Must-Watch Vietnam War Films – Military Connection’s Top Ten List

contributed by Melissa Lucas, senior staff writer

There’s no arguing that the War in Vietnam was unlike any other war in which Americans fought, either before or since. The cause of our involvement, the circumstances under which the military operated, the warfare they faced, and the sentiment of the American public regarding the war combined to create a truly unique experience for those deployed to Vietnam. It makes sense then, that Vietnam War Films would be unique, as well.

Most of the other top military movies in our series focus on the wars’ action. Vietnam war movies tend to be a little bit different. In fact, on our list of the best movies about the Vietnam War you’ll find very few that depict the war itself. Many are commentaries, many illustrate brutality outside of battle, and all of them seem to leave the audience in awe of, and often disbelief at, all that our soldiers experienced when they were sent to fight in Vietnam.

That said, here are our picks for the 10 best Vietnam War movies on Netflix, Amazon, and Hulu (and one that’s only available on DVD).

1. The Deer Hunter (1978)

One of the most famous Vietnam War movies, this epic film follows three friends from a small mill town, who often spend their time hunting deer in the woods near their Pennsylvania homes, after they enlist to fight in Vietnam. The young men deploy the day after a joyous farewell party, imagining glory and honor in their future. Reality quickly sets in, though. After witnessing countless horrors throughout the course of their service, they find themselves in the hands of the Vietcong, forced to play Russian roulette with each other as a means of entertaining their captors. The Deer Hunter earned five Oscars and is often referred to as the greatest film about the Vietnam War.

via imdb.com

2. Apocalypse Now (1979)

Perhaps the most iconic of all Vietnam War films, Apocalypse Now manages to capture more than just the pain, fear, and bloodshed experienced by American and Vietnamese soldiers, alike. It draws viewers into an almost alternate universe set amid a backdrop of violence. If there weren’t incontrovertible evidence to prove it, today’s viewers would have a difficult time believing that the horrifying, psychedelic, sleepy world portrayed in the film actually existed during the war. The storyline of Apocalypse Now follows a disaffected, shellshocked Army Captain, played by Martin Sheen, on his mission to assassinate an American Colonel who, by all accounts, has lost his mind after years spent fighting in Vietnam.

via imdb.com

3. Platoon (1986)

Platoon is another film that always lands itself a spot on a top Vietnam War movies list. It takes a look at the experience of American soldiers as they patrol, fight, and often perish in Vietnamese jungles during the Vietnam War. The story follows volunteer soldier Chris Taylor whose naive idealism quickly fades as the brutality of war becomes his reality. Taylor eventually finds himself caught between two unit Sergeants with opposing views of the war and their roles within it.

via wikipedia.org

4. Full Metal Jacket (1987)

Initially met with less than stellar reviews, Full Metal Jacket has become highly regarded as a fascinating and unique take on the dehumanizing impact of war. The first half of this Vietnam War film follows a group of recruits through bootcamp with a particularly punishing commander. The latter half tells the story of one of those recruits, J.T. “Joker” Davis as he covers the war as a U.S. correspondent.

via wikipedia.org

5. Good Morning, Vietnam (1987)

A classic Robin Williams dramady, Good Morning, Vietnam is loosely based on the real-life Radio Service DJ, Adrian Cronaeur, who’s love of inappropriate humor and rock and roll made him a hit among enlisted Americans during the War in Vietnam. The film is set in Saigon and offers a different look at Vietnamese culture and the consequences of war, which rages in the background. It also earned Williams his very first Oscar nomination. It’s a classic Vietnam War film, worth the time of any movie buff around.

via imdb.com

6. Hamburger Hill (1987)

1987 was a big year for Vietnam war movies! Hamburger Hill maintains a narrow focus on the experiences of a single American unit during a single, brutal, mission. The unit is ordered to capture Hamburger Hill in the beginning of the war, in what is later determined to be a diversionary tactic that provided nearly zero value to the war effort. While this isn’t a clearly antiwar film, it maintains strong antiwar undercurrents through its entirety.

via wikipedia.org

7. Born on the Fourth of July (1989)

This one, however, is most definitely an antiwar film, and seems to make everyone’s list of top Vietnam War movies. Based on the memoir of antiwar activist Ron Kovic (played by Tom Cruise), Born on the Fourth of July tells the story of his quest to do right by his country without compromising his personal values. After suffering an injury and returning home to a country he feels has betrayed him, Kovic harnesses his anger by speaking out against the war.

via wikipedia.org

8. Casualties of War (1989)

Michael J. Fox and Sean Penn star in Casualties of War, which tells the story of the Incident on Hill 192 in November of 1966. This notorious war crime – the revenge kidnaping and rape of a Vietnamese girl – is depicted via flashback from the perspective of the only soldier present who refused to take part in the heinous acts. While the plot is centered around a single event, this film is more about the experience and reality of the War in Vietnam than the event itself.

via wikipedia.org

9. We Were Soldiers (2002)

Based on a novel by Retired Lieutenant General Hal Moore and reporter Joseph Galloway, We Were Soldiers depicts the Battle of Ia Drang – the first major battle of the American phase of the war. This is actually one of the few famous war movies of Vietnam that depicts a specific battle as opposed to the general horrors of the War, and is told through he eyes of then Lieutenant Colonel Moore, played by Mel Gibson.

via wikipedia.org

10. Rescue Dawn (2007)

Among some of the best war movies based on true stories you’ll find Rescue Dawn. Set in the early years of the War in Vietnam, the film illustrates the experiences of captured Navy pilot Dieter Dengler. After being tortured by the Vietcong he is taken to a prisoner camp where he spends six months devising an escape plan and weighing the pros and cons of executing it. Rescue Dawn is a harrowing depiction of the various personalities and inevitable conflicts among prisoners of war who are pushed to their emotional limits. Note: Little Dieter Needs to Fly is an earlier film that portrays the same story and is definitely worth a watch.

via imdb.com

Bonus Film – Coming Home (1978)

Not so much a “war film” as a film set during the war, Coming Home is still one of the best movies about the Vietnam War era. Jane Fonda plays Sally Hide, the wife of a Vietnam combat soldier who volunteers at her local VA hospital while her husband is deployed. She eventually finds herself torn between matrimonial loyalty and the affair she begins with a disillusioned paraplegic Vietnam Veteran.

via wikipedia.org

Watch More Great War Films

This post featuring our favorite Vietnam War films is part of our Greatest War Movies Series. Visit our website for our take on the best films set during the American Revolution, Civil War, World War I, World War II, and more.