War films have always helped to appreciate peacetime and realize the price of victory over the enemy. We present you the best selection of films about tank battles and tank crews. The movies from this list will be an excellent choice for all fans of military battles.
Fury
- Rating IMDB – 7.6
- Genre: Action, drama, war
- USA, China, UK production / 2014
- Budget: $68,000,000
- Worldwide gross: $211,817,906
- Directed by David Eyre
- Cast: Brad Pitt, Logan Lerman, Shia LaBeouf, Michael Peña, Jon Bernthal, Jason Isaacs, Jim Parrack, Brad William Henke, Kevin Vance, Zavier Samuel
Spring 1945. The end of World War II is just around the corner, but bloody battles are still going on. The crew of the American Sherman tank, commanded by Sergeant Don Collier, crushes the enemy in its territory. The crew of this tank has been at war with the Nazis for a very long time, and the only wish of the guys is to return home alive. However, not everyone will be able to do so.
After the fighting machine falls on a mine, the guys are forced to stop their way and fix it. But they can’t do it before the overpowering enemy arrives – an uneven fight is inevitable!
In order to be as realistic as possible to play a role in this film actor – Shia LaBeouf (he got the character of Boyd Swann) cut his tooth and for a long time refused to swim. The latter greatly annoyed the entire crew.
Seoboojeonsun
- Rating IMDB – 6.6
- Genre: War, comedy, story, drama, action
- South Korea production / 2015
- Worldwide gross: $4,185,530
- Directed by Cheon Seong-il
- Cast: Seol Kyung-gu, Yo Jin-gu, Lee Kyung-yeon, Din Dawson, Jeong Sog-won, Jeong In-gyi, Park Ji-yeon, Han Guk-jin, Roh Young-hak, Lee Sang-hee
1953. The Korean War is three days away from being over. However, the soldiers of the northern and southern parts of the country do not know this and continue to fight each other. Thus, members of the opposing armies of Nam-bok and Yong-gwan become real enemies. The fact is that a South Korean infantryman, Nam-bok, has been assigned to deliver a package of secret documents to a certain location.
However, on the way, the guy lags behind his comrades and loses the package. It is found by an enemy army tanker, Yong-gwan, who is ordered to lead his tank to the rear. But it will be very difficult for him to reach his goal now, because Nam-bok decides to return the lost documents at any cost.
The famous Soviet T-34 tank took part in the shooting of this Korean film.
Lebanon
- Rating IMDB – 6.9
- Genre: Drama, War
- Israel, France, Germany, UK production / 2009
- Worldwide gross: $1,220,376
- Directed by Samuel Maoz
- Cast: Yoav Donat, Itai Tiran, Oshri Cohen, Michael Moshonov, Zohar Strauss, Dudu Tassa, Ashraf Barhom, Fares Hananya, Raymond Amsallem
The summer of 1982. The height of the first Lebanese war. A tank crew of Israeli soldiers is assigned to provide cover for a group of paratroopers who, immediately after a bombing raid, must clear a city in Lebanon of Palestinian militants.
But very soon the mission turns into a living hell. Unexpectedly, the military encounters powerful enemy resistance. The entire infantry is killed and the four young tankers (Shmuel, Herzl, Assi, and Yigal) find themselves all alone in this terrible slaughter.
The mockup of the tank, inside which the shooting took place, in real life was one and a half times larger than the original. The size was increased due to the fact that in addition to the actors playing the crew, the tank model had to accommodate members of the film crew as well.
Saints and Soldiers: The Void
- Rating IMDB – 5.3
- Genre: Action, Drama, Military
- USA production / 2014
- Directed by Ryan Little
- Cast: Adam Gregory, Timothy S. Shoemaker, Michael Todd Behrens, David Morgan, Brenden Whitney, Jeff Birk, Joel Bishop
The events of the film unfold in May 1945. There are only a few days left until the complete defeat of fascism, but the remnants of the German army still continue to resist. Thus, one of the most dangerous places are considered to be the Harz Mountains, which the Americans called “The Void”. It is there that one of the main clusters of scattered German units and saboteurs is located.
However, despite the danger, a team of U.S. troops is sent there to complete another mission. The U.S. soldiers handle the first part of their mission perfectly, but on the way back, two M18 Hellcat trucks fall into a cleverly set trap of the enemy. Unequal combat is inevitable.
Some of the actors who got roles in this film had already worked with director Ryan Little. This was thanks to the film Saints and Soldiers, which Little directed in 2003.
Sahara
- Rating IMDB – 6.7
- Genre: Action, War
- Australia, USA production / 1995
- Directed by Brian Trenchard-Smith
- Cast: James Belushi, Alan David Leigh, Simon Westaway, Mark Leigh, Michael Massey, Robert Wisdom, Jerome Ehlers, Angelo D’Angelo, Paul Empson, William Upjohn
The events of the film are set in the year 42 of the twentieth century on the territory of North Africa. Three American tank crewmen find themselves surrounded by the enemy. To save the crew, Joe Gunn decides to flee south – to the desert. The team manages to carry out their plan, but the Germans are not going to let the prey out of their hands.
The fascists continue to chase the tank heroes even in the Sahara. However, the pursuit drags on, and soon the Americans and the Germans begin to get thirsty. When the heroes stumble upon an almost desiccated oasis, a fierce battle for water ensues between the opponents.
The film is a remake of the film of the same name by the British director – Zoltan Korda, which was released in 1943.
Kelly’s Heroes
- Rating IMDB – 7.6
- Genre: Comedy, adventure, war
- USA production / 1970
- Budget: $4,000,000
- Worldwide gross: $5,200,000
- Directed by Brian J. Hutton
- Cast: Clint Eastwood, Telly Savalas, Don Rickles, Carroll O’Connor, Donald Sutherland, Gavin McLeod, Hal Buckley, Stuart Margolin, Jeff Morris, Richard Davalos
World War II comes to an end. The allies of the anti-Hitler coalition continue to advance. Among them is a young sergeant Kelly. The man treats the war as a duty, but unexpected information from a captured German inspires the hero to show particular zeal in the offensive.
The fact is that in the defeated German Bank lies a huge supply of gold that has not been removed in time. Kelly realizes that this is a great opportunity to get rich, so he quickly assembles a group of like-minded men and sets out for the intended booty.
Initially there was a female role in the script of this film, but it was later cut out completely.
Patton
- Rating IMDB – 7.9
- Genre: Drama, War, Biography
- USA production / 1970
- Budget: $12,000,000
- Worldwide gross: $61,749,765
- Directed by Franklin J. Schaffner
- Cast: George C. Scott, Carl Malden, Stephen Young, Michael Strong, Cary Loftin, Albert Dumortiere, Frank Latimore, Morgan Poll, Carl Michael Vogler, Bill Hickman
George Smith Patton is one of the most famous American generals to have participated in World War II. The man was so invincible on the western front that some even compared him to Zhukov. During the war, the hero successfully managed to fight in Africa, Sicily, and France.
However, the most famous operation of the general took place in the Ardennes. There George Smith was able to repulse brilliantly a German counteroffensive. Patton had more than one significant impact on the course of World War II and this film will tell about all his exploits.
This film was shot in seven countries around the world: the United States, England, Italy, Spain, Greece, Morocco and Algeria.
Czterej pancerni i pies (serial)
- Rating: IMDB – 7.7
- Genre: adventure, war
- Production: Poland / 1966
- Director: Konrad Nalecki, Andrzej Ciekalski
- Starring Janusz Gajos, Franciszek Pieczka, Włodzimierz Press, Małgorzata Nemierska, Witold Pyrkosz, Paula Raksa, Wieslaw Golas, Tadeusz Kalinowski, Janusz Klosiński, Roman Wilhelmi
The series will tell about the everyday life of one of the crews of the Soviet tank “T-34-85”. Despite the fact that many tank crew members often failed to find a permanent crew and the groups broke up immediately after the first battle, the heroes of this film are true comrades. During a battle, the guys practically become one with each other and their tank, which they nicknamed “Red”.
However, in addition to the four tankers, an integral member of the crew of the fighting machine is their mascot – a sheepdog named Sharik. All together they take part in dangerous battles of World War II.
The series is based on the novel of the same name by Janusz Przymanowski.
Battle of the Bulge
- Rating IMDB – 6.8
- Genre: War, Action, Drama
- USA production / 1965
- Directed by Ken Ennakin
- Cast: Henry Fonda, Robert Shaw, Robert Ryan, Dana Andrews, George Montgomery, Ty Hardin, Pierre Angeli, Barbara Veerle, Charles Bronson, Hans Christian Blech
The events of the film are set at the end of World War II. The Nazis suffer crushing defeats, and the German command makes yet another attempt to regain its former power. All hope lies in a surprise counteroffensive, in which Colonel Hessler’s secret armored division must play a decisive role.
Except that the colonel realizes that his operation may fail due to a lack of fuel. To replenish his supplies, Hessler decides to seize the nearest fuel base. Except that a simple, at first glance, plan turns into a real massacre for the Germans.
The Beast
- Rating IMDB – 7.3
- Genre: Drama, Adventure, War
- USA production / 1988
- Worldwide gross: $161,004
- Directed by Kevin Reynolds
- Cast: George Dzundza, Jason Patrick, Stephen Bauer, Stephen Baldwin, Don Harvey, Kabir Bedi, Eric Awari, Chime Jiraffe, Shoshi Marisano, Itzhak Ne’eman
1981, the war in Afghanistan is in full swing. Several Soviet tanks are sent to a Pashtun village to clean it up – the command thinks that mujahideen are hiding in the settlement. However, no other civilians are found, and the tankers, having completed their punitive operation, set off for their base.
During this journey one of the tanks lags behind. Thus, the entire crew of the fighting vehicle becomes a target for the Afghans. Wanting revenge for the tank commander’s cruelty to his kin, the Pashtuns begin to pursue and attack the vehicle.
In this film, the role of the Soviet Mi-8 helicopter is not the original, but the French Sud-Aviation SA.321 Super-Frelon.
Tank
- Rating IMDB – 5.8
- Genre: Action, Drama, Comedy
- USA production / 1984
- Worldwide gross: $11,302,884
- Directed by Marvin J. Chomsky
- Cast: James Garner, Shirley Jones, C. Thomas Howell, Mark Herrier, Sandy Ward, Janely Harrison, James Cromwell, Dorian Harewood, G. D. Spradlin, John Hancock
Zach Cary is a sergeant. One day he is transferred to a new duty station, but when he arrives at headquarters, he faces the arbitrariness of the local sheriff’s deputy. Cary immediately fights back against the corrupt policeman by standing up for the girl’s honor. But very soon all the wrath of the vengeful representative of law and order falls on Zach.
Under a far-fetched pretext, the sergeant’s son is imprisoned. Cary does everything possible to free his child, but soon realizes that justice will not be achieved by legal means. Zach gets in his tank to use the assault to free his son from prison.
The film was shot on a real US military base.
