Best Films About Tank Warfare. In this series of articles covering war films, we’ll be looking at the best films that cover everything from the evolution of tank warfare in World War I and World War II to the adoption of combat drones and special forces in Modern Warfare. We’ll select films that have a specific and detailed focus on various technological advances in war and their use in battle by military forces.
In this first article, we’ll be focusing on tank warfare in film. Though the majority of tank warfare is shown in Films About World War II, there are also other wars depicted in film where tanks are central to the plot or battle. In All Quiet on the Western Front (2022), French Saint-Chamond tanks make an appearance on the front lines of World War I, terrifying German soldiers (who had never seen a tank before). A Soviet T-55 tank and its crew during the Soviet-Afghan war in the 1980s is the central plot of The Beast of War (1988). And Lebanon (2009) focuses on the crew of an Israeli Sho’t tank during the Lebanon War of 1982.
While the films noted above will make our list below, the majority of films will be World War II focused. These will include films set in both the western front and eastern front of World War II and depict the famous tanks of the era from the German Panzer IV to the Russian T-34 to the American M4 Sherman.
While this article will highlight tank warfare, other areas of warfare in film will be covered in future articles listed below:
- Best Films About Tank Warfare
- Best Films About Drone Warfare
- Best Films About Special Forces
- Best Films About Sea Warfare
- Best Films About Air Warfare
For our rankings we’re going to use some criteria to help define and refine our list. First, the film must be a war film. There are a few films about tanks that aren’t war films, such as Tank (1984) and Tank Girl (1995), and though we didn’t focus on these films for our Top 20 list below, we will include them in our Honorable Mentions section.
Second, the more the film is focused on tank battles and warfare, the higher the film will rank on our list. There are some great WWII films such as The Big Red One (1980) and Saving Private Ryan (1998) that do feature tanks, but we wouldn’t necessarily consider them tank warfare films.
Third, we’re not going to be sticklers for historical accuracy when it comes to the rankings. We’re aware that Tankers (2018) features a T-34-85 tank that appeared one year later than the time shown in the film, but this is a minor historical oversight that doesn’t take away from the plot and exciting action of the film.
And fourth, 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 the present, we’re going to move our start date back to 1965 so we can include one of the best films about tank warfare in Battle of the Bulge (1965).
Our complete list of War Films About Tank Warfare features over 28+ films from 1951 – 2024 and covers every war film primarily focused on tanks. You can also check out our collections of World War I Films, World War II Films, War Action Films, Epic War Films, Films About Sea Warfare, Films About Air Warfare Film About Special Forces and War Thrillers if you’re looking for other war-themed films. And finally, subscribe to our newsletter to get updated as we release future articles in this special edition series of warfare films.
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Best Films About Tank Warfare
Honorable Mentions: The Big Red One (1980), Lion of the Desert (1981), Tank (1984), Tank Girl (1995), El Alamein: The Line of Fire (2002) and Saints and Soldiers: The Void (2014).
Rank 20-1:
#20 The Misfit Brigade (1988) Where to Stream / Buy: Amazon
#19 The Winter War (1989) Where to Stream / Buy: Amazon
#18 Stalingrad (1993) Where to Stream / Buy: YouTube
#17 My Way (2011) Where to Stream / Buy: Amazon
#16 Saving Private Ryan (1998) Where to Stream / Buy: Amazon
#15 A Bridge Too Far (1977) Where to Stream / Buy: Amazon
#14 1944: The Final Defence (2007) Where to Stream / Buy: YouTube
#13 All Quiet on the Western Front (2022) Where to Stream / Buy: Netflix
#12 Sahara (1995) Where to Stream / Buy: Amazon
#11 Kelly’s Heroes (1970) Where to Stream / Buy: Amazon
#10
The Beast of War
Plot: During the war in Afghanistan a Soviet tank crew, commanded by a tyrannical officer, find themselves lost and in a struggle against a band of Mujahedeen guerrillas in the mountains.
KBZ’s Take: The Beast of War is one of the forgotten war films of the 1980’s after Vietnam War-focused Platoon (1986), Full Metal Jacket (1987), Hamburger Hill (1987) and others dominated the theaters, box office and awards season. But unlike those films (and others of the era), this film focuses on the then current Soviet-Afghan War and took an approach almost unheard of at the time – taking the viewpoint of the Soviet tanker crew (played by American actors).
Though the film doesn’t include as much tank-on-tank action as other films in our list, it does include the moral and ethical implications of the tank crew in enemy territory that was a theme of war films at the time and seems to have partly inspired Fury (2014). So, if you’re a fan of Fury and other 1980s war films that explore the emotional impact of war, it’s a film you shouldn’t miss.
Where to Stream / Buy: Amazon
#9
White Tiger
Plot: Great Patriotic War, 1945. After barely surviving a battle with a mysterious, ghostly-white German Tiger tank, Red Army Sergeant Ivan Naydenov becomes obsessed with its destruction.
KBZ’s Take: White Tiger is often the forgotten film in a slew of Russian war films focused on tank warfare released in the 2010’s including Panfilov’s 28 (2016), T-34 (2018) and Tankers (2018). While it’s admittedly not as good as those films, it’s still an intriguing film focused on the psychological effects of warfare and the technological adaptations a military is forced to make in the face of a technologically superior foe.
Where to Stream / Buy: Amazon
#8
Lebanon
Plot: During the First Lebanon War in 1982, a lone tank and a paratroopers platoon are dispatched to search a hostile town.
KBZ’s Take: Lebanon is to Tank Warfare Films what Das Boot (1981) is to Sea Warfare Films as their subgenres most prominent anti-war film. And both films also take place almost exclusively inside their claustrophobic war machines as their crews wrestle with military orders and the moral trappings of warfare itself.
The film was at the center of controversy involving Israel at the 2009 Toronto International Film Festival and, based on current events of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, is a film we typically wouldn’t recommend. However, given its strong anti-war message and unique take on the crew of the tanker (and how they literally see the war in front of them), it’s a film we would still highly urge fans of the subgenre to check out.
Where to Stream / Buy: Amazon
#7
T-34
Plot: In 1944, a courageous group of Russian soldiers managed to escape from German captivity in a half-destroyed legendary T-34 tank. Those were the times of unforgettable bravery, fierce fighting, unbreakable love, and legendary miracles.
KBZ’s Take: As we mentioned earlier in our list, T-34 was one of the Russian war films released in the 2010s. There’s little doubt that this is one of the best films about tank warfare and is often included in the top 3 or 5 of any subgenre’s fan’s list of tank films.
However, though we enjoyed the film, we felt it was more of an adventure war film in the vein of The Great Escape (1963) and Kelly’s Heroes (1970). And as an adventure war film it is great, on par with the aforementioned films and one we would highly recommend for any fan of war films in general. But this list is about tank warfare and there’s two better Russian films of the era featuring great tank battle action including our next selection on this list…
Where to Stream / Buy: Amazon
Plot: In 1941, 28 soldiers of the Red Army’s 316th Rifle Division stationed near Moscow stop 54 German tanks for several days.
KBZ’s Take: Panfilov’s 28 is based on Panfilov’s Twenty-Eight Guardsmen who took part in the Battle of Moscow during World War II and destroyed 18 German tanks. Though this war story ended up being more myth than reality and the film is high on propaganda (like most country-supported war films), it still features some amazing battle sequences and was #13 on our list of the Best World War I & World War II Warfare Films.
And while the film doesn’t feature tank on tank battle like other films on our list, we have it ranked this high due to the detailed anti-tank war measures taken by the men during the tank onslaught. It’s an action-packed film and one of the best of the subgenre.
Additional Lists: Best World War I & World War II Warfare Films #13
Where to Stream / Buy: Amazon
Plot: During World War II, Cpl. Rolf Steiner (James Coburn) is a well-respected member of the German military and a recipient of the Iron Cross, Germany’s highest military honor. Envious of Steiner’s award, Capt. Hauptmann Stransky (Maximilian Schell) clashes with Steiner while leading soldiers into battle along the Russian front. Desperate to receive his own Iron Cross, Stransky takes the credit for a significant attack and sparks a heated rivalry with Steiner.
KBZ’s Take: The Wild Bunch (1969) of World War II films, Sam Peckinpah’s bloody take on class warfare and warfare itself was initially lambasted by critics but has achieved cult classic status over the years. The film is action-packed, full of carnage and features one of the best man-against-tank war sequences of the subgenre (towards the end of the film’s second act).
Where to Stream / Buy: Amazon
#4
Tankers
Plot: The story of the KV-1 tank and the crew of Semyon Konovalov, who destroyed 16 enemy tanks, two armored vehicles and eight vehicles with enemy personnel near Nizhnemityakin farm in Tarasovskoye district of Rostov region, in World War II.
KBZ’s Take: Though some fans of the subgenre might disagree with our pick here, we felt Tankers was the best of the Russian war films released in the 2010s that focused on tank warfare. And unlike Panfilov’s 28 (2016), the film is more fact then fiction when it comes to the real-life story of Semyon Konovalov and his tanker crew who destroyed 16 German tanks during World War II.
We have also ranked the film this high because it highlights technical operation of a tank by its crew during warfare. It also has an almost perfect balance of action and character development and is one of the lesser-known films of the subgenre we urge our readers not to miss.
Where to Stream / Buy: Amazon
#3
Patton
Plot: Biography of controversial World War II hero General George S. Patton. The film covers his wartime activities and accomplishments, beginning with his entry into the North African campaign and ending with his removal from command after his outspoken criticism of US post-war military strategy.
KBZ’s Take: Patton is a film similar to Lawrence of Arabia (1962) where the film is, in essence, a fascinating and epic War Biopic. Patton covers the military life of controversial General George S. Patton and also contains some incredible battle sequences. And like Peter O’Toole in Lawrence of Arabia, the film is led by a commanding and charismatic performance by its lead, George C. Scott.
Though the film features military moments from Patton’s achievements in Sicily and at the Battle of the Bulge, it’s the 8-minute Battle of El Guettar sequence featuring tank warfare that’s epic in scale and one of the best battle sequences of the entire subgenre.
Additional Lists: Best World War I & World War II Warfare Films #4
Where to Stream / Buy: Amazon
Plot: In the winter of 1944, the Allied Armies stand ready to invade Germany at the coming of a New Year. To prevent it, Hitler orders an all-out offensive to re-take French territory and capture the major port city of Antwerp.
KBZ’s Take: Another film on our list that has its fair share of historical inaccuracies from the portrayal of weather conditions during the Battle of the Bulge to the turning point of the battle led by allied air power. However, it’s one of the few war films of the 1960’s that recreated actual scenes of tank warfare vs. using stock footage. And these battle scenes are still action-packed and as exciting now as they were over 60 years ago.
Additional Lists: Best World War I & World War II Warfare Films #8
Where to Stream / Buy: Amazon
#1
Fury
Plot: In the last months of World War II, as the Allies make their final push in the European theatre, a battle-hardened U.S. Army sergeant named Wardaddy commands a Sherman tank called Fury and its five-man crew on a deadly mission behind enemy lines. Outnumbered and outgunned, Wardaddy and his men face overwhelming odds in their heroic attempts to strike at the heart of Nazi Germany.
KBZ’s Take: Fury can best be summed up as a film whose whole is greater than the sum of its parts. It features only two major tank battle sequences, doesn’t go deep into the moral and ethical implications of a military unit in enemy territory and there are better subgenre films that handle the psychological aspects of being trapped inside a metal war machine of death. But to director David Ayer’s credit, he is able to combine all these various wartime themes into perhaps the most engaging film of the subgenre.
Though the film doesn’t have the non-stop tank battles of Tankers (2018) and T-34 (2018) it does a masterful job of alternating between exciting battle sequences and the psychological horrors of war making it our selection for the best film about tank warfare.
Additional Lists: Best World War I & World War II Warfare Films #1
Where to Stream / Buy: Amazon
