im looking for more mission gone wrong movies, some that I liked were Black hawk down and Lone survivor. Another movie that I liked was the new movie War machine. Although it is based on an alien robot and not realistic it has that mission gone wrong vibe that I really like.
I appreciate any reccomendations, thanks
I haven't thought of that movie in years. I may has to revisit it.
3
itwillmakesenselaterMar 23, 2026
+3
Just rewatched it. It held up pretty well. Hackman is timeless.
3
1829bullshitMar 24, 2026
+1
Just rewatched that a couple weeks ago,and completely forgot how good it is.
1
humbuckarooMar 23, 2026
+32
A Bridge Too Far (1977)
32
USCAV19DMar 23, 2026
+7
What a cast in this one!
7
doubleencMar 23, 2026
+18
If you’re looking for comedy or satire Tropic Thunder fits the bill of a war movie where the mission goes awry.
18
chubbahfishMar 23, 2026
+4
I like that movie alot too lol
4
SumopwrMar 23, 2026
+18
13 Hours
18
jframesnubMar 25, 2026
+3
Jim and Roy from "The Office" are in this movie. The station chief in "13 Hours" was in one episode of "The Office".
3
ecrane2018Mar 23, 2026
+12
1917 I would say fits the bill. The mission definitely doesn’t go right.
12
Many-Outside-7594Mar 23, 2026
+9
Aliens (1986) - Game over, man!
Outpost (2007) - Ray Stevenson (The Punisher, Sith Lord, RIP) and a team of elite mercs vs Nazi Ghost Zombies.
Starship Troopers (1997) - Would you like to know more?
9
Hearing_HIVMar 23, 2026
+10
Three Kings
10
Radiant_Picture9292Mar 23, 2026
+14
We Were Soldiers (2002)
14
-Khlerik-Mar 23, 2026
+2
*FIX BAYONETS!*
2
jframesnubMar 25, 2026
+1
This is based on the book "We were Soldiers Once and Young" by Hal Moore and Joe Galloway. They were portrayed by Mel Gibson and Barry Pepper in the movie.
This movie only shows the first battle, the battle at LZ X-Ray. A few days later was the battle of LZ Albany, where a lot of American soldiers died after being ambushed.
I highly recommend watching the YouTube video "They were young and brave LTG Hal Moore's return to Ia Drang Valley 1993". In this video, Hal Moore, Joe Galloway, and other soldiers in their unit returned to the battlefield and met with their former enemies to discuss the battles.
1
DravenakMar 23, 2026
+7
Dog Soldiers
7
dazed63Mar 24, 2026
+1
Great flick
1
WafflexorgMar 23, 2026
+5
Land of Bad
5
Sleazy-WonderMar 23, 2026
+6
MacGruber
6
makanimikeMar 23, 2026
+5
Tears of the Sun
Special Forces (2011)
5
artifex28Mar 23, 2026
+4
Paths of Glory (1957)
4
dazed63Mar 24, 2026
+1
Awesome movie
1
shadowabbotMar 23, 2026
+5
Courage Under Fire (1996). Denzel Washington is investigating the details of a mission gone wrong in Desert Storm while dealing with the aftermath of his own mistakes in the same war. It's a different vibe of a movie than you're asking for, but might still be worth a watch.
5
Flamingo_guy1Mar 23, 2026
+4
Starship troopers
4
TheHipsterBanditMar 23, 2026
+13
Fury
13
lowbudgethorrorMar 23, 2026
+3
The Outpost
3
HortonHearsTheWhoMar 23, 2026
+3
Triple Frontier
3
mycatisgrumpyMar 23, 2026
+3
Dog Soldiers
3
grumblyoldmanMar 23, 2026
+3
Are there *any* war movies where the mission goes exactly to plan?
War movies are pretty big on laying out the plan up front in a big "mission planning" scene, as a trope, and one of the cardinal rules of storytelling is that if you lay out the plan up front, *something* will go wrong during the execution. It's not exciting to watch everything play out exactly the way the boss said it would at the start.
I mean, even in the real world, militaries have a saying about "no plan surviving first contact with the enemy."
3
anabongerMar 23, 2026
+9
Blackhawk Down
9
WesbroBaptstBarNGrilMar 23, 2026
+5
Huge cast in it too. Basically every rising star male actor of the time.
5
LasersTheyWorkMar 23, 2026
+3
It's even in the title. What an intense movie
3
pantstoaknifefight2Mar 23, 2026
+3
Scrolled far to find your correct answer.
3
0verstimMar 23, 2026
+5
you should have scrolled back up and read the original post :)
5
pantstoaknifefight2Mar 23, 2026
+1
God damnit!!!
1
karateemaMar 23, 2026
+2
Tears of the Sun
2
brwonmagikkMar 23, 2026
+2
Tears of the sun
2
Interesting-Risk6446Mar 23, 2026
+2
By Dawn's Early Light (1990).
2
PublicDragonfruit158Mar 23, 2026
+2
Also **Fail Safe**.
There were lawsuits over those two as (IIRC) **Fail Safe** copied **By Dawns Early Light**.
2
StuTheSheepMar 23, 2026
+2
Three Kings
2
yearsofpracticeMar 23, 2026
+2
Predator. This is the only answer. Everything goes as far wrong as it’s possible to go - and the people involved are not used to things going wrong!
2
Gone_For_LunchMar 23, 2026
+2
Bravo Two Zero
2
maximo22Mar 23, 2026
+2
Where Eagles Dare
2
ZorroMeansFoxMar 24, 2026
+2
Here's a fantastic *allegorical* War Movie:
Walter Hill's **Southern Comfort**.
https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/1019482-southern_comfort
2
KarakotaeraMar 23, 2026
+4
Does Inglorious Basterds also counts for you?
4
chubbahfishMar 23, 2026
+3
I've never seen it but I know I should've by now lol
3
Wonderful_Site5333Mar 23, 2026
+1
That was an unparalleled success.
1
syco69Mar 23, 2026
+2
Enemy at the gates
2
8upsoupsandwichMar 23, 2026
+2
WW1 movies like Lost Battalion and Gallipoli fit the bill,
Clear and Present Danger,
Executive Decision,
Sniper
2
Mrose629Mar 23, 2026
+2
Full Metal Jacket, Hue city,1968.
2
lanshaw1555Mar 23, 2026
+2
Aliens
2
these-things-happenMar 23, 2026
+1
Game over, man. Game over!
1
fuxoftMar 23, 2026
+1
Rambo: First Blood Part 2.
1
JeanRalfioMar 23, 2026
+1
Primitive War (2025)
Vietnam War recon mission goes wrong when dinosaurs show up.
1
IronyElSupremoMar 23, 2026
+1
*Platoon* (1986) especially the last big “set” battle (that actually happened as Battle of FSB Burt/the Battle of Suoi Cut) with the enemy attacking too soon and, if reading the accompanying novella, attacking in larger numbers than the ground force was equipped to deal with
As others noted, the WW2 era *A Bridge Too Far* (1977) depicted Operation Marketgarden which had blunders in real life.
1
gilrsteinMar 23, 2026
+1
Land of bad
1
awaywardsaintMar 23, 2026
+1
The Wild Geese
1
Ok-Dog42Mar 23, 2026
+1
Cross of Iron.
1
CosmicWyMar 23, 2026
+1
war movie adjacent...
Triple Fromtier (2019) was so much better than I was expecting.
1
LilStrugMar 23, 2026
+1
I seam to recall Navy Seals second act tends to not go as planned
1
edlewis657Mar 24, 2026
+1
Valkyrie
1
samthewisetarlyMar 24, 2026
+1
New Netflix movie War Machine is precisely what you're looking for
Edit, sorry, didn't read the whole post lol
1
BassWingerC-137Mar 24, 2026
+1
Wait until you see Alan Ritchson On a Sunday Bike Ride vs The British Accountant! It goes sideways fast.
1
rrf72Mar 24, 2026
+1
Lots goes wrong in The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957). Incredible ending.
1
Setting-ConsciousMar 24, 2026
+1
A Bridge Too Far
1
CitizenTonyMar 24, 2026
+1
Does "Kong Skull Island" can count here? The soldiers were clearly not expecting to fight monsters. Giant. monsters.
Moreover the movie seems to be a tribute to Platoon or Apocalypse Now.
1
inthebenefitofmrkiteMar 24, 2026
+1
Rambo: First blood part II… Rambo titles never made any sense
1
BeebjankMar 24, 2026
+1
Overlord. It’s also borderline a horror movie.
1
DigitalBoy05Mar 24, 2026
+1
Fury
1
MelbaToast604Mar 25, 2026
+1
Dog Soldiers
Not a "war" movie, the premise is a squad of Soldiers is out in thr wilderness investing something and have to fight off werewolves
1
HamiltonBlackMar 23, 2026
+1
The Dirty Dozen
1
OnefortheteemMar 23, 2026
Lone survivor
0
OnionDartMar 23, 2026
-2
Any news station right now
-2
umlcatMar 23, 2026
-4
Specially, because in the real world, we are told that do not exist, but the rumors says they do !!!
Waiting for other answers ...
82 Comments