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King Arthur poster

Movies that feel likeKing Arthur (2004)

The story of the Arthurian legend, based on the 'Sarmatian hypothesis' which contends that the legend has a historical nucleus in the Sarmatian heavy cavalry troops stationed in Britain, and that the Roman-British military commander, Lucius Artorius Castus is the historical person behind the legend.

If you loved King Arthur, the closest films we have are Mongol: The Rise of Genghis Khan (2007), Tae Guk Gi: The Brotherhood of War (2004) and We Were Soldiers (2002). All three share King Arthur's epic and bleak feel, which is what we rank on before quality.

Seen the big three already? The under-the-radar pick below is Red Cliff (2008).

πŸ… 30% Rotten Tomatoesβ˜… 6.3 IMDb β†—TMDB β†—dir. Antoine Fuquaepicbleakkineticcontemplative
6 of 12 streaming nowNetflix Β· Amazon Prime Video Β· Hulu

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If King Arthur hit the spot, these will too

Looking for the series itself? Also in this series: King Arthur: Legend of the Sword (2017)

Mongol: The Rise of Genghis Khan poster
Mongol: The Rise of Genghis Khan
2007 Β· dir. Sergei Bodrov
πŸ… 86%β˜… 7.2history Β· war Β· action

The same preoccupation in both: battle

The difference: Critics rated this one higher still

The story recounts the early life of Genghis Khan, a slave who went on to conquer half the world in the 11th century.

Tae Guk Gi: The Brotherhood of War poster
Tae Guk Gi: The Brotherhood of War
2004 Β· dir. Kang Je-kyu
πŸ… 79%β˜… 8action Β· adventure Β· drama

Epic where it counts, bleak underneath

When two brothers are forced to fight in the Korean War, the elder decides to take the riskiest missions if it will help shield the younger from battle.

We Were Soldiers poster
We Were Soldiers
2002 Β· dir. Randall Wallace
πŸ… 63%β˜… 7.2action Β· history Β· warParamount+

Kinetic war in both cases

The difference: Trades the stillness of King Arthur for an angle of its own

The year is 1965 and America is at war with North Vietnam. Commanding the air cavalry is Lt. Col. Hal Moore (Gibson), a born leader committed to his troops. His target: the Ia Drang Valley, called "The Valley of Death." As Moore prepares for one of the most violent battles in U.S. history, he delivers a stirring promise to his soldiers and their families: "I will leave no man behind...dead or alive. We will all come home together."

Eastern Condors poster
Eastern Condors
1987 Β· dir. Sammo Hung
β˜… 7.1action Β· adventure Β· war

Both keep coming back to the same thing: battle

A motley group of Chinese prisoners held in the US is sent on a covert mission with the promise of a pardon: to go deep into Vietnam and destroy a secret depot of missiles that the US left behind during the pull-out.

Red Cliff poster
Red Cliff
2008 Β· dir. John Woo
πŸ… 89%β˜… 7.3history Β· war Β· actionPrime Video

History built on scale, twice over

In 208 A.D., in the final days of the Han Dynasty, shrewd Prime Minster Cao convinced the fickle Emperor Han the only way to unite all of China was to declare war on the kingdoms of Xu in the west and East Wu in the south. Thus began a military campaign of unprecedented scale. Left with no other hope for survival, the kingdoms of Xu and East Wu formed an unlikely alliance.

Kingdom of Heaven poster
Kingdom of Heaven
2005 Β· dir. Ridley Scott
πŸ… 39%β˜… 7.3drama Β· action Β· adventure

Contemplative adventure, and it commits to that

After his wife dies, a blacksmith named Balian is thrust into royalty, political intrigue and bloody holy wars during the Crusades.

Tears of the Sun poster
Tears of the Sun
2003 Β· dir. Antoine Fuqua
πŸ… 34%β˜… 6.6war Β· action Β· dramaNetflix

Antoine Fuqua working the same nerve twice

Navy SEAL Lieutenant A.K. Waters and his elite squadron of tactical specialists are forced to choose between their duty and their humanity, between following orders by ignoring the conflict that surrounds them, or finding the courage to follow their conscience and protect a group of innocent refugees. When the democratic government of Nigeria collapses and the country is taken over by a ruthless military dictator, Waters, a fiercely loyal and hardened veteran is dispatched on a routine mission to retrieve a Doctors Without Borders physician.

Midway poster
Midway
2019 Β· dir. Roland Emmerich
πŸ… 42%β˜… 6.7war Β· history Β· drama

Action with a pulse of bleakness, in both cases

The story of the Battle of Midway, and the leaders and soldiers who used their instincts, fortitude and bravery to overcome massive odds.

12 Strong poster
12 Strong
2018 Β· dir. Nicolai Fuglsig
πŸ… 50%β˜… 6.6war Β· action Β· history

Both lean on momentum more than on drama

A team of special forces head into Afghanistan in the aftermath of the September 11th attacks in an attempt to dismantle the Taliban.

The Woman King poster
The Woman King
2022 Β· dir. Gina Prince-Bythewood
πŸ… 94%β˜… 6.9action Β· drama Β· historyHulu

War built on stillness, twice over

The story of the Agojie, the all-female unit of warriors who protected the African Kingdom of Dahomey in the 1800s with skills and a fierceness unlike anything the world has ever seen, and General Nanisca as she trains the next generation of recruits and readies them for battle against an enemy determined to destroy their way of life.

9th Company poster
9th Company
2005 Β· dir. Fyodor Bondarchuk
πŸ… 69%β˜… 7.1war Β· drama Β· history

Both lean on scale more than on history

Russian army recruits complete training and take their posting in late 1980s Afghanistan, where the insurgents are slowly gaining the upper hand.

The Darkest Minds poster
The Darkest Minds
2018 Β· dir. Jennifer Yuh Nelson
πŸ… 15%β˜… 5.7action Β· adventure Β· drama

Bleak adventure in both cases

After a disease kills 98% of America's children, the surviving 2% develop superpowers and are placed in internment camps. A 16-year-old girl escapes her camp and joins a group of other teens on the run from the government.

In the mood for more epic?

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The best-reviewed films that share King Arthur’s defining feeling.