55 Iraq War films

The A-Team is a 2010 American action thriller film based on the 1980s television series of the same name created by Frank Lupo and Stephen J. Cannell. Directed by Joe Carnahan and written by Carnahan, Brian Bloom, and Skip Woods, the film stars Liam Neeson, Bradley Cooper, Quinton Jackson, Sharlto Copley, Jessica Biel, Patrick Wilson and Yul Vazquez. The film tells the story of a Special Forces team who, imprisoned for a crime they did not commit, escapes and sets out to clear their names. The film was produced by Cannell, Tony Scott, and his brother Ridley Scott.

Allegiance, also known as Recalled, is a 2012 American war film directed by Michael Connors and starring Bow Wow. Allegiance takes place in October 2004 and concerns the upcoming deployment of a New York Army National Guard unit to Iraq.

American Dreamz is a 2006 American comedy film directed by Paul Weitz. It satirizes both popular entertainment and American politics during the second Bush administration, called a "cultural satire" by Weitz. Reviews were mixed and the film grossed just $16 million on a budget of $17 million.

American Sniper is a 2014 American biographical war drama film directed by Clint Eastwood and written by Jason Hall. It is loosely based on the memoir American Sniper: The Autobiography of the Most Lethal Sniper in U.S. Military History (2012) by Chris Kyle, with Scott McEwen and Jim DeFelice. The film follows the life of Kyle, who became the deadliest marksman in U.S. military history with 255 kills from four tours in the Iraq War, 160 of which were officially confirmed by the Department of Defense. While Kyle was celebrated for his military successes, his tours of duty took a heavy toll on his personal and family life. The film was produced by Eastwood, Robert Lorenz, Andrew Lazar, Bradley Cooper, and Peter Morgan. It stars Cooper as Kyle and Sienna Miller as his wife Taya, with Luke Grimes, Jake McDorman, Cory Hardrict, Kevin Lacz, Navid Negahban, and Keir O'Donnell in supporting roles.

American Son is a 2008 drama film directed by Neil Abramson and starring Nick Cannon, Melonie Diaz and Matt O'Leary. The film follows a young man, Mike (Cannon) as he returns home to Bakersfield, California for Thanksgiving leave. Mike faces telling his friends and family of his nearby deployment to Iraq while dealing with a troublesome home life.

Battle for Haditha is a 2007 drama film directed by British director Nick Broomfield based on the Haditha killings. Dramatising real events using a documentary style, Battle for Haditha is Broomfield's follow up to Ghosts. The film was aired on Channel 4 in the UK on 17 March 2008.

Bekas is a 2012 Kurdish comedy-drama film written and directed by Karzan Kader. The film stars Zamand Taha and Sarwar Fazil. Set in 1990s of Iraqi Kurdistan, the story follows two shoeshiner brothers named Dana (Zamand) and Zana (Sarwar) who set off to America in order to meet Superman.

Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk is a 2016 war drama film directed by Ang Lee and written by Jean-Christophe Castelli, based on the 2012 novel of the same name by Ben Fountain. The film stars Joe Alwyn, Garrett Hedlund, Kristen Stewart, Vin Diesel, Steve Martin, and Chris Tucker. Principal photography began in April 2015 in Georgia. The film is a co-production between the United States, the United Kingdom, and China.

Body of Lies is a 2008 American spy thriller film directed and produced by Ridley Scott and written by William Monahan. It stars Leonardo DiCaprio, Russell Crowe, and Mark Strong in the lead roles. Set in the Middle East, it follows the attempts of the CIA and Jordanian Intelligence to catch "al-Saleem", a terrorist. Frustrated by their target's elusiveness, differences in their approaches strain relations between a CIA operative, his superior, and the head of Jordanian Intelligence.

Boys of Abu Ghraib is a 2014 American war film inspired by the events that took place at the Abu Ghraib prison in Baghdad, Iraq in 2003, in the background of the Iraq war. It was written and directed by Luke Moran, who co-stars alongside Sean Astin, Omid Abtahi, Sara Paxton, and John Heard. Filmmakers Edward Zwick and Marshall Herskovitz served as executive producers on the film, which was produced by Luke Moran and Cru Ennis.

Buried is a 2010 English-language Spanish psychological thriller film directed by Rodrigo Cortés. It stars Ryan Reynolds and was written by Chris Sparling.

Cherry is a 2021 American crime drama film directed by Anthony and Joe Russo, from a screenplay by Angela Russo-Otstot and Jessica Goldberg, based on the autofictional novel of the same name by Nico Walker. The film stars Tom Holland, Ciara Bravo, Jack Reynor, Michael Rispoli and Jeff Wahlberg, and follows an Army veteran suffering from PTSD, who resorts to robbing banks to support his opioid addiction.

Chintu Ka Birthday is an Indian Hindi-language comedy drama film written and directed by Devanshu Singh and Satyanshu Singh. It is produced by comedians Tanmay Bhat, Rohan Joshi, Ashish Shakya and Gursimran Khamba of All India Bakchod under their banner First Draft. Starring Vinay Pathak, Tillotama Shome, Seema Pahwa and Vedant Chibber, the film tells the story of a 6 year old boy named Chintu, stuck in Iraq with his family during Saddam’s fall in April 2004.

Conspiracy is a 2008 American action thriller film written and directed by Adam Marcus and stars Val Kilmer and Jennifer Esposito. The film is influenced by the classic western film noir thriller Bad Day at Black Rock (1955), which itself was an adaptation of a short story "Bad Time at Honda" by Howard Breslin. The film was released on direct-to-DVD in the United States on March 18, 2008.

Fair Game is a 2010 biographical political drama film directed by Doug Liman and starring Naomi Watts and Sean Penn. It is based on Valerie Plame's 2007 memoir Fair Game and Joseph C. Wilson's 2004 memoir The Politics of Truth.

G.I. Jesús is a 2006 American film directed by Carl Colpaert. The film follows Jesús, a Mexican national seeking US citizenship through military service, who returns home to Los Angeles on furlough from the Iraq War. It won the grand jury prize at the 2006 CineVegas Film Festival.

Grace Is Gone is a 2007 drama film starring John Cusack as a father who cannot bring himself to tell his two daughters that their mother, a soldier in the American army, has just been killed on a tour of duty in Iraq. On January 29, 2007, it won the Audience Award for Drama at the 2007 Sundance Film Festival.

Green Zone is a 2010 action thriller film directed by Paul Greengrass. The storyline was conceived from a screenplay written by Brian Helgeland, based on a 2006 non-fiction book Imperial Life in the Emerald City by journalist Rajiv Chandrasekaran. The book documented life within the Green Zone in Baghdad during the 2003 invasion of Iraq.

Harsh Times is a 2005 American action crime film written and directed by David Ayer in his directorial debut. Set in South Central Los Angeles, the film stars Christian Bale and Freddy Rodriguez. The film was distributed by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and Bauer Martinez Entertainment. Ayer says that the film's characters are largely based on the people he knew when he lived in South Central Los Angeles.

Home of the Brave is a 2006 American drama film following the lives of four Army National Guard soldiers in Iraq and their return to the United States. The film was shot in Morocco and in Spokane, Washington.

The Hurt Locker is a 2008 American war thriller film directed by Kathryn Bigelow and written by Mark Boal. It stars Jeremy Renner, Anthony Mackie, Brian Geraghty, Christian Camargo, Ralph Fiennes, David Morse, and Guy Pearce. The film follows an Iraq War Explosive Ordnance Disposal team who are targeted by insurgents and shows their psychological reactions to the stress of combat. Boal drew on his experience during embedded access to write the screenplay.

In the Valley of Elah is a 2007 American crime drama mystery film written and directed by Paul Haggis, starring Tommy Lee Jones, Charlize Theron, and Susan Sarandon. The film's title refers to the Biblical valley where the battle between David and Goliath took place.

Karbala is a 2015 Polish war drama film based on real events directed by filmmaker Krzysztof Łukaszewicz and set during the 2003 invasion of Iraq. It portrays the defense of the Karbala City Hall by the Polish and Bulgarian stabilization forces during the Shia rebellion in 2004. The film had its premiere on 11 September 2015.

Kingdom of Dust: Beheading of Adam Smith, also known as Hostage, is a 2011 Iraq War drama film directed and written by Heath Jones, who is also the director of Grace. It is based on events surrounding the foreign hostages in Iraq.

Last Flag Flying is a 2017 American drama film directed by Richard Linklater with a screenplay by Linklater and Darryl Ponicsan, based upon the latter's 2005 novel of the same name. It stars Steve Carell, Bryan Cranston, and Laurence Fishburne as three Vietnam War veterans who reunite after one of their sons is killed in the Iraq War.

The Lucky One is a 2012 American romantic drama film directed by Scott Hicks and released in April 2012. It is an adaptation of Nicholas Sparks’ 2008 novel of the same name.

The Lucky Ones is a 2008 American comedy-drama directed by Neil Burger. The screenplay by Burger and Dirk Wittenborn focuses on three United States Army soldiers who find themselves drawn together by unforeseen circumstances.

Manticore is an American Sci-Fi original movie that aired on the Sci-Fi Channel on November 26, 2005. It was directed by Tripp Reed and featured Heather Donahue, Chase Masterson and Robert Beltran. It is about a squad of United States Army soldiers in Iraq that must fight against a resurrected, nearly unstoppable manticore awoken from its slumber by an Iraqi insurgent leader.

The Marine is a 2006 American action film directed by John Bonito, and starring professional wrestler John Cena in his acting debut. It was executive produced by Vince McMahon through the film production division of WWE, called WWE Studios, and distributed in the United States by 20th Century Fox. The screenplay was written by Alan B. McElroy and Michelle Gallagher.

The Mark of Cain is a British Academy of Film and Television Arts Award-winning British television film first broadcast in 2007 following three young men as they experience the extremity of war for the first time, and the permanent effects of what they have seen and done as they return from their tour of duty. Rather than heroic stories, all they bring home are tawdry trophy photos, as well as the secrets of what they really did, until the consequences of their actions surface to confront them.

Megan Leavey is a 2017 American biographical drama film directed by Gabriela Cowperthwaite and written by Pamela Gray, Annie Mumolo, and Tim Lovestedt, based on the true events about a young female Marine named Megan Leavey and a combat dog named Rex. The film stars Kate Mara as the titular character, with Edie Falco, Common, Ramón Rodríguez, and Tom Felton in supporting roles.

The Men Who Stare at Goats is a 2009 satirical dark comedy war film directed by Grant Heslov, adapted by Peter Straughan, and starring George Clooney, Ewan McGregor, Jeff Bridges, and Kevin Spacey. It was produced by Clooney's and Heslov's production company Smokehouse Pictures. The film is a fictionalized version of Jon Ronson's 2004 book of the same title of an investigation into attempts by the U.S. military to employ psychic powers as a weapon—which, in turn, is a companion to a British miniseries Crazy Rulers of the World.

The Messenger is a 2009 war drama film starring Ben Foster, Woody Harrelson, Samantha Morton, Steve Buscemi, and Jena Malone. It is the directorial debut of Oren Moverman, who also wrote the screenplay with Alessandro Camon.

Nothing Like the Holidays is a 2008 film about a Puerto Rican family living in the area of Humboldt Park, Chicago facing what may be their last Christmas together. It was directed by Alfredo De Villa, written by Rick Najera, Ted Perkins, and Alison Swan, and features an ensemble cast. The film was released on December 12, 2008.

Pasaje al amanecer is a 2016 Spanish drama film directed by Andreu Castro and starred by Nicolás Coronado, Iria Calero and Annette Duran. It is the film debut of Andreu Castro.

Quiet Nights of Blood and Pain is a 2009 American horror film written and directed by Andrew Copp. It was the last feature-length film that Copp shot prior to his death in 2013.

Redacted is a 2007 American war film written and directed by Brian De Palma. It is a fictional dramatization, loosely based on the 2006 Mahmudiyah killings in Mahmoudiyah, Iraq, when U.S. Army soldiers raped an Iraqi girl and murdered her along with her family. This film, which is a companion to an earlier film by De Palma, 1989's Casualties of War, was shot in Jordan.

Return is a 2011 independent film about an American reservist, wife and mother returning home from her tour of duty in the Middle East. The film was written and directed by Liza Johnson, and stars Linda Cardellini, Michael Shannon and John Slattery. It is Johnson's first feature-length film, and received good reviews at its premiere at the Cannes Film Festival Directors' Fortnight. Linda Cardellini was nominated for an Independent Spirit Award for Best Female Lead for her performance in the film.

Route Irish is a 2010 drama-thriller film directed by Ken Loach and written by Paul Laverty. It is set in Liverpool and focuses on the consequences suffered by private security contractors after fighting in the Iraq War. The title comes from the Baghdad Airport Road, known as "Route Irish". The film was a British-French co-production. It was selected for the main competition at the 2010 Cannes Film Festival.

Sand Castle is a 2017 American war drama film directed by Fernando Coimbra and written by Chris Roessner. The film stars Nicholas Hoult, Henry Cavill, Logan Marshall-Green, Tommy Flanagan, Glen Powell, Beau Knapp, and Neil Brown Jr. The film centers on Matt Ocre, a young soldier in the United States Army, who is tasked with restoring water to a village in Iraq. It is based on the true events and the experience of the film's writer Roessner during the Iraq War. It was released on April 21, 2017 on Netflix.

Sella Turcica is a 2010 horror film written and directed by Fred Vogel, and co-written by Shelby Vogel and Don Moore.

Shadows in Paradise is a 2010 American action film directed and written by producer, director, and writer J. Stephen Maunder and starring Mark Dacascos, Armand Assante, Tom Sizemore, and Sofya Skya.

Shock and Awe is a 2017 American drama film directed by Rob Reiner and written by Joey Hartstone. The film stars Woody Harrelson, Tommy Lee Jones, James Marsden, Milla Jovovich, and Jessica Biel, and follows a group of journalists at Knight Ridder's Washington Bureau who investigate the rationale behind the Bush Administration's then-impending 2003 invasion of Iraq. The film had its world premiere at the Zurich Film Festival on September 30, 2017. It was released through DirecTV Cinema on June 14, 2018, before having a limited release in theatres on July 13, 2018, by Vertical Entertainment.

The Situation is a 2006 American war drama film directed by Philip Haas and starring Connie Nielsen. It was produced by Liaquat Ahamed, a Pulitzer Prize-winning author.

Southland Tales is a 2006 American dystopian comedy thriller film written and directed by Richard Kelly. The film features an ensemble cast including Dwayne Johnson, Seann William Scott, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Mandy Moore, and Justin Timberlake. Original music was provided by Moby. The film is an international co-production of the United States, Germany and France. The title refers to the Southland, a name used by locals to refer to Southern California and the Greater Los Angeles area. Set in the then-near future of 2008, the film is a portrait of Los Angeles, and a satiric commentary on the military–industrial complex and the infotainment industry.

Stop-Loss is a 2008 American war drama film directed by Kimberly Peirce and starring Ryan Phillippe, Channing Tatum, Abbie Cornish and Joseph Gordon-Levitt as young soldiers whose experience in the Iraq War leaves them psychologically shattered. It was distributed by Paramount Pictures and produced by MTV Films. The film received mixed reviews, and earned less than half of its $25 million production budget at the box office. The title refers to the U.S. government's controversial stop-loss policy, which allows the government to extend the term of duty of soldiers who have already served their contracted number of years of service.

Taking Chance is a 2009 American historical drama television film directed by Ross Katz, from a screenplay by Michael Strobl and Katz, based on the journal of the same name by Strobl, who also serves as military consultant. Kevin Bacon's portrayal of Strobl in the film won him a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in a Miniseries or a Motion Picture Made for Television and a Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Miniseries or Television Movie, among other accolades.

Thank You for Your Service is a 2017 American biographical war drama film written and directed by Jason Hall, in his directorial debut, and based on the 2013 non-fiction book of the same name by David Finkel. Finkel, a Washington Post reporter, wrote about veterans of the 2nd Battalion, 16th Infantry Regiment returning to the vicinity of Fort Riley, Kansas, following a 15-month deployment in Iraq in 2007. The film is about posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depicting U.S. soldiers who try to adjust to civilian life, and stars Miles Teller, Haley Bennett, Beulah Koale, Amy Schumer, and Scott Haze. Bruce Springsteen wrote the song "Freedom Cadence" specifically for the closing credits.

The Tiger and the Snow is a 2005 Italian comedy-drama film starring and directed by Roberto Benigni. Inspired by the fairy tale Sleeping Beauty, the film is set in Rome and Baghdad during the invasion of Iraq in 2003, and follows the protagonist Attilio as he desperately journeys to Baghdad to save the love of his life, Vittoria, from her impending death.

Turtles Can Fly is a 2004 Kurdish war drama film written, produced, and directed by Bahman Ghobadi. The film stars Soran Ebrahim, Avaz Latif, Saddam Hossein Faysal, Hiresh Feysal Rahman, Abdolrahman Karim, Ajil Zibari. The plot is about three refugee children, on the border of Iraq-Turkey, awaiting for the Americans to invade Iraq and the fall of Saddam Hussein.

Valley of the Wolves: Iraq is a 2006 Turkish action film directed by Serdar Akar and starring Necati Şaşmaz, Billy Zane and Ghassan Massoud. The story concerns a Turkish commando team which goes to Iraq to track down the US military commander responsible for the Hood event.

W. is a 2008 American biographical drama film based on the life of George W. Bush. Directed by Oliver Stone and written by Stanley Weiser, it stars Josh Brolin as Bush. The supporting cast includes Elizabeth Banks, James Cromwell, Ellen Burstyn, Thandiwe Newton, Jeffrey Wright, Scott Glenn, and Richard Dreyfuss. Filming began on May 12, 2008, in Louisiana, and the film was released on October 17, 2008.

The Wall is a 2017 American war thriller film directed by Doug Liman and written by Dwain Worrell. The film follows two American soldiers trapped by an Iraqi sniper. Produced by Amazon Studios, it was released on May 12, 2017 by Roadside Attractions. The film received mixed reviews from audiences but positive reviews from critics and grossed $4.5 million against a $3 million budget.

War Dogs is a 2016 American dark comedy-crime film directed by Todd Phillips and written by Phillips, Jason Smilovic and Stephen Chin, based on a 2011 Rolling Stone article by Guy Lawson, as well as Efraim Diveroli's 2016 memoir Once a Gun Runner as outlined in an ongoing lawsuit. Lawson then wrote a 2015 book, Arms and the Dudes, detailing the story. The film follows two arms dealers, Efraim Diveroli and David Packouz, who receive a U.S. Army contract to supply ammunitions for the Afghan National Army worth approximately $300 million. The film is heavily fictionalized and dramatized, and some of its events, such as the duo driving through Iraq, were either invented or based on other events, such as screenwriter Stephen Chin's own experiences.

The Yellow Birds is a 2017 American war film directed by Alexandre Moors and based on the novel The Yellow Birds by Kevin Powers. The film stars Tye Sheridan, Alden Ehrenreich, Toni Collette, Jason Patric, Jack Huston and Jennifer Aniston.