32 Movies That Are About The Marine Corps

There is a rich history in Hollywood of making great movies about the Marine Corps. Although I never served, I'm incredibly proud to be the grandson of a World War II Marine veteran, so these movies have always been among my favorite of the great war movies. Some of these movies are more about life in the corps, while others get into the horrifying moments of battle and the exhilaration of victory. So without further ado, here's my list of great movies about the Marines.

Jarhead

No movie belongs on this list more than 2005's Jarhead starring Jake Gyllenhaal as the real-life Anthony Swofford, who served in the 2003 invasion of Iraq. The movie didn't do well at the box office and got mixed reviews from critics, but many Marines praised it for its depiction of life in the military and in the corps.

A Few Good Men

You want them on that wall. You need them on that wall. Col. Jessup (Jack Nicholson) in A Few Good Men might not be the finest example of a Marine commander, but on one level, he certainly understands the mission. One of the best courtroom dramas ever, the movie explores what it means to stand a post and why discipline is critical, even if Jessup goes way too far.

Born On The Fourth Of July

In the 1980s, America was still very much grappling with the aftereffects of the Vietnam War. That meant a slew of powerful movies examining both the war itself and what it meant for the United States as a whole. One of the most powerful of those has to be Oliver Stone's Born on the Fourth of July, starring Tom Cruise as real-life Marine veteran Ron Kovic. Kovic was paralyzed from the waist down while serving in Vietnam, and Cruise's portrayal is one of the most incredible performances of his career and one of three roles that have earned the legend an Oscar nomination.

Taking Chance

Kevin Bacon won a Golden Globe for his portrayal of Marine veteran Michael Strobl, whose book about the emotional toll that war takes on soldiers is a powerful reminder of what these Marines go through. The HBO movie, released in 2009, is as powerful as a film that shows the horrors of war directly.

Rules Of Engagement

There are some fantastic military movies that are also great courtroom dramas, like Rules of Engagement from 2000. Samuel L. Jackson and Tommy Lee Jones, who butt heads over each other's actions in Vietnam in 1968. War is rough, before, during, and after the events.

Flags Of Our Fathers

The Battle of Iwo Jima is one of the most iconic battles in the history of the Marine Corps. Clint Eastwood's incredible Flags of Our Fathers tells the story of the World War II battle from the American point of view, while his companion film, Letters from Iwo Jima, both of which were released in 2006, recounts the pivotal battle from the Japanese point of view. Both are well worth a double feature night at home.

Sands of Iwo Jima

Despite never serving himself, John Wayne is one of the most iconic war movie actors of all time. One of his many classics is an early depiction of the Battle of Iwo Jima, 1949's Sands of Iwo Jima, which was released just four years after the battle took place and World War II ended.

Windtalkers

Before 2002's Windtalkers was released, the incredible true story of the Navajo code talkers in World War II was virtually unknown by the general public. This movie, while far from perfect, tells that story and, at least for me, was a complete revelation.

South Pacific

There aren't many movies about World War II that are also hit musicals. Of course, 1958's South Pacific is the standout exception. Though it's actually mostly about members of the Navy, one of the major characters, Lieutenant Joseph Cable, is a member of the USMC.

The Marines Are Coming

1934's The Marines Are Coming almost acts as a documentary both about the Corps and in telling the under-told story of the United States' involvement in the so-called Banana Wars of the early 20th Century. It's a real document of military history.

The Boys In Company C

While The Boys in Company C isn't the most unique movie on this list, as it is full of boot camp tropes that we recognize today, it's still an important movie to include here. In truth, when the movie was released in 1978, it was among the first to really start examining the effects of the Vietnam War on those who served in it.

Full Metal Jacket

Well. You knew this one was coming. Stanley Kubrick's 1987 masterpiece Full Metal Jacket has, in many ways, become the quintessential movie about the USMC. R. Lee Ermey, a former Marine drill sergeant in real life, is simply incredible in the first act, and the second and third acts are terrifying and brilliant motifs of war and life in the Corps in Vietnam. It's not only one of my favorite war movies, it's one of my favorite movies of any genre.

Brothers

Brothers, starring Tobey Maguire as a Marine and Jake Gyllenhaal as his recently released from prison brother, is a powerful movie that shows both the horrors of war and the aftereffects of it, not only on the vet, but on his whole family. It's a family drama as much as it is a war movie, but both genres are incredibly represented here.

Flying Leathernecks

John Wayne played a lot of soldiers over his career, including a Marine pilot in 1951's Flying Leathernecks. Like a lot of Wayne movies, it's a little overwrought and melodramatic, but it's an exciting movie, especially for its time.

Halls of Montezuma

The Battle of Chapultepec is referred to in the Marine Corps hymn as "the halls of Montezuma," which is where the title of this movie comes from. It's not about that battle in Mexico, but about the Marines fighting in the Pacific during World War II. Like other movies from the era (it was released in 1951), it uses some real footage of the war, which makes for some exciting moments.

Battle: Los Angeles

2011's Battle: Los Angeles is a sci-fi movie, to be sure, but it does tell the stories of Marines fighting off an alien invasion. The plot may be fantastical, but the depiction of the military is somewhat realistic.

Heartbreak Ridge

Clint Eastwood brings gravitas to every role he plays, and as a no-nonsense drill sergeant, he's just about perfectly cast. Such is the case in Heartbreak Ridge from 1986. Eastwood's character whips a group of misfits into shape with unorthodox but effective methods.

All the Young Men

When President Harry Truman desegregated the US military in 1948, it was, to say the least, controversial. The first major conflict after the order was the Korean War. All the Young Men explores the effects of Truman's order on the military, told mostly from the perspective of a Black sergeant in the Marines played by the legendary Sidney Poitier.

The Outpost

Though The Outpost underperformed when it was released, that was largely due to the Covid pandemic. It's a really powerful movie about the true story of a battle in Afghanistan, based on a book by Jake Tapper, in which two Marines, Clinton Romesha (played by Scott Eastwood) and Ty Carter (Caleb Landry Jones), won the Medal of Honor.

Shooter

In a rarity for a 21st-century military movie, Shooter doesn't take place in the Middle East. Instead, it's based on a book from 1993 about a fictional story in East Africa. Mark Wahlberg plays a Marine sniper, and like many sniper movies, this one gets intense.

The Marine

Okay, okay, to be fair, The Marine, which launched a surprise franchise starring John Cena, isn't the best movie on this list, nor is it the best John Cena movie. Honestly, though, the first one is pretty decent and, well, the title is The Marine, so it has to be on this list.

Mine

I agree with critics who argued at the time that Mine should have been way more intense than it actually was. It's about a Marine, played by Armie Hammer, trying to escape from a mine field in the desert of North Africa. The premise sounds incredible, but the execution leaves much to be desired.

Battle Cry

1953's Battle Cry is not alone in the war film genre in that it tends to be more about a love story than about battles and wars (I'm looking at you, Pearl Harbor). That's not necessarily a bad thing (except in Pearl Harbor), but in Battle Cry, it frankly gets a little cheesy when the military scenes are actually really intense.

Megan Leavey

Megan Leavey, starring Kate Mara as the real-life titular character, is not easy to watch for Military vets or dog lovers. The true story about a K-9 MP is a great movie about a woman in the military and a powerful story about the fallout of serving in a war zone.

Purple Hearts

While critics didn't love Purple Hearts, the Netflix original movie was pretty popular with viewers. It's an engaging romance about a bartender and a Marine who marry for convenience, but soon find true love.

First To Fight

The Battle of Guadalcanal is legendary in Marine history. It was the first major battle of the Second World War, and in a number of ways, it set the tone for how the war would play out. 1967's First to Fight, starring Marine vet Gene Hackman among others, is an intense portrayal of that pivotal battle and the soldiers who fought it.

The D.I.

Jack Webb is certainly most famous for the show he starred in and created, Dragnet, but he also made a pretty great movie about training in the military called The D.I. in 1957. It's worth a watch, even if it's a little square and on the nose, like everything Webb did.

Major Payne

Including Major Payne, starring Damon Wayans as a completely cartoonish and over-the-top drill sergeant in the Marines. Yeah, it's silly, but I've actually heard former Marines praise it for its satire, so that's a real compliment, landing comfortably on this list.

Uncommon Valor

Gene Hackman served in the USMC before becoming one of the greatest actors of all time. It makes sense that he would portray a Marine in more than one movie, as he does in Uncommon Valor. He's not the only actor who's served in the military, sure, but he has often used his experience over the years.

Aliens

I just had to include this one. Obviously, Aliens is nothing like a traditional war movie, as it's really a science fiction horror movie. Still, any movie that includes a sergeant waking up and proclaiming it to be "another day in the Corps!" is worthy of inclusion here, even if it's about life in the military in the future.

The Great Santini

Robert Duvall's turn as a strict father serving in the Marines isn't about war, nor is it strictly about military life. It's really more about the effects a military career has on the families of an officer. The family has to move a lot and deal with their father's temper and alcoholism. It's a tough movie to watch, but ultimately rewarding, and Duvall, as usual, is great.

Death Before Dishonor

Actor Fred Dwyer never served in the military, but he was a stereotypical tough guy in the 1980s. The former NFL player is most famous for his starring role in the '80s detective show Hunter, and he also starred in this movie, Death Before Dishonor, as a Marine out for justice after Middle Eastern terrorists take members of his unit hostage.