Veterans Day is when one honors the military personnel of the United States. While there might be other ways to celebrate the day, watching war movies with your older kids should also be a part of it for them to truly grasp the sacrifice the heroes of the country make to keep us safe. Here are some great family-friendly movies that you can watch on Veterans Day.
Several of these titles are R-rated due to the violent content in them, with many containing profanities as well. So you will want to quickly scan through the movies before watching them with your teens to ensure your children are only consuming content that you think is fit for them. You can either skip a film altogether or make note of the time stamps to skip over scenes that you believe aren’t fit for your kiddo’s eyes.
Dunkirk (2017) – PG-13
Filmmaker Christopher Nolan brings a gripping war movie that will give you goosebumps. During World War II, soldiers from the British Empire, Belgium, and France were surrounded by the German army and tried to evacuate from the town of Dunkirk during a fierce battle. It’s a family-friendly movie that teaches about hope and survival that you should watch on Veteran’s Day. However, it does contain some intense scenes that you might need to make a note of to watch with your tweens and teens.
Born on the Fourth of July (1989) – R
Based on the biography of Ron Kovic, this movie is a much-watch on Veterans Day. This film shows the aftermath of war. Kovic is a patriotic man who joins the forces with the hopes of serving his country. However, after being paralyzed in the Vietnam War, he became a pro-human rights political activist who was against wars. He felt betrayed by his beloved country. There is moderate sex and nudity in “Born on the Fourth of July,” so you might want to skip it altogether if you aren’t comfortable with your teens watching the same.
Patton (1970) – PG
This epic biographical war film is about U.S. General George S. Patton during World War II. Winner of seven 1970 Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Actor, this classic movie tells the tale of the twentieth century’s greatest military genius and the only general truly feared by the Nazis. However, his volatile personality was something he struggled with till the end.
The Thin Red Line (1998) – R
Starring Nick Nolte, Sean Penn, George Clooney, and Woody Harrelson, this film is as impressive as its star cast. The movie is an adaptation of James Jones’ autobiographical novel. The story focuses on the conflict at Guadalcanal during World War II. The plot gives a glimpse into a hauntingly realistic view of military and moral chaos in the Pacific during the war. This family-friendly movie will surely increase your respect for the war heroes. However, we would recommend making a note of the violent and intense scenes for this one. There is also mild nudity in this film, but it isn’t sexual whatsoever.
Rescue Dawn (2006) – PG-13
The film is based on pilot Dieter Dengler’s (played by Christian Bale) life and his crash during the Vietnam War. Following the crash, the fighter pilot gets caught by peasants. In captivity, he hatches and executes an escape plan with five deranged prisoners but only to land in a much bigger problem. There are some violent and intense scenes in this movie as well, so you can make a note of the time stamps for your tweens and teens.
13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi (2016) – R
“When everything went wrong, six men dared to do what was right.” Starring John Krasinski, Pablo Schreiber, and James Badge Dale among others, the film follows the true story of a security team consisting of six members fighting to defend an American diplomatic compound in Benghazi, Libya, against serious terrorist attacks. You cannot miss this movie based on Mitchell Zuckoff’s 2014 book. However, the film does contain several violent and intense scenes with lots of profanities.
Black Hawk Down (2001) – R
When an elite force of 160 soldiers is dropped into Mogadishu in October 1993 to capture the Somalian warlord’s top lieutenants, they find themselves ambushed by a large force of heavily armed Somalis. The team now has to battle it out to complete the mission. As the plot suggests, the movie has violent and gory scenes that might not be fit for your little one’s eyes.
The Tillman Story (2010) – R
“The Tillman Story” is a must-watch on Veterans Day. The documentary film chronicles the life and death of professional football player-turned-army ranger Pat Tillman in the war in Afghanistan. Tillman walked away from a super lucrative contract with the Arizona Cardinals in 2002 to serve the country. However, he died from friendly fire in Afghanistan. While rated R, the movie can easily pass for a PG-13 work. But, as the parent, the decision lies with you. So scan through it once before watching it with your tweens and teens.
While you are at it, you can also watch movies like “Hacksaw Ridge” (2016), “1971” (2019), “The Great Escape” (1963), and “Saving Private Ryan” (1998). Also, do let us know in the comment section below the family-friendly titles you picked for Veterans Day and which movies you loved the most.
