The idea of conflict has been quietly building throughout the species ever since humankind started to comprehend the idea of his own area and his single control over it. Also, as human civilization developed further, so did the weapons of conflict. The majority of battles throughout history, however, have been fought between two or more nations. To subjugate other kingdoms and expand his dominion further than any other ruler in history had been able to, kings waged war against them.
A conflict that breaks out within a single nation, between its citizens, is another type that can be equally dangerous. And these conflicts are known as civil wars. Here, the nation is split into two factions that formally declare war on one another. The two most prominent civil conflicts in human history are the American and Spanish Civil Wars. The north and south of the United States fought each other in the American Civil War. The fundamental issue at stake was whether it was appropriate to boycott slavery. The Southerners disagreed with the Northern states, collectively known as the Union, who believed that slavery should be abolished, sparking the start of one of history’s bloodiest wars. Before the Second World War, there was the Spanish Civil War, which pitted a dictatorial regime against a republican one.
Over the years, civil conflicts have decimated and pillaged several nations. Throughout the twentieth century, civil wars broke out in a number of African nations. We were able to gather some of the greatest Civil War films ever by keeping all of this in mind. Hence, the following is a list of the best Civil War movies on Netflix that are currently streaming.
‘76 (2016)
Izu Ojukwu, a Nigerian filmmaker, directed the 1976 period drama film “76.” It centres on a young soldier’s pregnant wife who is charged with plotting a coup and conspiring against the military. The Nigerian Civil War is briefly mentioned in the story, despite the fact that the movie takes place six years after its conclusion. It also emphasises how the Civil War led to a time of prejudice and mistrust in Nigeria and how many communities suffered as a result.
Beasts Of No Nation (2015)
The same-named 2005 book served as the basis for this 2015 motion picture. It tells the tale of a young soldier serving in a country that is already deeply engaged in a civil war. Cary Joji Fukunaga wrote and directed the film. The country is in Africa, however the name of the country is never revealed. The major actors in the film are Abraham Attah and Idris Elba. Attah’s outstanding performance earned him a Marcelo Mastroianni Award at the Venice Film Festival despite the fact that this was his debut movie.
As his parents and brothers are executed by the government camp on the grounds that they were rebels, Attah’s character, Agu, escapes and enlists in a group of the rebel fighters led by Commandant, who is portrayed by Elba. Agu is taken under Commandant’s wing, but after being raped, the troops give him the narcotic brown-brown (a concoction of cocaine and smokeless gunpowder). Following several unfortunate incidents, Agu’s group loses communication with their parent organisation, and things only grow worse for them. Critics gave the film high marks, and Elba’s performance even earned him a Screen Actors Guild Award.
Da 5 Bloods (2020)
Spike Lee’s military drama film “Da 5 Bloods” follows a group of Black American Vietnam War soldiers as they travel back to the nation in quest of their missing squad leader. The group’s ultimate goal is to retrieve the riches they secreted away during their initial journey, though. The movie emphasises the political unrest in Vietnam even though it is not your usual civil war movie. Additionally, it emphasises how the Vietnam War impacted and moulded the lives of the soldiers who were involved. Da 5 Bloods is one of the best movies to combine politics and combat in one cohesive story because of director Spike Lee’s skillful direction and the cast’s strong performances, which included the late Chadwick Boseman.
First They Killed My Father (2017)
Angelina Jolie directed this film, and it is unquestionably her best to date. A family caught in the middle of the Cambodian Civil War, the Cambodia Campaign, and the Vietnamese-Cambodian War is the subject of this compelling story. Loung Ung, who also co-wrote the script alongside Jolie, is the author of the true story on which the film is based. Father of Ung served in the military for the administration that the Khmer Rouge, a communist group in Cambodia, had declared war on. The family is taken prisoner by the rebels and forced to labour in food-poor labour camps. Also, they prohibited the use of foreign goods in the camps, including medicine, which resulted in many prisoners dying there due to the appalling conditions.
The rebels continue their propaganda inside the camps, hoping to convince the prisoners of the value of rebelling against the authorities. Loung had fled from the camp and enlisted in another as a child soldier, planting mines while receiving better treatment than she had as work. The life of the family’s children who survive the conflict is followed in the film. Critics adored this film, which was presented at the Telluride and Toronto International Film Festivals.
Sergio (2020)
The biographical film Sergio, directed by Greg Barker, is based on the life of Sérgio Vieira de Mello, the Special Representative of the United Nations in Iraq. After being trapped in a hotel by a blast, the movie depicts Sérgio’s terrifying experiences in Baghdad. The story makes passing reference to the departure of American forces from Iraq and the Civil War that followed. The troubles of Sergio and his coworker continue to dominate the conversation. As a result, in contrast to the majority of the films on this list, it offers audiences a viewpoint on war that is distinct from that of the military.
The Endless Trench (2019)
The 1936 Spanish Civil War serves as the setting for the Spanish-French historical drama “The Endless Trench” or “La trinchera infinita,” which centres on Higinio Blanco (Antonio de la Torre), who recently weds Rosa (Belén Cuesta), a seamstress. Because of his criticism of the Nationalist regime, he is compelled to go into hiding. The movie is broken up into chapters just like a book. The first chapter’s title, “campeada,” or “to run,” refers to Blanco’s escape from the Falangists. He eventually hides under the floor of his house. Once his neighbours betray him, Blanco is forced to move under the kitchen in chapter 2, “seconder” or “to hide.” He gets used to living in his hole as the movie goes on, leaving his family wondering if he would emerge after the threat has passed.
The Siege of Jadotville (2016)
The Irish Army’s Commandant Pat Quinlan (Jamie Dornan) leads a troop of peacekeepers against an overwhelming number of Congolese soldiers in Richie Smyth’s war-action movie “The Siege of Jadotville.” The film is based on a true tale, and it takes place in 1961, following the execution of the Congolese Prime Minister Patrice Lumumba, which started a Civil War in the nation. It has some breathtaking vistas, inspiring storytelling, and an emotionally moving plot that will appeal to a historical drama audience.
