The lateGene Hackmanwas one of those actors that only come along once in a blue moon. Tough, versatile, subtle, and always with tremendous screen presence (even when playing supporting roles), he was one of the greatest thespians of his generation, equally great from his New Hollywood days to his time as an industry veteran. Hackman’s recent passing shook the entertainment community to the core, and he will be sorely missed.
Throughout his illustrious and admirably prolific career, Hackman starred in films of all genres and subgenres imaginable—a few sci-fi flicks, a Western here and there, and plenty of dramas and comedies. Another one of Hackman’s favorites to work on was the war genre, which has produced some of the greatest films of all time. Some of the Hackman-starring war films are better than others, there’s no doubt about that, but they’re all worth taking a look at in honor of this massively talented artist.This list will rank every Gene Hackman war moviebased on their quality, Hackman’s performance, and their place among his larger filmography.
8’First to Fight' (1967)
Directed by Christian Nyby
Unfortunately, it’seasy to pick the worst Gene Hackman war film. It’s undoubtedlyFirst to Fight, one of the actor’s first movies, which is very loosely based on the experiences of Sgt.John Basilone, the first Marine to win the Medal of Honor in World War II. The movie has less than 500 ratings on IMDb, an abysmally low number,indicating that it has probably been forgotten, and that’s probably for the better.
The 20th century certainly had worse war movies, but it also had so many that were far better. Thus, it just isn’t worth wasting 92 minutes on this misguided effort. It’s a decent movie, but far tooforgettable and tepid both tonally and artistically. Pre-superstardom, Hackman does a solid job in his supporting performance, supposedly having worn his own Marine Corps cap (as he was a veteran himself), but this film can only be recommended to true die-hard completionists of the actor’s filmography.
First to Fight
7’March or Die' (1977)
Directed by Dick Richards
March or Dieis set during the 1920s, where the unit of French Foreign Legion Major William Foster (Hackman) is protecting an archaeological dig. The discovery of an Arab sacred burial site prompts the angry tribes to attack Foster’s small garrison. It’s a beautifully made epic shot in the deserts of Arizona, Morocco, and Spain, butvisual beauty is about as far as praise for it can go.
The action, particularly the final battle, is impressively shot, and the rest of the film is competently made as well. The issue is that the script doesn’t really give any of the actors (Hackman included) anything particularly special to do,making the whole thing a bit boring. There were production issues due to the film’s insurance company forbidding the continuation of overseas shooting when Hackman started having back pain, so that probably had something to do with how wonky the final result feels. Interesting as the behind-the-scenes might be, a hidden gem in the actor’s filmography this is not.
March or Die
6’Behind Enemy Lines' (2001)
Directed by John Moore
The last war film that Hackman ever starred in, as well as the only war film he made in the 21st century,Behind Enemy Linesis a barely okay action thriller. It’sa fun piece of mindless entertainmentfor those who like throwing the occasional “turn your brain off for two hours” kind of war movie into their filmic diets. That said, others might be bothered by the paper-thin plot, visually clunky action scenes, and general “bad US army recruitment ad” feel that permeates the film.
It’s not one ofthe essential movies of 2001, butBehind Enemy Linesis also not exactly a bad time. Sure, it’s silly and, at times, sickeningly jingoistic, butthe action sequences are enjoyable enough that it’s easy to appreciate them and the film, as long as one is in the right mindset. Hackman is great, andOwen Wilson, though terribly miscast, gives an okay dramatic performance, making this an equally okay war film.
Behind Enemy Lines
5’Uncommon Valor' (1983)
Directed by Ted Kotcheff
When going through Gene Hackman’s war filmography, it’s once you get toUncommon Valorthat you enter “hey, this is actually quite all right” territory. It’s not an extraordinary movie, as its formulaic story of a retired Marine Colonel assembling a rescue team to find American P.O.W.s in Laos is… well, very formulaic. But the way the whole thing is executed makes thisone a truly underrated war movie.
For one,Hackman is terrific, delivering a performance that’s so good thatit singlehandedly elevates the movie from a five to a sixout of ten. He’s accompanied by actors like the latePatrick SwayzeandRobert Stackin this entertaining men-on-a-mission romp, delivering a film that, while terribly clichéd, offers a decent time. The action is exciting, the characters have enough complexity to carry the narrative, and the movie’s flaws are relatively easy to ignore.
Uncommon Valor
4’Bat*21' (1988)
Directed by Peter Markle
One of Hackman’s lesser-known gems,Bat21isset during the Vietnam War, where a Colonel’s aircraft is shot down over enemy territory, prompting a frantic rescue operation. An above-average Vietnam War film that recounts the story of the longest, largest, and most complex search-and-rescue operation in the history of the conflict,Bat21makes the best of a simple storyand decides to stick to a raw, stripped-back tone and script.
Bat*21is a gritty star vehicle that legendary American critic Roger Ebertdescribed as “lean” and “no-nonsense.”
The result is a phenomenally taut drama mostly focused on its two leads, played by Hackman andDanny Glover,both of whom were rarely this good at any point during the ’80s. A gritty star vehicle that legendary American criticRoger Ebertdescribedas “lean” and “no-nonsense,” it’s a film that greatly benefits from being as laser-focused as it is. The visuals are amazing, and the direction is fantastic, but this is Hackman and Glover’s film through and through.
3’Under Fire' (1983)
Directed by Roger Spottiswoode
Under Fireis an incredible movie. It’s about three journalists in a romantic triangle who are involved in political intrigue during the last days of the corruptAnastasio Romozaregime in Nicaragua before it fell to a popular revolution in 1979.Nick Nolte, Joanna Cassidy, and Hackman are phenomenal in their roles, and the film has tons of heart and clever political commentary.
Sure,Under Fireis not a masterpiece, butthe gritty and thrilling tone blends really well with the film’s themeson the dark side of American interventionism, crafting an unforgettable slow-burner.Jerry Goldsmith’s incredible score was nominated for an Oscar, and deservedly so, but the rest of the movie is entirely award-worthy, too.The real-life political themes are incisive, war is portrayed as the true hell it is instead of being glorified, and the exploration of the nuances of war journalism is thought-provoking.
Under Fire
2’A Bridge Too Far' (1977)
Directed by Richard Attenborough
Hackman wasbusyin the ’70s, which means thatMarch or Dieisn’t his only war movie from 1977—and what a blessing that is because the other one,A Bridge Too Far, might just beone of the best WWII movies of all time. Directed by the greatRichard Attenborough, it’s a 3-hour-long epic the likes of which only talents like Attenborough knew how to nail. Aside from Hackman, the star-studded cast also featuresSean Connery,Ryan O’Neal,Michael Caine,Laurence Olivier,Robert Redford, and other thespians of similar stature.
The film received four BAFTA Awards, was a modest box office success, and was lauded by audiences, even if the response from critics who found it overlong and overstuffed was far more lukewarm. It’s definitely an unfocused movie, butits massive scope and its unbelievable cast perfectly anchor the whole thingenough to make it enjoyable throughout its daunting runtime. It’s spectacular, historically accurate, and an awesome war movie through and through. Nowadays, the cast alone is enough to impress, making ita crucial entry in Hackman’s war collectionand a worthy runner-up for this list.
1’Crimson Tide' (1995)
Directed by Tony Scott
The question of what Gene Hackman’s best war film is has an easy answer:Tony Scott’s post-Cold War action thrillerCrimson Tide, one ofthe best submarine movies ever made, starring a phenomenalDenzel Washingtonand Hackman. Its script is airtight (with some exquisite dialogue partlywritten by an uncreditedQuentin Tarantino), its action is thrilling, and its pace is delightfully high-energy.
The film was a hit at the box office and is stilla quintessential classic of the genrethirty years later. The claustrophobic setting makes for some of the most intense thrills of any film of the era. Moreover,the script is so strong and the character arcs are so interestingthat the whole thing becomes a uniquely high-quality war movie.Crimson Tideoffers a riveting experience that has aged like fine wine, and it’san essential entry in any person’s binge of Gene Hackman movies, which is likewise obligatory to celebrate the legendary actor’s life, work, and legacy.
