5 best war movies based on books to watch ahead of We Were the Lucky Ones
Erica Lipez’s We Were the Lucky Ones will give fans a harrowing look into the lives of Jewish families in Germany during World War II. Set to be released as a miniseries on Hulu, the story revolves around a Jewish family that gets separated at the start of World War II. Filled with tales of despair and determination to get back to loved ones, the series will be the latest war-related offering in a long line of war thrillers produced in recent years.
The first episode, released on March 28, 2024, has already led to some genuinely huge comparisons and is being seen as one of the best Hollywood iterations based on war. As the series delves into further episodes, we look at other war-based movies that fans can watch before taking on We Were the Lucky Ones.
War movies to watch before We Were the Lucky Ones
5) Saving Private Ryan
Released in 1998, Saving Private Ryan is rightly considered one of the best war movies of all time. Based on Stephen E. Ambrose’s D-Day June 6, 1944: The Climactic Battle of World War II, the film starred two huge stars: Matt Damon and Tom Hanks.
Damon takes up the role of Private Ryan, who is lost behind enemy lines in the aftermath of the Battle of Normandy. The movie is recognized as one of the best war portrayals of all time and deserves exactly as much credit as it has received since its release.
4) Black Hawk Down
Starring Tom Hardy, Ewan McGregor, and Josh Hartnett, Black Hawk Down revolves around the civil war in 1990s Somalia. The film shows an army crew’s helicopter being shot down during the Battle of Mogadishu.
Surrounded by enemies, a handful of soldiers struggle to survive, but only two soldiers make it out alive, highlighting the themes of sacrifice and courage. Packed with some of the best action sequences of all time, Black Hawk Down is surely a must-watch.
3) All Quiet on the Western Front
Another movie based on a nerve-wracking piece of war literature, All Quiet on the Western Front, combines horror elements with war and is set in the backdrop of World War I. The movie revolves around a 17-year-old idealistic German soldier named Paul Bäumer, who intends to emerge as a hero for his country.
However, once thrust into the realities of war and what killing entails, Baumer struggles to come to terms with what has been asked of him and undergoes severe trauma. The movie expertly portrays the kind of mental toll that a war can take on soldiers and is a unique war-based film that deserves a watch.
2) Unbroken (2014)
Based on Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, And Redemption by Laura Hillenbrand, Unbroken follows the true story of World War II hero Louis Zamperini. The movie sees the main character getting trapped behind enemy lines in a Japanese-invaded region.
After his bomber jet gets a tire blown, Louis "Louie" Zamperini, a former Olympian sprinter, is forced to land and launches a final defense before being taken in as a prisoner of war. An epic watch featuring some highly poignant action scenes, Unbroken is another must-watch that should be delved into before the new series.
1) American Sniper
There is no doubt that the Bradley Cooper starrer American Sniper is one of the most entertaining war films of all time. Revolving around the life story of Chris Kyle, a talented Navy Seal known for his sniping abilities, the movie has often been described as the best-ever depiction of what kind of toll war and killing can take on a human being.
Faced with acts dripping with cruelty, Kyle struggles to deal with the damage and loss of life that he caused. American Sniper is the only movie on this list that takes inspiration from the former soldier’s own narration. It is easily the most entertaining and poignant movie on this list and surely deserves a watch before We Were the Lucky Ones.