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Attack

Attack

It rips open the hot Hell behind the glory!

1956107 minApprovedMidcredits score: 90th percentile of all films
Director
Robert Aldrich
Starring
Jack Palance, Eddie Albert, Lee Marvin, Robert Strauss

Battle of the Bulge, World War II, 1944. Lieutenant Costa, an infantry company officer who must establish artillery observation posts in a strategic area, has serious doubts about Captain Cooney's leadership ability.

Where to watch

Where can I watch Attack?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Attack streaming on Prime Video, ScreenPix via Prime Video and Tubi (free) and to rent or buy on Prime Video.

Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about Attack?

Attack earns 5 badges, led by Top 5% in Action and Top 10% of films.

  • Rank
  • Reception
  • Craft and mood

Reception

Is Attack worth watching?

Attack's Midcredits score is the 90th percentile of all films, from 10K ratings across 4 sources. 80% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

90th percentile

Better received than 90% of films

95th percentile among Action90th percentile among 1950s
Acclaim (how much people like it)86th
Approval (how many liked it)90th

72 /100

86th percentile of all films

93rd percentile among Action89th percentile among 1950s

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 7.4 — solid but not unanimous.

Approval

How many liked it

80% liked it

90th percentile of all films

93rd percentile among Action90th percentile among 1950s
80% rated it 7–1020% rated it 1–6

Critics 100% · Audience 79%

On Rotten Tomatoes, a bigger share of critics approved than audiences.

75th percentile

10K ratings across platforms

62nd percentile among Action84th percentile among 1950s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Up 11% in 30 days

Box office

Budget$750K

What reviewers say

Common ground

A gritty, small-scale war drama focused on cowardice and flawed leadership rather than heroic action.

Fans praised

  • Palance and Albert give career-best performances
  • Unflinching anti-war message and honest portrayal of cowardice
  • Intense psychological drama between two officers

Detractors panned

  • Overwrought acting, especially Palance's death scene
  • Low budget shows in fake tanks and backlot sets
  • Talky stage-bound pacing with too much melodrama

What stands out

ActingDivisive85

Palance's snarling intensity and Albert's cowardly weasel are career highlights

CharactersDivisive80

One-dimensional stereotypes, but compelling conflict between coward and vengeful hero

TensionDivisive80

Battle of wills between Palance and Albert is nail-biting

Emotional impactDivisive75

Devastating climax and gut-wrenching portrayal of war's cost

AtmosphereDivisive70

Gritty, grim tone with claustrophobic tension

DialogueDivisive70

Hard-hitting and honest, though some lines feel stagey

Plot and storyDivisive65

Focused on internal army politics and revenge, but preachy and melodramatic ending

PacingDivisive55

Spotty pacing, talky stretches, but intense climactic scenes

Preferred by

No notable difference between any of the groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • Critics vs users 8 points apart
  • US vs non-US 6 points apart

Watch experience

What is Attack like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Dark and unsettling: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you are ready for heavy feelings, and you want something dark that stays with you.

It is intense and leaves you thinking. Skip it when you want an easy night.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Room for heavy feelings.

What it feels like

Dark and unsettling.

The answer rests on this: Moods
TenseDread
Heaviest: late
Register
Solemn: Grave and dignified; treats its subject with weight and respect.Bleak · 8% of films
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film treats its material with grim seriousness, focusing on the moral weight of cowardice and sacrifice without irony or levity.
The rideThe synopsis points to persistent tension between the officers, likely building to a climactic confrontation late in the film.
StructureA linear, chronological story following the company from base to the doomed siege and its aftermath.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Thinking.

The answer rests on this: Thought-provokingDevastating · 3% of filmsInfuriating · 4% of films: Leaves you angry at an injustice the film shows, never at the film.
Why it leaves you this wayA grim war drama that leaves the viewer haunted by its portrayal of cowardice and sacrifice, with an infuriating sense of institutional injustice.
How it ends · evidence
Bittersweet ending

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).Tragedy
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21%: Predator 6% · Tyrant 6% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% · Mission 5% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11%: Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9% (this title): Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3% (this title)
  • Rebirth 13%: Redemption 3% · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Tragedy: A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin. · Crushed by fate: Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.

9% of films fit this archetype

A loose fit — the map only half-holds this one.

Why this archetypeA war drama where brave soldiers are destroyed by a cowardly commander, culminating in a tragic siege and a moral reckoning that cannot undo the losses.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelfWarSurvival
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27%: Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22%: Identity 14% · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% · Memory 3% · Obsession 3%
  • Power 7%: Power 2% · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5%
  • Morality 16%: Justice 13% · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% (this title) · Deception 9%
  • Survival 15% (this title): Survival 17% · War 1% (this title) · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% · Trauma 7% · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9%: Community 14% · Isolation 5% · Prejudice 3% · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Survival

War · 1% of filmsBetrayal · 5% of films
Interrogates its theme: Questions its theme without settling the answer.Intimate stakes: Consequences reach a person or a household.Dual lead
How it treats its themeThe film examines the pressures and moral fractures of war, focusing on how combat strains loyalty between officers and men.
StanceThe film questions the toll of war on human relationships and leadership, focusing on two central characters rather than a broad battle.

The world

Mid 20th centuryWildernessRealistic
Orchestral classicalSupportive music · original score · Frank De Vol
SettingAmerican infantry company in France, 1944
MusicA traditional war film score that underscores tension and drama.

Content guide

Is Attack okay for kids?

Approved

Attack is rated Approved. As of March 15, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at moderate (53/100), sexual content at minimal (0/100), language at mild (22/100), drug and alcohol content at mild (33/100) and frightening material at mild (33/100). None has enough votes to rank yet.

Ratings in 8 other countries
  • UKPG
  • CanadaPG
  • Germany16
  • FranceTP
  • Brazil10
  • BelgiumAL
  • Netherlands18
  • Sweden15
Overall
Moderate · all five categories
not ranked
Violence & Gore
Moderate
too few votes to rank (5 votes)
Sex & Nudity
None / Minimal
too few votes to rank (3 votes)
Profanity
Mild
too few votes to rank (3 votes)
Alcohol & Drugs
Mild
too few votes to rank (3 votes)
Frightening / Intense
Mild
too few votes to rank (3 votes)

Too few votes to rank this title overall (17 votes across 5 categories; ranking needs 10 in at least three).

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other films that have them.

What content warnings does Attack have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Attack?

Cast

Jack Palance
as Lt. Joe Costa - Fox Co.
Rising: A short career with a standing when this film came out above the median working actor today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Eddie Albert
as Capt. Erskine Cooney
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Lee Marvin
as Lt. Col. Clyde Bartlett - CO, White Battalion
Rising: A short career with a standing when this film came out above the median working actor today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Robert Strauss
as Pfc. Bernstein
Richard Jaeckel
as Pvt. Snowden
Buddy Ebsen
as Sfc. Tolliver - Fox Co.
Strother Martin
as Sgt. Ingersol
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Peter van Eyck
as SS Captain
Steven Geray
as Otto - German NCO
Jud Taylor
as Pvt. Jacob R. Abramowitz - Radioman
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.

Crew

More like this

What are movies like Attack?

Movies like Attack include 1944 (2015), A Midnight Clear (1992) and Fury (2014). Of the 12 closest matches, most are films set during World War II, and several are hero-versus-nemesis stories.

Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

11 of these 12 share its subject: war. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with Attack?

2.6K other films share the rarest tag below, premise: siege. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.