8 Incredible War Movies From The 1990s That Aren't Saving Private Ryan, Ranked

Published Aug 16, 2026, 9:30 AM EDT Dalton is a freelance writer, novelist, and filmmaker from Orlando Florida. He currently lives in Charlotte, North Carolina, and pursues writing full-time. He is an avid reader, film buff, and amateur historian who also publishes novels on the side. Dalton graduated from the University of Central Florida with a BFA in Film and he often applies his industry-specific knowledge when writing about film and television. Along with his blog, Dalton's critical essays on film have been published in various places online. Saving Private Ryan might be one of the best movies of the 1990s, but the decade produced a slew of other war films that are just as incredible. War movies never go out of style, and filmmakers can't resist telling stories from some of history's greatest conflicts. Besides the sheer spectacle of it all, the genre is also an excellent glimpse at the era that produced it. War movies have changed drastically over the years, from idealized patriotic action flicks to gritty dramas that showcase the real-life horrors of violent conflict. By the 1990s, filmmakers had refined the war film to a sharp point, and were able to wield it like a weapon against historical revisionism. Though movies like Saving Private Ryan are certainly exciting, they don't glorify war. With the scars of Vietnam beginning to fade, filmmakers in the '90s turned to other conflicts to tell insightful stories. WWII movies came back in vogue, and many of the best war films from the period examined hitherto unexplored parts of the war. That's not to say all '90s war flicks were about the past, and some tackled conflicts that were making headlines at the time. This variety is why the decade is often celebrated as a great period for war movies. The biggest hits are known and loved by film fans to this day, but there is so much more to '90s cinema than the award-winning blockbusters. Especially in the war genre, audiences were spoiled for choice back in the day. The most incredible films from that period still shine brightly all these years later. 8 A Midnight Clear (1992) Though it is often overlooked, A Midnight Clear is a stunning World War II drama from the '90s that deserves a second look. In the bleak year of 1944, a squad of demoralized American soldiers capture an equally jaded German division. Though they agree on a plan to avoid bloodshed, the realities of the war get in the way. The pensive story is an artsy exploration of the inner turmoil of the soldier. The snowy landscape creates an eerie feeling of isolation, and it sets the stage perfectly for the drama that unfolds. The young cast, especially Ethan Hawke, bring a startling realism that is often lacking in the genre. Many war films highlight the humanity of the soldiers involved, but few do it with as much style as A Midnight Clear. 7 Savior (1998) Movies about WWII often benefit from a pretty obvious sense of right and wrong, but 1998's Savior involves a conflict that isn't nearly so cut-and-dry. Dennis Quaid stars as a mercenary out for revenge after his wife is killed in a terrorist attack. He becomes embroiled in the Bosnian War, and reels from the atrocities he sees. There's no Hollywood gloss to cover the movie's harshest moments, and Savior is a pretty harrowing experience. It's certainly guilty of simplifying an extremely complex situation, but that's to be expected considering how soon it was released after the real-life events of the war. Few war films from the 1990s felt contemporary, but Savior is a rare exception. There is some action to be had, but the real meat of the film is the excellent character drama. Quaid is at his very best as the tortured main character. 6 Underground (1995) The United States wasn't the only country producing great war flicks in the '90s, and the international perspective can't be overlooked. Hailing from the former Yugoslavia. Underground is a biting satire about two men who profit from the black market during the period of their country's history after WWII. Because of its region-specific jokes, the Palme d'Or winner takes a bit of homework to fully understand. Nevertheless, the human elements of the story are universal and quite humorous. It uses surrealism to show a side of war that is less glamorous, but altogether real, and has a rich vein of cynicism that runs throughout. Though the running time might be a bit daunting, Underground is a war epic that defies expectations. It doesn't glorify war, or the resistance. In fact, the whole point is that it doesn't glorify anyone. 5 Gettysburg (1993) Though it was produced as a miniseries first, Gettysburg did get a theatrical release in 1993. The four-and-a-half hour spectacle chronicles the infamous bloody battle from the American Civil War, showing the men on the front lines and the generals in charge. It's one of the longest films ever released, and it certainly challenges the conventional structure of war movies in general. Even so, it's a perfect experience for history buffs. Gettysburg lacks some of the cinematic polish of its '90s war movie peers, but it compensates with a commitment to thoroughness. Few movies about any war get so deep into the details, and it makes the names and faces in dusty history books seem alive. The greatest strength of the movie is its cast, and they elevate the humongous flick into something more than a drawn-out history lesson. 4 Stalingrad (1993) In the decades after the end of WWII, German filmmakers grappled with their history onscreen, and produced some truly spectacular war cinema. 1993's Stalingrad is among the best German war movies, and follows young soldiers who are transferred to the Eastern front. Director Joseph Vilsmaier uses the juxtaposition of the two fronts as a powerful metaphor for the disillusion of German soldiers during the war. Unsurprisingly, Stalingrad is a dour film that pulls no punches about the harshness of the real-life siege. However, it also highlights the ineptitude and complexity of the German military, painting an interesting picture that isn't generic or sympathetic. There's an oppressive sense of dread to the film, and it revolves around the disillusion of its characters as they learn their once lofty sense of invulnerability is a big lie. 3 The Last Of The Mohicans (1992) James Fenimore Cooper's beloved classic novel is about so much more than the French and Indian War, but the 1992 adaptation is one of the few movies to tackle the subject. Members of a fading Indigenous tribe find themselves in the middle of a war they didn't ask for, and they must save the kidnapped daughter of a British ally. Michael Mann's stylish direction highlights the action of the story while fleshing out Cooper's characters. It is among the best '90s war movies, but The Last of the Mohicans touches several other genres too. It has history, romance, and the aforementioned action, and is anchored by a stellar performance from Daniel Day Lewis. Just the period design alone makes it a five-star classic, but it clicks on all cylinders. The Last of the Mohicans is a must-see for all kinds of movie fans, not just war aficionados. 2 The Thin Red Line (1998) If it wasn't for Saving Private Ryan, The Thin Red Line would undoubtedly be the defining movie about WWII combat from the 1990s. Following a brief dereliction of duty, a soldier is forced to rejoin his regiment and is shipped off to the Battle of Guadalcanal. Unlike Steven Spielberg's aforementioned masterpiece, Terrence Malick's WWII movie takes time to stop and look around. It's a thoughtful exploration of the senselessness of war, and uses its large ensemble to examine various points of view in detail. History tends to boil things down into black and white, but The Thin Red Line shows that events often exist in a grey area that's harder to define. It's one of the best war movies ever made, not just from the '90s, and it's a real shame that it is usually overshadowed by 1998's other big WWII movie. 1 Schindler's List (1993) There are war classics and then there's Schindler's List. A few years before the release of Saving Private Ryan, Spielberg made his true WWII opus, and delivered the best war drama of all time. The plot concerns German industrialist Oskar Schindler, who uses his wealth and connections to save more than a thousand Jews from extermination at Nazi concentration camps. The black and white film is a cathartic look at the best of humanity during the worst of times. Spielberg's eye for Hollywood grandeur is put to perfect use, and the movie is simultaneously beautiful and horrific. Without showing the action at the front lines, Schindler's List tells one of the most compelling stories of World War II. It feels like a sincere and personal tribute to the past, and hasn't aged a day in over 30 years. Nothing in the war genre comes close to the power of the 1993 Best Picture winner.