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The Great War

The Great War

No man left behind

2019108 minRMidcredits score: 13th percentile of all films
Director
Steven Luke
Starring
Jordan McFadden, Ron Perlman, Billy Zane, Bates Wilder

In November of 1918 as World War I was ending, a unit of American soldiers goes behind enemy lines to find a lost platoon of African American soldiers.

Where to watch

Where can I watch The Great War?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists The Great War streaming on MovieSphere+ via Prime Video and Tubi (free) and to rent or buy on Apple TV and Prime Video.

Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about The Great War?

The Great War earns 1 badge: Bittersweet.

Reception

Is The Great War worth watching?

The Great War's Midcredits score is the 13th percentile of all films, from 2.2K ratings across 5 sources. 21% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

13th percentile

Better received than 13% of films

8th percentile among Drama13th percentile among 2010s
Acclaim (how much people like it)19th
Approval (how many liked it)10th

51 /100

19th percentile of all films

15th percentile among Drama22nd percentile among 2010s

Critics 24 · Audience 53

Audiences liked it more than critics did.

Rating distribution

Ratings scatter across the whole scale — one of the most divisive reactions in the catalog.

Approval

How many liked it

21% liked it

10th percentile of all films

6th percentile among Drama10th percentile among 2010s
21% rated it 7–1079% rated it 1–6

Critics 17% · Audience 31%

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

Reach

How many have seen it

72nd percentile

2.2K ratings across platforms

75th percentile among Drama75th percentile among 2010s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 23% in 30 days

What reviewers say

Common ground

A low-budget WWI film about rescuing a lost African-American platoon that borrows heavily from Saving Private Ryan.

Fans praised

  • important forgotten story of African-American WWI troops
  • genuine emotional impact and brotherhood themes
  • authentic period uniforms and weapons despite low budget

Detractors panned

  • blatant scene-by-scene rip-off of Saving Private Ryan
  • wooden acting and amateurish dialogue
  • clean, bloodless battle scenes lack grit and realism

What stands out

CinematographyDivisive40

some nice shots but cheap production design; mirrored frames obvious

CharactersDivisive30

thinly written stereotypes; racial arcs feel forced and unearned

ActingDivisive25

inconsistent cast; Bates Wilder and a few others praised, most deemed wooden or amateurish

Plot and storyDivisive20

direct copy of Saving Private Ryan structure; rescue mission lacks stakes

DialogueDivisive15

anachronistic phrases; stolen lines from SPR and Gettysburg

AtmosphereDivisive15

pristine uniforms, no mud or grime; feels like clean reenactment

Effects and spectacleDivisive10

laughably fake blood, weapons, explosions; paintball-quality battles

OriginalityDivisive5

narrative, dialogue, and scenes copied from multiple war films

Preferred by

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

  • US vs non-US 1 point apart

Watch experience

What is The Great War like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

No single mood: browse every movie of this kindNo one kind of watch fits it, so it is described by how heavy it is.

Watch this when you want something dark and affecting.

It leaves you bittersweet.

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

What it asks of you

Nothing out of the ordinary.

What it feels like

Moods
TenseMelancholicHopeful
Heaviest: late
Register
Solemn: Grave and dignified; treats its subject with weight and respect.Brutal · 7% of films
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film presents its wartime story with solemn gravity, treating the sacrifice and moral dilemmas earnestly.
The rideThe mission creates a sustained pressure broken by combat and the main character's death just before the ceasefire; the heaviest emotional stretch is the final hill defense and Rivers' death.
StructureThe story unfolds chronologically from the rescue order through the engagement.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Bittersweet.

BittersweetHopeful
Why it leaves you this wayThe film leaves a sense of sacrifice and the bittersweet arrival of peace after the rescue succeeds.
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).QuestRescue
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% (this title): Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% (this title) · 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%: Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3%
  • Rebirth 13%: Redemption 3% · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Quest: A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles. · Rescue: Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).

10% of films fit this archetype

Why this archetypeThe plot is driven by a rescue mission to retrieve a stranded platoon behind enemy lines.

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 filmsSelfLoyaltyBonds
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27% (this title): Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% · Loyalty 4% (this title)
  • 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% (this title) · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% · Deception 9%
  • Survival 15%: Survival 17% · War 1% · 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% (this title) · 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%

Bonds

Loyalty · 4% of filmsDuty · 2% of filmsPrejudice · 3% of films
Celebrates its theme: Affirms its theme — this is good and worth having.Intimate stakes: Consequences reach a person or a household.Dual lead
How it treats its themeThe film follows soldiers who must overcome racial prejudice to fulfill a duty to rescue fellow troops, testing loyalty under fire.
StanceDespite the war, the film’s focus is a small group's loyalty overcoming prejudice; it celebrates that loyalty and the sacrifice for a fellow soldier, as seen in Rivers' final stand and mission success.

The world

Early 20th centuryWildernessInstitutionalRealistic
Orchestral classicalSupportive music · original score
SettingFrench Argonne Forest, November 1918, during the final days of World War I
MusicOne reviewer claims similarity to Saving Private Ryan's score; no composer is named.

Content guide

Is The Great War okay for kids?

R

The Great War is rated R: “Rated R for war violence” (MPAA). As of August 31, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at intense (67/100), sexual content at minimal (7/100), language at mild (33/100), drug and alcohol content at mild (33/100) and frightening material at moderate (50/100). None has enough votes to rank yet.

Ratings in 4 other countries
  • Germany16
  • JapanR18+
  • Denmark15
  • Netherlands12
Overall
Moderate · all five categories
not ranked
Violence & Gore
Intense
too few votes to rank (2 votes)
Sex & Nudity
None / Minimal
too few votes to rank (5 votes)
Profanity
Mild
too few votes to rank (2 votes)
Alcohol & Drugs
Mild
too few votes to rank (2 votes)
Frightening / Intense
Moderate
too few votes to rank (2 votes)

Too few votes to rank this title overall (13 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 The Great War have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in The Great War?

Cast

2 of the cast already had the standing of a top-10% working actor.

Jordan McFadden
as Mary
Ron Perlman
as Gen. Pershing
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Billy Zane
as Col. Jack Morrison
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Bates Wilder
as Capt. William Rivers
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Edgar Damatian
as Pvt. Cardinni
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.
Aaron Courteau
as Sgt. Allistor Richardson
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Andrew Stecker
as Cpl. Anson Kirby
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Hiram A. Murray
as Pvt. John Cain
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Jeremy Michael Pereira
as Captain A.J. Stevens
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Judah McFadden
as Pvt. Pinchelli

Crew

Directed by

Steven Luke

Written by

Steven Luke

Edited by

Allison Berg

Produced by

Steven LukeAndre Relis

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What are movies like The Great War?

Movies like The Great War include Pawankhind (2022), The Great Raid (2005) and War Horse (2011). Of the 12 closest matches, several are films set during World War I, and several are rescue stories.

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

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

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with The Great War?

813 other films share the rarest tag below, kind of film: war epic. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.