Are you a movie buff, do you know or have seen any of the best Navy SEAL movies of all time?
If you have seen a couple of action movies, do you think those movies are considered the best to hit the big screen? Well, in this article we have discussed the best Navy SEAL films.
Movies are fun and everyone has the type of movies they like. Whether it’s horror, action, comedy, drama, science fiction, fantasy or thriller, we all have our preferences.
In this guide, we are looking at action/thriller films, the top 15 Navy SEAL movies of all time. I have seen some of the movies on this list and I bet you have as well.
So, stay with us as we list the best Navy SEAL films of all time. But, before we get to the main subject, let’s discuss the United States Navy SEAL.
The United States Navy SEAL
The United States military is arguably one of the largest in the world. We often hear about Navy SEALs and also see them in movies.
But, do you know SEAL is an acronym for a special operation force in the U.S. military?
The United States Navy Sea, Air, and Land (SEAL), commonly referred to as Navy SEALs, are a special operation force and a part of the Naval Special Warfare Command.
The U.S. Navy SEAL’s main function includes conducting special operation missions in the maritime, urban, arctic, jungle, mountainous, and desert environments.
SEALs undergo special training and one of their expertise is to gather intelligence behind enemy lines.
They are trained to capture or kill high-level targets.
As an elite special operation force in the United States military, SEAL team personnel are highly trained and hand selected.
They are experts with a high degree of proficiency in special reconnaissance (SR) and direct action (DA).
The United States Navy SEAL was established in 1961 and has remained active since then. Some of the movies out there show the real situation of what the Navy SEALs are capable of.
Although some of the movies are fiction, some depict true events.
Also Read: List of U.S. Navy Ranks and Insignia in Order
15 Best Navy SEAL Movies of All Time
We have seen several action movies and fair enough, we have also seen true events showing the story of brave servicemen and women defending the United States’ honour.
Here, we have listed the best Navy SEAL movies of all time and the year they were released.
15. The Rescue- 2021
The Rescue is a documentary film produced and directed by Jimmy Chin and Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi. It tells the story of the Tham Luang cave rescue, a survival mission to rescue a team of 12 boys and their coach from an underwater cave.
The incident happened in 2018 in Northern Thailand. A junior football team of 12 boys and their coach were trapped in a cave. I remember this story back in 2018 when the FIFA World Cup was ongoing in Russia.
The boys and their coach were trapped in a cave after it was flooded due to heavy rain in the region. The odds of surviving were not in their favour, as the Thai Navy SEALs couldn’t do much to have them.
The hope of returning to their families was restored when a couple of middle-aged Britons arrived.
The directors of the documentary, Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin did a good job of recreating scenes showing human resilience and survival instinct. It was a terrible experience for the young boys as the oxygen level in the cave was getting lower.
The documentary was released on October 8, 2021, in the United States. the production companies involved in making this documentary a success include National Geographic Documentary Films, Ventureland Storyteller Productions, Little Monsters Films, and Passion Pictures.
14. Seal Team Six: The Raid on Osama Bin Laden- 2012
Seal Team Six: The Raid on Osama Bin Laden is one of the best Navy SEAL movies of all time.
The United States will always remember 9/11 in its history.
This documentary depicts the true events that happened in the fight against terrorism.
It follows the events that occurred in May 2011, when a special group of United States Navy SEALs raided a Pakistani terrorist stronghold in search of the most wanted man on the planet.
This documentary is directed by John Stockwell and produced by Harvey Weinstein.
13. Act of Valor- 2012
Here is another action thriller that shows the resilience and courage of the Navy SEAL.
In this 2012 film, a Navy SEAL team must protect the United States from a deadly terrorist attack.
They need to find the syndicate plotting the attack against the United States.
The special team has a lead and follows and follows the terrorist network to the American border with Mexico.
There is a devastating plot twist and the team needs to solve the puzzle based on the information gathered so far.
Filmmaker Mike McCoy-Scott Waugh delivered a state-of-the-art performance in directing and producing this film. Camera angles and action scenes were excellent and the suspense was quite impressive.
12. GI Jane- 1997
GI Jane is one the best Navy SEAL movies of all time.
This 1997 Hollywood film tell the story of giving more opportunity to women in the United States military. Anne Bancroft portrayed Senator Lilian DeHeven, a female political figure who wants the U.S. Navy to introduce a programme that would allow women into the country’s military forces.
Star actress Demi More who played Lieutenant Jordan O’Neill was hand-selected for her femininity. She earned her place and was in charge of the training programme.
GI Jane is one of Ridley Scott’s works and a film that promotes the involvement of women in the United States military.
11. Hunter Kill- 2018
This 2018 Hollywood film starring Gerald Butler and Common is one of the best Navy SEAL films ever.
Gerald Butler plays Commander Glass and the situation in the story is to solve the misery behind a missing submarine in the Arctic Ocean. While Commander Glass is on the case to find out what happened to the American submarine, a Russian submarine appears on their radar.
The presence of the Russian submarine in the Arctic raises suspicions about the missing American submarine. The movie has several action scenes, with the U.S. Navy SEAL encountering the Russian submarine.
Also Read: Which Military Branch Has the Best Pay and Benefit?
10. Without Remorse- 2021
This is one of the best films featuring Michael B. Jordan.
It tells the story of a soldier, Chief John Kelly played by Jordan getting involved in a top-secret operation. Chief John Kelly’s involvement in the secret operation will later cost him his family.
A group of Russian soldiers killed Kelly’s pregnant wife. The assassins will soon feel the wrath of John Kelly as he goes on a killing spree.
Michael B. Jordan had to push himself to the limit for this project. The action scenes were top notch and actor Jordan delivered a challenging performance on screen.
9. 13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi- 2016
This movie tells the story and true events that occurred during the conflict in Libya in 2012. The American consulate in Benghazi is attacked by a terrorist group.
The ugly incident took the lives of some American senior officials in Benghazi. Just less than a mile away from the American consulate, six ex-soldiers stationed at a compound are also attacked.
The soldiers engage the Islamic terrorists in a fierce gun battle. They called for support and never received any until the battle was over.
Directed by American filmmaker Michael Bay, 13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi is one of the best Navy SEAL movies of all time.
8. Tears of the Sun- 2003
This film is about a true event that occurred during the Nigerian Civil War.
The government of the West African nation of Nigeria has been overthrown and a civil war is imminent.
Monica Bellucci plays Dr Lena Kendricks who is trapped in the forest of Nigeria and needs to be rescued. A group of American soldiers led by Lieutenant A.K. Waters (Bruce Willis) must rescue Dr Kendricks.
Dr Lena Kendricks insists that her patients must also be rescued. If they are left behind, they will be killed by the rebels.
The rescue mission upsets the Nigerian and American forces. The refugees have moved to safety all thanks to the group led by Lt. A.K.
7. Under Siege- 1992
A terrorist group infiltrates the USS Missouri disguised as members of a rock band. They are hired for a special party and are on board a battleship sailing for Pearl Harbor.
The mission of the terrorists is to take the ship’s nuclear armament. The mission of the terrorist is distrusted by a former Navy SEAL. Steven Seagal is the chef on the ship and his presence was a huge blow to the terrorist plan.
Also Read: U.S. Army Ranks and Insignias in Order
6. The Rock- 1996
One of the best Navy SEAL movies of all time starring Nicolas Cage and the late Sean Connery.
General Francis X. Hummel and his group of soldiers held several Americans hostage at Alcatraz. They also threatened the United States government to pay millions of dollars or they would launch a chemical attack that would kill thousands of people in San Francisco.
Stanley Goodspeed, a chemical warfare expert and ex-British agent John Patrick Mason are sent on a mission to stop the chemical attack.
When a team of special soldiers including Goodspeed and Mason arrive at Alcatraz, the Navy SEAL team are killed. Goodspeed and Mason are the only survivors and they must do everything within their power to stop Stanley and his men.
There was a mutiny after Stanley changed his mind to let thousands of Americans die. Stanley was killed in a shootout with his men.
5. American Sniper- 2014
A true event about the adventures of Chris Kyle in the Middle East.
Bradley Cooper plays Chris Kyle in this 2015 biographical film. It tells the story of a U.S. Navy SEAL who underwent strict self-training to become one of the most fearless snipers in American history.
Kyle endured four tours serving in the U.S. Army in Iraq. Kyle recorded several successful kills in the Middle East. PTSD is often suffered by soldiers who have been on several tours and Kyle was not an exception.
4. Lone Survivor- 2013
Mark Walberg played Marcus Luttrell in this 2013 Hollywood film. Luttrell and his special team of Navy SEALs are off to Afghanistan on a mission to eliminate Ahmad Shah, a Taliban leader.
Luttrell and his team made a mistake that would later come to hunt them. Because of their mistake, Luttrell and his team were attacked by Taliban fighters.
The fight scenes in this movie show the endurance level of the human body. One of the best Navy SEAL movies is the 2013 Hollywood film Lone Survivor.
3. Captain Phillips- 2013
Another 2013 action movie filled with action and survival spirit. In April 2009, Somali pirates attacked an American container ship headed for the Eastern African nation of Kenya.
Tom Hanks plays Richard Phillips, the captain of the ship who tries to protect his crew from the pirates. The film depicts a real hostage situation and the emotions and fears of the victims.
Also Read: 15 Best Website To Watch Movies In Theatres For Free In 2024
2. The Abyss-1989
The Abyss is one of the best Navy SEAL movies of all time.
Ed Harris portrays Virgil and Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio plays Lindsey. Lindsey and Harris were once married and as petroleum engineers, they were selected to offer assistance to Lt. Hiram Coffey.
They need to help Hiram Coffey (Michael Biehn) from the U.S. Navy SEAL. A nuclear submarine was ambushed and sunk into the world’s deepest ocean. There is a need to recover whatever was left of the submarine, so the operation was classified as a top secret.
1. Zero Dark Thirty- 2012
Here is another film that tells the story of Al-Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden. In this movie, Jessica Chastain plays CIA agent Maya.
Maya alongside a team of intelligence analysts and U.S. Navy SEALs worked together to track down al Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden.
Conclusion
Movies are fun and also tell the story of true events in real-time. Whether it’s comedy, action, fantasy, drama, or thriller, we all have our preferences.
Do you agree with our list of best Navy SEAL movies of all time? Which other movie could have made it to this list?
