Top ten popular modern war heroes in film

Looking for a memorable modern war film with a strong hero?

A war film is always better with an interesting hero leading the way. From experience, I have seen a lot of war films in my time and the good ones always have a memorable hero.

In this article, we take an explosive dive into exploring some of the most famous male leads in war films in the last 30 years. We will cover cinema from the late 90’s to the 2000s. The list will feature characters of bravery, humor, comradery, and iconography. We will focus on military combat-driven films.

This list may contains spoilers, proceed with caution.

10) Lieutenant Dan Taylor- Forrest Gump (1994)

https://youtube.com/watch?v=gzXOpaQpPmk

One of the greatest stories ever put on screen, with one of the strongest personalities of war, Lieutenant Dan Taylor!

A classic masculine portrayal of the ideal war hero. He just gets on with it and never complains. His dying wish is to die in battle. You can’t get stronger than that. A character who comes from a family of resilient war heroes in battle. Towards the end of the film, you lean towards admiring his bravery. Thank you Forrest for saving him!

9) Thug Hartley-Kajaki (2014)

A remarkable true story,

This may be one of the most intense war films ever made and it doesn’t feature actual warfare. The film follows a group of British soldiers in Afghanistan. They come across a large portion of land filled with mines, the problem is that they are hard to see.

The standout war hero is the medic, Thug Hartley, played by Mark Stanley. Out of the group, he saved 3 lives under the most life threatening conditions. The film scored a whopping 100% on Rotten Tomatoes and is available on Netflix.

8) Don Wardaddy Collier-Fury (2014)

https://youtube.com/watch?v=FphgUQenzrM

Grady Coon Ass Travis: Hey, you hear that?

Don Wardaddy Collier: Its the goddam SS battalion.

An exceptional gritty war drama set in the murky environment of WW2, David Ayer’s 2014 film was a surprise hit amongst critics and audiences. Brad Pitt’s portrayal is a grittier and masculine take on the war hero persona. He takes no prisoners and is obsessed with making the right decisions. He takes command and his way is the only way. The above clip has him holding the crossroad, knowing him and his crew are completely outnumbered against the relentless German army.

7) Capt. Miller-Saving Private Ryan (1998)

We all love Tom Hanks and this is one of his best roles. It clearly shows audiences why he is a good leader in combat. The above clip, we see him fight to the very last minute. Tom Hanks has a very memorable and iconic screen presence, unlike any other actor in history and that’s why we relate and root for him from beginning and to the end. Take a bow Tom Hanks

6) – Staff Sergeant William James-The Hurt Locker (2008)

Colonel Reed: How many bombs have you disarmed?

Staff Sergeant William Janes: 873!

This is adrenaline fueled cinema, brought to us by Point Break’s director Kathryn Bigelow. During a few scenes, he would probably get the award for being the most reckless soldier in combat. But, he is immensely brave from beginning to end. His bravery is shown in his ability to stay calm during the most intense situations. Disposing of a bomb could not contain a more heightened sense of tension and nerves, yet he battles through it.

5) Marcus Luttrell-Lone Survivor (2013)

One of Peter Berg’s best films with a rotten tomatoes audience score of 87%. This film is all about bravery and comradery, being there for your men is Wahlberg’s priority, who plays the real war survivor Marcus Luttrell. This is realistic action sequences done right.

the film concludes with him being the survivor. He survives everything, from bullets, falling off cliffs, escaping enemies in the woods. By the end, Marky mark had seen it all. With this being based on a true story, I highly recommend watching the film. The story is pretty remarkable.

4) Desmond Doss- Hacksaw Ridge (2017)

The film is directed by Braveheart’s Mel Gibson, who takes the audience right into the depths of the Pacific. The film also stars Wedding Crashers Vince Vaughn , but our war hero is Andrew Garfield.

Andrew Garfield, the former Spider-Man steps into Mel Gibson’s intense take on WW2. The film is tells the story of WW2 medic Desmond Doss, who never fired a bullet during combat and saved countless lives. Making this hero a lot different to all the others we have mentioned. Not even Spider-Man himself would be able to pull off some of his actions in this film, that’s saying something.

3) Lt. Aldo Raine- Inglorious Basterds (2009)

This is his second mention, but his role in Inglorious Basterds is fairly similar but just a little more comedic than his role in Fury. This time he is a different kind of leader under director Quentin Tarantino. His ability to carry out the mission towards the end of the film is based on careful planning and a top-notch accent. Like Fury, the film is still nerve shredding towards the end. Without Brad Pitt’s excellence, the Nazi’s may have won. Bravo Mr. Pitt

2) Chris Kyle-American Sniper (2014)

A highly skilled combat soldier,

This film is more of a drama than anything else, it is a deep character study into the life of Chris Kyle. Bradley Cooper provides a sense of elegance to a real character that is both hard and violent. He is a hero for carrying out his duties with precision and becoming the army’s most reliable shooter in US history.

The film toggles back and forth between his combat duties and his family life. The family life is what gives the character a wider context. The film is directed by Clint Eastwood.

1) Newton Knight-Free State of Jones (2016)

The American civil war was rough and brutal, you need someone who knows what they are doing. Newton Knight, played by Mathew McConaughey leads a group of fellow deserters and women against a corrupt confederate force.

The film is brought to us by The Hunger Games Gary Ross. The action is brutal and violent, Newton Knight shows some intelligent military knowledge and tactics. The combat is a lot more face to face and close quartered, unlike other gun warfare. He trains soldiers so that they are ready for combat. He takes the responsibility on his soldiers like a true sport.

Who is your favorite war hero?

Streaming

You can catch Saving Private Ryan, Fury, The Hurt Locker, Kajaki and Lone Survivor on Netflix

All films are available on Amazon Prime.

Author bio

Sam is a content writer. He loves all elements connected with film and writes with passion, always. You can find him on his Linkedin, where you will be able to read more articles. When he is not writing, you can find him practicing football.

Ten reasons why James Cameron’s Titanic is the ultimate blockbuster

It was 1997 that changed cinema forever and April 12th 1912 that shook the world. It can be said that both dates shook the world by the core, causing both excitement and tragedy. I’m talking about James Cameron’s mighty Titanic. The film is over 20 years old and it is still one of the greatest films ever made. With his upcoming Avatar sequels approaching around the corner, here are ten reasons why James Cameron’s Titanic is still the ultimate blockbuster. It’s the perfect example of the tragic blockbuster, which is a genre we don’t come across often in 2021. Let’s get started!

10) It actually happened

Blockbusters have more weight when you know it’s based on a true story. The film is more or less pretty accurate. If anything, the film asks questions about the real tragedy because some details are still left unanswered. This adds to the fun of researching more about the exact details of 1912. Not many blockbusters carry that same level of engagement.

We usually see explosions and spectacle, but not much else. Michael Bay wishes he could have the same level of authenticity in his films, as shown in his bombastic Transformers series. Titanic is based on real source material, which gives you a reason to care about what’s happening on screen. After watching, It may get you to research like a mad scientist!

9) Adventure

For such a tragic story, there is a sense of adventure. The first half of the film is enthralling. James Cameron captures the excitement of getting on board the ship and travelling, with the goal of a new opportunity, a feeling that most would have shared in 1912.

Its adventure is also shown in the opening scene, where James Cameron puts the audience right at the bottom of the ocean. That’s right, we see the real shipwreck before it sinks. We get as close to the shipwreck without actually doing the real thing. That’s immersive cinema at its best.

8) Exploration

It takes you back to the night of April 12th. Not only will audiences be enthralled by the scope of the disaster, but they might learn something new about the tragedy. The opening scene is a homage to the real shipwreck, lying right at the bottom of the ocean. We get to see a close up of the wreck, around 85 years after the disaster. James Cameron takes the audience right to the wreck.

It feels like a documentary and it’s as close you might ever get to the real experience, unless you really want to dive yourself. Some blockbusters steer away from any realism, including Justin Lin’s Fast saga, yet Titanic works as a documentary in some scenes. The opening is the most documentary-like.

7) Practical effects

This is not a CGI fest, like most of the popcorn films today. James Cameron assembled one of the most impressive production crews ever in film history. The production achievement was beyond remarkable.

The attention to detail, when re-creating the ship is impeccable. CGI would become more used in the very late 90’s and early 2000’s, with The Phantom Menace and The Matrix. Titanic was concerned with really taking the audience on board the ship and you can’t do that with a fake ship.

Once the ship hits the iceberg, the use of real sets come into play.

6) Love Story

This is the ultimate tragic love story and it still is. Some audience weren’t that keen on some parts of the dialogue, but it was a really intelligent move for James Cameron to approach the disaster with a romantic focus. This allows us to identify and connect with at least two characters.

For a blockbuster this intense, the love story works more for me than most romantic comedies. They are put in by far the most stressful situation in history and for that I cared.

5) Genre

It has its own genre,

I like to define Titanic as a tragic blockbuster. The blockbuster appeal comes from the thrilling spectacle, but the tragedy parts comes from the disaster itself and the romance. But, the genre does not end there. It must be the most diverse blockbuster in history. Most blockbusters have one genre focus and its typically action spectacle.

In 2021, it still is a new breed of cinema. Perhaps, it’s genre was just as new as the RMS Titanic was to the people back in April 1912.

4) Cast

An ensemble of talent, matching the gravitas of the ship.

I mentioned Leo and Kate, but the other cast members help hold this film together. We have Bill Paxton, Kathy Bates, Bill Zane, Victor Garber and more. The cast also look like the real crew of the ship, which adds to the authenticity. It was great casting by Mia Finn.

3) Soundtrack

Of course, I had to mention the soundtrack, how could I not. The songs range from emotional to thrilling. James Horner would later work on the Perfect Storm, but this may be his best work. The music provides the scenery with a perfect template. Iconic tracks include Hymn to the sea and my heart will go on. Click here to listen to the full playlist on Youtube.

2)Tragedy

This film captured tragedy like no other blockbuster in history. There are particular scenes that are just haunting. The violin scene is hard to get through as it actually happened. The tragedy works well because the first half of the film has a heroic and ambitious quality.

When the ship starts going down, James Cameron holds no punches. We see people screaming from every corner. The Grand staircase scene is the standout sequence, showing tragedy at its most grand.

1) The Ending

No film in history has a more controversial ending. Over 20 years later, audiences and critics are still discussing why Leo didn’t survive. People still care about these characters or are at least invested. No ending in cinematic history will ever be as significant. Other than Christopher Nolan’s Inception.

What I took away was that James Cameron wanted Leo to die because it emphasizes how much these two were in love and the best way to show that theme is to have one of them die. It’s the ending that never leaves you. How much more of a powerful and memorable ending do you want from cinema?

You know it’s good when you become just as invested with the real characters than you do with the real spectacle.

Bravo, Mr Cameron!

Final thoughts

Would you survive the sinking of Titanic?

Comment below and let me know.

You can visit the Belfast’s Titanic expedition here.