Hollywood has unexpectedly delivered some quality history movies over the years. TechTrends put together a list of the best history movies of all time. It includes wartime epics as well as romances. Let’s get to it.
Powerful and important historical movies bring about interest in some aspects of the past that might not have been presented well before. In many of the history movies, the primary plot is according to the actual historical events or an imagined plot that takes place in a way that the actual historical events are the center of the story. This genre includes epics, warm, and biography. We put together a list of the best history movies of all time. Moreover, they are ordered based on their rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Keep reading to find out whether your favorite is on the list.
Best History Movies of All Time
History movies are beloved for a good reason as they teach us something from the past, whether actual or fictional. Knowing that the story happened or it is loosely based on what happened makes this genre quite powerful and interesting. Here are the best must-see history movies of all time. Don’t miss them.
12. Gangs of New York 2002
- Genre: Crime/Drama
- Director: Martin Scorsese
- Stars: Leonardo DiCaprio, Daniel Day-Lewis, Cameron Diaz, Liam Neeson
- Rating: Rotten Tomatoes 72%, IMDb 7.5
One of the best history movies of all time is Gangs of New York. The 47-year-old actor collaborated with Martin Scorsese for the first time. Moreover, the story happened in the mid-1800s in Manhattan and crime lord William Cutting, also called Bill the Butcher” runs the place. He saw his father being killed by Bill while he was a child. So, he kept the knife to utilize it for his revenge on his father’s death. DiCaprio showed a big brawny performance.
11. Gladiator 2000
- Genre: Adventure/Action/History
- Director: Ridley Scott
- Stars: Russell Crowe, Joaquin Phoenix, Connie Nielsen, Oliver Reed
- Rating: Rotten Tomatoes 79%, IMDb 8.5
Gladiator is yet another one of the best history movies of all time that is directed by Ridley Scott. The story revolves around Russell Crowe’s Roman General Maximus. He gets betrayed by the emperor’s son, portrayed by Joaquin Phoenix. Therefore, he becomes a gladiator in order to fight through the ranks and get revenge for his family’s murders. This movie is slightly based on real events that happened within the Roman Empire in the 2nd century. The action-packed movie has many epic fights. It is filled with family loyalty, perseverance, dedication and love. we highly recommend this wonderful historical movie.
Read more: Best Joaquin Phoenix Movies of All Time
10. Lincoln 2012
- Genre: War/Drama/History
- Director: Steven Spielberg
- Stars: Daniel Day-Lewis, Sally Field, Tommy Lee Jones, Joseph Gordon-Levitt
- Rating: Rotten Tomatoes 89%, IMDb 7.3
Instead of a try to tell his whole life story, the movie Lincoln concentrates on the last four months of President Abraham Lincoln’s life, such as his attempts to pass the Thirteenth Amendment to get rid of slavery once and for all. This amazing historical movie shows how the president and his administration maneuver to end slavery, even if it means war. The director, Steven Spielberg, does a great job as he not only shows the politician side of Lincoln the President, but also him being a father and a husband. Don’t miss this as it is indeed one of the best history movies of all time.
9. The Big Short 2015
- Genre: Drama/Comedy drama
- Director: Adam McKay
- Stars: Christian Bale, Brad Pitt, Steve Carell, Ryan Gosling, Margot Robbie
- Rating: IMDb 7.8, Rotten Tomatoes 89%
Christian Bale got nominated for an Oscar for the third time for the role he portrayed in The Big Short, which is a comedic examination of the housing bubble of the U.S. that resulted in the economic crash that occurred in 2008. This was the third time Bale has appeared in a real-life role that got him an Academy Award nomination. He played the role of Michael Burry, the fund manager with intelligent foresight on the housing bubble letting him capitalize on the trends of the market. for his slacker appearance, he is underestimated and not respected for professional norms. However, he is able to use his intel to game the system. The Big Short is also one of the best Christian Bale films ever.
Read more: Best Christian Bale Movies of All Time
8. Dunkirk 2017
- Genre: War/Action
- Director: Christopher Nolan
- Stars: Harry Styles, Fionn Whitehead, Cillian Murphy, Tom Hardy, Jack Lowden
- Rating: Rotten Tomatoes 92%, IMDb 7.8
Dunkirk is a war movie of 2017, which was written, directed, and produced by Christopher Nolan. This spectacular movie illustrates the Dunkirk evacuation in World War II through the earth, sea, and air. The movie has so many stars among its actors, including Fionn Whitehead, Harry Styles, Tom Hardy, Jack Lowden, Barry Keoghan, and so many more. Dunkirk shows this evacuation with the least dialogue, and instead, Nolan looks to make suspension in cinema and music more, which he could make successfully. The movie is narrated from three viewpoints and reconstructs the invasion of Germans to Dunkirk. While Belgium, Britain, and France attempt to prevent the invasion, Nolan follows his narration inter the earth, sea, and sky battle.
By doing so, he offers you the experience of a memorable feeling, which drowns spectators in a particular moment of the war. It is undoubtedly one of the best history movies of all time to consider watching.
Read more: Best Christopher Nolan Movies of All Time
7. The Woman King 2022
- Genre: Action/Drama/History
- Director: Gina Prince-Bythewood
- Stars: Viola Davis, Thuso Mbedu, Lashana Lynch, Hero Fiennes Tiffin
- Rating: Rotten Tomatoes 94%, IMDb 6.7
The leader of a military regime named the Dahomey Amazons that are only female has to rise to the challenge when the European imperialists try to get their land. Although most of their story is told from colonists’ perspective, the film is interesting as it turns to research and journals to show the world through the lens of the Dahomey people. The Woman King came out in 2022 and it is one of the best historical movies ever.
6. 12 Years a Slave 2013
- Genre: Drama/History
- Director: Steve McQueen
- Stars: Chiwetel Ejiofor, Michael Fassbender, Lupita Nyong’o, Brad Pitt
- Rating: Rotten Tomatoes 95%, IMDb 8.1
12 Years a Slave is a compelling adaptation of Solomon Northup’s memoir that has the same name. It revolves around a free black man’s kidnapping in New York. He then gets sold into slavery on Louisiana Plantation. Chiwetel Ejiofor portrays the character quite masterfully, showing the audience how terrible chattel slavery was. The film shows the day-to-day struggles of enslaved people as well as their resistance against the system. It is not easy to watch this, but this makes it a very good reason to do as it is quite necessary. 12 Years a Slave is among the best history movies of all time.
Read more: Best Brad Pitt Movies of All Time
5. Apollo 13 1995
- Genre: Drama/History
- Director: Ron Howard
- Stars: Tom Hanks, Jim Lovell, Bill Paxton, Ed Harris
- Rating: Rotten Tomatoes 96%, IMDb 7.7
Apollo 13 follows the tale of Jim Lovell, portrayed by Tom Hanks, Jack Swigert, played by Kevin Bacon, and Fred Haise, acted by Bill Paxton. These three astronauts commanded the Apollo 13 mission that was tasked with landing on the moon back in 1970. When the spacecraft was taking off, it suffered an explosion, with the astronauts having to find a way to land safely when they wanted to come back to Earth. This film is quite interesting and keeps the audiences at the edge of their seat. Moreover, it is an adaptation of the book named Last Moon: The Perilous Voyage of Apollo 13 in 1994, recounting the events of the well-known mission to the Moon that went sideways. We highly recommend this wonderful film.
4. The Social Network 2010
- Genre: Drama/History
- Director: David Fincher
- Stars: Jesse Eisenberg, Andrew Garfield, Justin Timberlake, Armie Hammer, Dakota Johnson
- Rating: Rotten Tomatoes 96%, IMDb 7.8
This revolutionary drama, The Social Network, showcases Jesse Eisenberg’s talent in playing the real-life role of Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg along with his co-founder Eduardo Saverin, played by Andrew Garfield. The duo’s relationship is one of the main aspects of the movie, and Garfield and Eisenberg were the perfect actors to display the complexity and difficulties the two partners shared. In addition, the dialogues are great, and the narrative is captivating, making it hard to think that The Social Network is based on facts. This is one of the greatest and best history movies of all time.
Read more: Best Andrew Garfield Movies of All Time
3. Spotlight 2015
- Genre: Drama/Indie Film
- Director: Tom McCarthy
- Stars: Mark Ruffalo, Michael Keaton, Rachel McAdams, Liev Schreiber, Stanley Tucci
- Rating: Rotten Tomatoes 97%, IMDb 8.1
The first one on our list of the best Mark Ruffalo movies of all time is Spotlight, which won the Academy Award for Best Picture in 2016. The message of the film is quite interesting and it revolves around the Boston Globe’s investigation into the Catholic Church, which focused on some dangerous secrets that was about sexual misconduct. Mark Ruffalo was exceptional as always when bringing his character to life. He is able to get the audience to be on his side through this story.
Read more: Best Drama Movies of All Time
2. Portrait of a Lady on Fire 2019
- Genre: Romance/Drama/History
- Director: Céline Sciamma
- Stars: Adèle Haenel, Noémie Merlant, Luàna Bajrami, Valeria Golino
- Rating: Rotten Tomatoes 97%, IMDb 8.1
Portrait of a Lady on Fire is a marvelous movie that helps you dive deep into the colors of 18 century France. The director does an extremely confident work of unfolding Marianne and Héloïse, who will get together by destiny. The Countess hires a painter to create a portrait of her daughter, Héloïse, to be given to a nobleman to marry her. However, she is reluctant to get married and does not want to work with any painter. Therefore, Marianne comes as a companion and hides the truth that she is there to paint her portrait. The two become friends and Marianne learns all about her. This is indeed one of the best history movies of all time.
1. Schindler’s List 1993
- Genre: War/Drama/History
- Director: Steven Spielberg
- Stars: Liam Neeson, Ralph Fiennes, Ben Kingsley, Embeth Davidtz, Caroline Goodall
- Rating: Rotten Tomatoes 98%, IMDb 9
Schindler’s List is according to the non-fiction novel named Schindler’s Ark. The movie revolves around Oskar Schindler, played by Liam Neeson, who is a German factory owner. He helps a lot of Jewish refugees when the Holocaust happens as he hires them to work in hi factory. Other stars in the movie are Ralph Fiennes, Ben Kingsley, Embeth Davidtz, and Oskar’s real-life wife, Emilie Schindler. This is the top one on the list of the best history movies of all time. Don’t miss it.