Early Industrial Warfare Films are set from 1854 AD – 1913 AD during the latter years of the Industrial Age and into the early 20th Century. Industrial Warfare is generally thought to have begun with the Siege of Sevastopol in 1854 through World War I and ending in 1945 after World War II.
Though the Industrial Warfare Era typically encompasses the years 1854 AD – 1945 AD, for purposes of these articles, we have designated 1854 AD – 1913 AD as the Early Industrial Warfare era before the acceleration of the total war concept in World War I. Early Industrial Warfare involves the rise of nation-states and industrialization of warfare through conscription of large armies, rapid transportation (via railroad and sea), communications through telegraph and the early deployment of total war. The Early Industrial Warfare period we will be focusing on in this article is the 60+ years before the introduction of chemical weapons, aircraft and armored warfare in World War I.
Early Industrial Warfare began with the evolution of military tactics and weapons during The Crimean War (1854 – 1856). This war saw the introduction of trench warfare, long-range artillery, railroads, the telegraph and the rifle in combat. Military tactics also involved transitioning away from human wave attacks as military innovations like the gatling gun appeared. Naval warfare would also become more prominent during this era with the introduction of ironclad warships in the 1860’s and the HMS Dreadnought in 1906.
Wars depicted in Early Industrial Warfare films include the Crimean War (1853 – 1856) in The Charge of the Light Brigade (1968), the American Civil War (1861 – 1865) in Glory (1989) and The Hunley (1999), the Anglo-Zulu War (1879) in Zulu (1964) and the Russo-Japanese War (1904 – 1905) in The Battle of Port Arthur (1980). While we also will include some films involving The United States Army vs. Native American tribes, we won’t be considering other Westerns set during the era that don’t involve a massive battle sequence. As an example, we will be featuring Soldier Blue (1970) which depicts the U.S. Army and the Sand Creek Massacre but we won’t be listing a film such as Young Guns (1988) which is set during the Lincoln County War. The Lincoln County War is an example of many skirmishes taking place in Westerns that aren’t nation-based wars and don’t typically feature military innovations of the Early Industrial Warfare era.
Though most of the popular films of the Early Industrial Warfare era primarily involve the American Civil War and British Colonialism, we have also included films depicting lesser-known wars (to western audiences) involving a revolution or large scale battle. These include films such as Cinco De Mayo: The Battle (2013) which involves the Battle of Puebla and Mexico’s victory over the Second French Empire on May 5, 1862, 1898: Our Last Men in the Philippines (2016) which is set during the Philippine Revolution (1896 – 1898) and Boxer Rebellion (1976) set during China’s Boxer Rebellion (1899 – 1901).
Historical figures featured during the Early Industrial Warfare Era include popular American Civil War generals Ulysses S. Grant, Stonewall Jackson and Robert E. Lee in Gettysburg (1993), Gods and Generals (2003) and Field of Lost Shoes (2015). British General Charles Gordon and Sudanese Leader Muhammad Ahmed were set against each other during the Siege of Khartoum (1884 – 1885) that was depicted in the epic war film Khartoum (1966). And Young Winston (1972) was a Historical Biopic covering Winston Churchill’s early years in the Battle of Omdurman (1898) and Second Boer War (1899 – 1902).
While this article will cover the Best Early Industrial Warfare Films, you can also check out additional articles of films from different periods of military history below. We’ll be covering every military warfare film from the Macedonian phalanx in Ancient Warfare to the use of deadly UCAV military drones in Modern Warfare. And for good measure, we’re even going to cover some of the Best Sci-Fi Warfare and Fantasy Warfare films featuring fantasy-based wars and futuristic space battles.
- Best Ancient Warfare Films (3,000 BC – 500 AD)
- Best Medieval Warfare Films (500 AD – 1500 AD)
- Best Early Modern Warfare Films (1500 AD – 1854 AD)
- Best Early Industrial Warfare Films (1854 AD – 1913 AD)
- Best World War I & World War II Warfare Films (1913 AD – 1945 AD)
- Best Modern Warfare Films (1945 AD – Present)
- Best Fantasy Warfare Films
- Best Sci-Fi Warfare Films
What are the Best Early Industrial Warfare Films? Read on as we look at some of the popular and lesser-known war films from the periods of American Civil War President Abraham Lincoln to Mexican Revolutionary Pancho Villa from the last 60 years. This is a special edition of our “Best Of” subgenre list where we will rank the Top 20 Early Industrial Warfare Films from our War Films with Massive Battle Scenes collection. You can also find these and other historical films in our collections of Films Set During the Industrial Age, War Action Films, Epic War Films, Films About Sea Warfare, Films About the U.S. Civil War, Western Thrillers and Western Epics.
For our rankings we’re going to use some criteria to help define and refine our list. First, we’re going to prioritize Films that have Massive Battle Scenes. What good is a film about Early Industrial Warfare unless there’s a huge, chaotic battle with weapons and tactics of the time?
Second, we’re not going to use an arbitrary number to determine what constitutes a ‘massive’ battle. We know it when we see it, and so will you. However, we will create a list of films before our Top 20 list that includes Early Industrial Warfare Era Films that might not show a massive battle but do have examples of Early Industrial Warfare including the Gatling gun, Spencer repeating rifle, defensive square formation for infantry, ironclads and latest period innovations such as artillery.
Third, we’re also going to prioritize a film by its battle scenes over its plot, acting and so on. We want the best actions films from this warfare period so that means films like Boxer Rebellion (1976), Dances with Wolves (1990) and Grey Knight (1993) won’t make this list because they aren’t primarily focused on warfare or don’t feature large scale battles. Boxer Rebellion is basically a Martial Arts Film even though it does feature some period warfare. Dances with Wolves also has a brief battle at the start of the film but is primarily a Western Epic Film. And Grey Knight features a somewhat large battle between American Civil War soldiers and zombies but is a War Horror Film.
Fourth, we’re going to be lenient with historical accuracy – especially for films such as Zulu (1964) and The Last Samurai (2003). We’re fully aware that both films have historical accuracy issues but both films have amazing battle scenes and tactics of the time period.
Fifth, we’re going to try and represent as many of the era’s different major wars as possible and the innovations used during those wars in the films we list. As most films of this time period are overwhelmingly about the American Civil War (and set during the beginning of this warfare era), we’ll only prioritize a few films about this war so we can include other films set later in the era that cover events such as the First Sino-Japanese War (1894 – 1895), Spanish-American War (1898) and Russo-Japanese War (1904 – 1905).
And sixth, we had to follow our rule for all of KBZ’s film listings where we only list films that have a 4.0/10 or higher rating. And though we typically focus on films from 1970 to present, we’re going to move our start date back to 1964 so we can include notable Early Industrial Warfare Films such as Zulu (1964) and Khartoum (1966).
Our complete list of War Films with Massive Battles Scenes features over 205+ films from 1930 – 2023 and covers all periods of war from Ancient Warfare to Modern Warfare. Though we haven’t yet segmented out specific periods of warfare films, you can also check out our Films Set During the Industrial Age, War Action Films, Epic War Films, Films About Sea Warfare and Films About the U.S. Civil War collections if you don’t see a favorite film of yours on our list. And finally, subscribe to our newsletter to get updated as we release future articles in this special edition series of warfare films.
We have embedded a compilation video of the Best Early Industrial Warfare Films and more details on these films can be found in the list below. Note: We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.
Best Early Industrial Warfare Films
Films that didn’t have Massive Battle Scenes for our list but did have examples of Early Industrial Warfare including the Gatling gun, the Spencer repeating rifle, defensive square formation for infantry, ironclads and smaller scale skirmishes: The Wild Bunch (1969), Rio Lobo (1970), Two Mules for Sister Sara (1970), Bad Man’s River (1971), Red Sun (1971), The Gatling Gun (1971), A Reason to Live, A Reason to Die (1972), The Man Who Would Be King (1975), Boxer Rebellion (1976), The Outlaw Josey Wales (1976), The Legend of the Lone Ranger (1980), The Shadow Riders (1982), Champ d’honneur (1987), Dances with Wolves (1990), Class of ’61 (1993), Grey Knight (1993), Once Upon a Time in China IV (1993), Bad Girls (1994), Andersonville (1996), When the Last Sword is Drawn (2003), River Queen (2005), Amigo (2010), Lincoln (2012), The Lone Ranger (2013), The Prisoner of Sakura (2019), Emperor (2020) and Golden Kamuy (2024).
Honorable Mentions: The Good, The Bad and The Ugly (1966), The Undefeated (1969), A Man Called Horse (1970), Little Big Man (1970), The Red Badge of Courage (1974), Heaven’s Gate (1980), Tipet Nia’ Dhien (1988), Geronimo: An American Legend (1993), Crazy Horse (1996), Ride with the Devil (1999), The Hunley (1999), Cold Mountain (2003), And Starring Pancho Villa as Himself (2003), Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee (2007), 1911 (2011), Heneral Luna (2015), 1898: Our Last Men in the Philippines (2016), Free State of Jones (2016) and The Warrior Queen of Jhansi (2019).
Rank 20-1:
#20 Charge of the Light Brigade (1968) Where to Stream / Buy: Amazon
#19 Ironclads (1991) Where to Stream / Buy: YouTube
#18 The War of Loong (2017) Where to Stream / Buy: YouTube
#17 Emancipation (2022) Where to Stream / Buy: Apple TV+
#16 Zulu Dawn (1979) Where to Stream / Buy: Amazon
#15 Field of Lost Shoes (2015) Where to Stream / Buy: Amazon
#14 The Four Feathers (2002) Where to Stream / Buy: Amazon
#13 Khartoum (1966) Where to Stream / Buy: Amazon
#12 The Wind and the Lion (1975) Where to Stream / Buy: Amazon
#11 Gods and Generals (2003) Where to Stream / Buy: Amazon
Plot: When naval officers are sent to train overseas, the Nagasaki incident occurs, and Captain Shichang leads his warship into battle against the Japanese fleet.
Year(s): 1894 AD
KBZ’s Take: Like most war films, this Chinese film tends to have a fair amount of propaganda in it’s depiction of the First Sino-Japanese War. And despite the overt Chinese point of view in the film, it does have a somewhat accurate recreation of the Battle of the Yalu River (1894) which was the largest naval engagement of the war.
It’s a film on our list we’re ranking higher than normal due to exciting naval battle and tactics deployed at the time. Though it’s relatively unknown (outside of China), it’s one of the best films of this warfare era and one of the best overall War Films About Sea Warfare.
Where to Stream / Buy: Amazon
Plot: Mexican Gen. Ignacio Zaragoza (Kuno Becker) leads badly outnumbered and outgunned troops to defend the city of Puebla from invading French forces.
Year(s): 1862 AD
KBZ’s Take: Cinco De Mayo has become a commercialized holiday in the U.S. and is known primarily as an excuse to party. However, for Mexico, it’s a day when Mexican forces defeated the Second French Empire’s army at The Battle of Puebla in 1862. Though the victory was temporary (as the Second French Empire would capture Mexico City a year later), it’s a classic historical battle where a small force defeated a much larger and well-trained army.
The first two acts of the film cover the events leading up to the battle with the final 45 minutes of the film dedicated to the battle itself. And it’s one of the best filmed battles of this warfare era showing both the tactics of each army and the strategic blunders by the Second French Empire that led to Mexico’s victory.
Where to Stream / Buy: Amazon
#8
Port Arthur
Plot: In the gripping siege of Port Arthur during the Russo-Japanese War (1904 – 1905), Lt. Takeshi Kogyo rises from reserve officer to platoon commander, witnessing the harrowing human cost of war under General Nogi’s leadership, as they fight for honor and survival against an unyielding enemy.
Year(s): 1904
KBZ’s Take: This Japanese film primarily focuses on the Siege of Port Arthur during the Russo-Japanese War (1904-1905). The battle was significant as much of the military technology and tactics used during the battle, including howitzers, Maxim machine guns, hand grenades and trench warfare, would make its way into World War I.
The film is hard to find, and we will update our link below if/when we find a suitable option. But if you can get your hands on this film before then, it’s a great war film with many exciting battle sequences and the evolution of artillery with the 28 cm howitzers.
Where to Stream / Buy: N/A
#7
Soldier Blue
Plot: While crossing Cheyenne territory en route to Fort Reunion, a group of cavalry officers is brutally attacked by Indians. Afterward, the only survivors are a naïve private named Honus Gant (Peter Strauss) and a betrothed woman called Cresta (Candice Bergen) who previously lived among the Indians. As the two try to finish their journey alone, Honus finds himself increasingly attracted to Cresta, and yet simultaneously repelled by her sympathy for the Native American tribes.
Year(s): 1875 AD (1864 / 1890)
KBZ’s Take: Soldier Blue is primarily an Action-Adventure Film and a Western Epic. The reason we have the film listed this high is the film’s final battle sequence inspired by the Sand Creek massacre during the American Indian Wars. It’s a portrayal of the U.S. Calvary during these wars and the tactics deployed by a much larger (and technologically superior) force.
However, we do want to warn our readers that this is not an easy sequence to watch. This is, in essence, an anti-war film and the ending battle is very graphic and disturbing to watch.
Additional Lists: Top Action Adventure Films You Haven’t Seen #6
Where to Stream / Buy: Amazon
Plot: Lavish rendering of Winston Churchill’s early life, from his school days, through his adventures in Africa, to his first days in Parliament. It begins with Churchill as a junior officer in India out to make a name for himself as a war correspondent. His colorful, often controversial, reports make him a household name, aiding his passage into politics.
Year(s): 1898 – 1902
KBZ’s Take: Though most of the film is a traditional Historical Biopic of Winston Churchill’s early life, it does have some amazing battle sequences involving the Battle of Omdurman (1898) and Second Boer War (1899 – 1902). The film does bog down in parts when it’s focused on politics and Churchill’s relationship with his father Randolph (Robert Shaw), but we would advise you to keep watching the film for the thrilling armored train sequence.
Outside of the thrilling battle sequences, this is a must-see film for Simon Ward’s performance as the younger Churchill. Ward gives a commanding performance on the level of other great portrayals of Churchill by John Lithgow in The Crown (2016 – 2019) and Gary Oldman in Darkest Hour (2017).
Where to Stream / Buy: Amazon
Plot: Nathan Algren is an American hired to instruct the Japanese army in the ways of modern warfare, which finds him learning to respect the samurai and the honorable principles that rule them. Pressed to destroy the samurai’s way of life in the name of modernization and open trade, Algren decides to become an ultimate warrior himself and to fight for their right to exist.
Year(s): 1870’s
KBZ’s Take: One of our personal favorite actors is Ken Watanabe and with all due respect to Tom Cruise, The Last Samurai is his film. Though Cruise brought the star power to a film that likely wouldn’t have been a blockbuster without him, it’s Watanabe’s measured performance as Lord Moritsugu Katsumoto that gives the film the needed emotional depth leading to the eventual rebellion (and battle).
This is a great film that’s made even more special by the almost 20-minute battle scene that is one of the best of the Early Industrial Warfare era.
Where to Stream / Buy: Amazon
#4
Glory
Plot: Robert Gould Shaw leads the US Civil War’s first all-black volunteer company, fighting prejudices of both his own Union army and the Confederates.
Year(s): 1863 AD
KBZ’s Take: We noted earlier that due to the outsized number of American Civil War films made during the Early Industrial Warfare era that we were only going to focus on a few of the best – and Glory is second to only one similar film on our list. In fact, if not for the criteria we defined earlier, Glory would likely be ranked even higher on this list.
As for the film, it has the usual great performances from Matthew Broderick, Denzel Washington and Morgan Freeman. But, it’s highlight is one of the most amazing battle scenes of this warfare era – The Second Battle of Fort Wagner.
Where to Stream / Buy: Amazon
#3
Rough Riders
Plot: Undersecretary of the Navy Theodore Roosevelt resigns to form a volunteer militia unit called The Rough Riders to fight in the Spanish-American War.
Year(s): 1898 AD
KBZ’s Take: As we get into more recent warfare eras as part of these articles, it won’t be surprising to see Tom Berenger in quite a few films on our lists. Though he has had a prolific career in just about every type of genre, he seems to have an extra affinity for the war genre given some of his best career performances in Platoon (1986), Sniper (1993) and Gettysburg (1993). And even though he received a much-deserved Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor in Platoon, we’ve always felt his portrayal of future U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt in Rough Riders is arguably his best performance.
Rough Riders is a 4-hour mini-series chronicling Roosevelt’s involvement in the Spanish-American War of 1898. And at 4 hours, it’s Berenger’s great performance as Roosevelt that keeps you engaged until the eventual Battle of San Juan Hill battle sequence. For a film of this length, you might be tempted to skip ahead for the 45-minute depiction of the battle but trust us when we say the film is equally as good when Berenger’s Roosevelt is on screen.
Where to Stream / Buy: Amazon
#2
Gettysburg
Plot: In the summer of 1863, General Robert E. Lee leads the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia into Gettysburg, Pennsylvania with the goal of marching through to Washington, D.C. The Union Army of the Potomac, under the command of General George G. Meade, forms a defensive position to confront the rebel forces in what will prove to be the decisive battle of the American Civil War.
Year(s): 1863 AD
KBZ’s Take: When compiling this list, we knew Gettysburg and Gods and Generals (2003) would make the Top 20 – we just didn’t know how high we would rank Gettysburg. Both films are 4-5 hours in length, feature many of the same actors including Jeff Daniels & Stephen Lang and are both about pivotal moments in the American Civil War.
Gettysburg ended up getting the ranking here mostly due to it’s focus on the major turning point in the Civil War and its depiction of Pickett’s Charge. And even though Gettysburg was the first film to be released, Gods and Generals is a prequel (which also consists of a Confederate viewpoint of the war).
If you can only choose one, pick Gettysburg but both films have some of the best Civil War re-enactments of the Early Industrial Warfare era.
Where to Stream / Buy: Amazon
#1
Zulu
Plot: In 1879, during the Anglo-Zulu War, man-of-the-people Lt. Chard and snooty Lt. Bromhead are in charge of defending the isolated and vastly outnumbered Natal outpost of Rorke’s Drift from tribal hordes.
Year(s): 1879 AD
KBZ’s Take: Like our previous selection, Zulu was made well before it’s prequel, Zulu Dawn (1979), was released. Both films cover the Anglo-Zulu War with Zulu Dawn depicting the Battle of Isandlwana and Zulu depicting the Battle of Rorke’s Drift. Both films also highlight an outnumbered, but technologically superior, British force against massive amounts of Zulu Warriors.
Zulu is considered one of the best war films of all time for a reason. It highlights the tactics the British used while defending their outpost against a relentless and overwhelming army. And like Waterloo (1970), which took the #1 spot in our list of Best Early Modern Warfare Films, both films are almost wall-to-wall action covering the entirety of each battle.
If you’re not familiar with the outcome of either film or battle, you might want to start with Zulu Dawn first as that film ends where Zulu begins – and you’ll know the outcome of Zulu Dawn from the opening sequence of Zulu. We would also recommend watching both films as they are two of the best of the entire war genre and feature some of the best examples of Early Industrial Warfare.
Where to Stream / Buy: Amazon
