better than this.
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