When it comes to war dramas, the 1990s truly had it all. The war movies of this decade spanned continents and decades, and many featured unique, human-focused stories at the heart of their plots. Highlights include dramatized biopics, gripping novel adaptations, and sweeping epics.

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Several 90s war dramas won awards and nominations, and many were impressive box office successes. IMDB has an extensive collection of reviews for these popular films and has ranked them accordingly. Although there are many highly-rated titles, some 90s war movies stand out more than others.

10 G.I. Jane Presents An Uncommon Perspective (IMDB Rating: 6.0)

GI-Jane

Women in the military have become more significantly commonplace in the twenty-first century, but when G.I. Jane premiered in 1997, this wasn't the case. The film stars Demi Moore and tells the story of a fictional recruit named Jordan O'Neil, the first woman to undergo SEAL training thanks to intervention by a Texas senator.

Modern audience reviews are mixed on IMDB, but it is generally considered a satisfying film. Interestingly enough, the first real-life female Navy SWCC just graduated in 2021 – 24 years after the film was released.

9 The Messenger: The Story Of Joan Of Arc Is A Harrowing Biopic (IMDB Rating: 6.4)

Joan-of-Arc

In 1999, actress Milla Jovovich took on the role of a French war heroine in The Messenger: The Story of Joan of Arc. Joan is famous for having visions that inspired her to lead a French resistance against the British.

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The film features stunning depictions of Joan's complicated life and death. The real Joan of Arc was canonized as a saint in the 20th century. Critics gave the film mixed reviews, but the undeniably powerful story makes the film a winner in the eyes of many IMDB reviewers.

8 A Midnight Clear Is A WWII Psychological Drama (IMDB Rating: 7.0)

Midnight-Clear

The 1992 film A Midnight Clear is based on a novel of the same name by William Wharton. It stars Ethan Hawke and Gary Sinise as soldiers near the end of WWII. The story occurs around Christmas and depicts small groups of exhausted German and American soldiers agreeing to a temporary ceasefire.

The movie is focused more on the morality of war than the action of the battlefield, and critics largely approved of its message. IMDB reviewers mostly praise the movie, finding its departure from the more typical format of war films refreshing.

7 Crimson Tide Depicts A Different Kind Of Hero (IMDB Rating: 7.3)

crimson tide

Morally ambiguous decisions make an excellent plot basis for movies, and the 1995 movie Crimson Tide demonstrates this perfectly. Denzel Washington stars as Lieutenant Commander Ron Hunter, a young officer who has to make a difficult choice: allow his U.S. Navy captain to preemptively launch missiles or stage a mutiny to prevent him from doing so.

The tense drama takes place on a submarine, and the stakes are high right from the beginning. IMDB reviews are favorable, describing the movie as intense and well-conceived.

6 The Thin Red Line Had A Long List Of Potential Cast Members (IMDB Rating: 7.6)

An image from The Thin Red Line.

Director Terrence Malick returned to Hollywood after a long hiatus to bring The Thin Red Line to life. His return generated a lot of buzz among top actors, many of whom were interested in joining the film's cast. In the end, Sean Penn, Adrien Brody, and George Clooney were among those who won parts in the WWII film.

RELATED: 10 Best Sci-Fi Films Of The 90s, RankedCritics praised Malick's direction, and the movie was nominated for seven Academy Awards. The film achieved a high IMDB ranking as well. Fans loved the psychology embedded in the story and the stunning visual effects.

5 Gettysburg Shows The Realities Of The Civil War (IMDB Rating: 7.6)

Gettsyburg

The Civil War is undoubtedly one of the more violent chapters of United States history, and the 1993 film Gettysburg perfectly demonstrates the realities of that war.

The battle of Gettysburg was a crucial event, and the stakes can be felt in this film dramatization. The movie's high IMDB ranking is due to its historical accuracy, moving plot lines, and heartbreaking ending. Unfortunately, it didn't perform as well as desired at the box office, but critics praised the film's educational qualities and Jeff Daniels' riveting performance.

4 The Last Of The Mohicans Is A Stunning Film Remake (IMDB Rating: 7.7)

Last-Mohicans

The Last Of The Mohicans hit theaters in 1992 with some rich history behind it. The movie is a loose remake of a 1936 film of the same name, which was based on a novel by James Fenimore Cooper from the 1800s. Daniel Day-Lewis headlines the cast of this French & Indian War drama and received a BAFTA nomination for his performance.

IMDB reviews hail the movie as bold, thrilling, and a respectful depiction of Native Americans during this time period. Critics mostly agreed, praising director Michael Mann for his stylistic choices.

3 Braveheart Is A Sweeping Scottish Warrior Story (IMDB Rating: 8.4)

Braveheart

Mel Gibson starred in this critically-acclaimed 1995 war drama. Gibson plays a courageous warrior named Sir William Wallace, who famously led Scottish troops in the First Scottish War For Independence against England. The film won an impressive five Oscars, and remains a fan-favorite 90s movie to this day.

IMDB reviewers gave the Scottish war drama high marks for its stunning cinematography, realistic brutality, hopeful message, and winning performance by Gibson. It's not the most historically accurate film of its kind, but many fans believe it's one of the best ever made.

2 Saving Private Ryan Is A Heartbreaking WWII Epic (IMDB Rating: 8.6)

Steven Spielberg's Saving Private Ryan

Saving Private Ryan is among director Steven Spielberg's best films. It tells the story of a group of soldiers during the WWII Normandy Invasion who must embark on a harrowing quest to save one of their own. Tom Hanks, Matt Damon, and Vin Diesel lead a star-studded cast in this tragic war drama.

RELATED: 10 Best Historial Epics, Ranked IMDB reviews for the movie are overwhelmingly positive, and many critics have deemed it one of the best war movies ever made. The film's heartbreaking balance between humanity and horror makes it an enduring classic.

1 Schindler's List Is An Award-Winning War Biopic (IMDB Rating: 9)

Ralph Fiennes in Schindler's List doesn't suffer any fools

Liam Neeson delivers a truly stunning performance in the 1993 film Schindler's List. He portrays the title character, a real-life industrialist who saved hundreds of Jews from perishing in the Holocaust during WWII. The film is an adaptation of a novel by the same name and was directed by Steven Spielberg. It has an impressive 9/10 rating on IMDB.

In addition, the film won seven Academy Awards and was nominated for many more. The film took home a staggering ninety-one different awards domestically and worldwide.

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