War is hell. A summation that truncates the millions of lives lost yet doesn't savor the savagery that befell them. Words can never replace the unwarranted trauma of soldiers. Putting the "war" in "reward" takes the glory out of fighting and killing another man's battle and enemy. Despite the political game of treating men like pawns, no one has to go through hell alone. Among the bloodshed and death, a camaraderie forms and stays for a lifetime.

Suffering the slings and arrows together makes the pain bearable. Surviving the pain, a teacher of resilience; a reminder to safeguard humanity without senseless violence. Battles may be fought and won, but warfare, in all its cinematic depictions, will always be the nadir of human nature. Here are the greatest battle scenes in all of cinema:

Updated on August 30th, 2023 by Timothy Lindsey: This article has been updated with additional content to keep the discussion fresh and relevant with even more information and new entries.

13 Battle of Exegol

The Rise of Skywalker (2019)

New Rise of Skywalker Footage Teases Tonight's Final Trailer

Rise of Skywalker is the latest installment of the Star Wars saga. It shows Rey and the rest of The Resistance making a final push to put an end to The First Order and the return of Emperor Palpatine. The final battle of the film is the biggest as The Resistance travels to the hidden world of the Sith known as Exegol.

Not only must they prevent the biggest fleet that the galaxy has ever seen from taking off and destroying other planets, but Rey must overcome Palpatine, who is her grandfather. With the additional help of Finn, Poe and an old friend in Lando Calrissian taking care of business in the sky, Rey is able to use the power of all the Jedi who came before her to defeat Palpatine. They save the galaxy from disaster and pain.

12 Battle Of Thermopylae

300 (2006)

300 The Battle Of Thermopylae
Warner Bros.

300 falls under historical fantasy with its retelling of the Battle of Thermopylae fought during the Greco-Persian Wars. The Persians requested to stake their claim and dominance over the Spartans in the year 480 BC. Given the Spartans' pursuit of excellence in education and military strategy, they take the attempt as a threat and face off against the Persians.

The Spartan army was no more than 7,000 men compared to the Persian army ranging from 120,000 to 300,000 soldiers. The challenge was met with a fight to the death and 300 Spartans remaining, making the Battle of Thermopylae one of the greatest last stands in history.

11 Battle of Stirling Bridge

Braveheart (1995)

Mel Gibson in Braveheart 1995
Paramount Pictures

Braveheart retells the history of the First War of Scottish Independence led by the late-13th century Scottish warrior Sir William Wallace. He and his compatriots took on the English invasion under Kind Edward I of England.

The High Medieval Ages were fraught with conquest and danger, but Wallace and his men refused the King's overlordship. The battle was won by the Scots, who appointed Wallace as "guardian of the kingdom of Scotland and commander of its army" thereafter.

10 Battle of Midway

Midway (2019)

Midway Trailer: Independence Day Director Takes on World War II

Midway is one of the best war films of the last decade. It tells the story of the American response after the events of Pearl Harbor. The first major battle after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor was the aerial battle over the island of Midway. If the Japanese win the battle, it is a step closer for them to overtaking Hawaii and possibly the west coast of the United States.

With the help of Admiral Chester Nimitz, Lieutenant Dick Best and Commander Edwin Layton, the United States is able to defeat the Japanese at Midway. Aside from the Top Gun franchise, it is extremely hard to find a film with better aerial battle scenes.

9 Battle of Yavin

Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope (1977)

yavin-battle-star-wars
20th Century Fox

A turning point in the Galactic Civil War and one of the most famous scenes in the Star Wars saga, the Battle of Yavin saw the Rebel Alliance take down the first Death Star. The moon-sized weapon had already destroyed an entire planet, proving it's lethal threat.

Using the smuggled schematics of the Empire's space station from Princess Leia Organa, the Rebels find the weapon's weakness. Over a dogfight filled with X-Wings and TIE Fighters, Luke Skywalker flies in to shoot a proton torpedo down an exhaust port to reach the main reactor and destroy the Death Star.

Related: Best World War Two Docuseries in TV History, Ranked

8 Battle of Helm’s Deep

The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002)

Battle of Helms Deep in Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
New Line Cinema

Located in the White Mountains of Middle-earth, Helm's Deep is a valley where the stronghold of Hornburg resides. It houses an army of men and elves prepared to fight the Uruk-hai army of Orcs led by the power-hungry Wizard Saruman.

The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers uses a grand sprawl of animosity from the Orcs and the fortitude of the men and elves, butting heads in a massive tide of war that CGI today can't hold a candle to.

7 Battle of Minas Tirith

Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003)

Lord of the Rings_ The Return of the King
New Line Cinema

Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King showcases multiple big battles to viewers as it is the final film of the Lord of the Rings franchise. The first big battle takes place at the City of Kings known as Minas Tirith, which is the biggest city in the land of Gondor. The city sits just outside the outskirts of Mordor.

The armies of Gondor and Rohan, led by the wizard Gandalf, Aragorn, the future King of Gondor, and Théoden King of Rohan, team up against the armies of Mordor. If they can't hold against the army of orcs, goblins and mercenaries, the land of Gondor will be taken over by evil. However, with the help of an army of the dead, they defeat the evil armies of Mordor in the first of two major battles in the final film of the series.

6 Castle Siege

Ran (1985)

ran 1985
Toho

Ran takes place during the Sengoku period, a time of constant social upheavals in war-torn Japan. Warlord Hidetora Ichimonji has relinquished his position as ruler and divided his dominion over his three castles between his three loyal sons, Taro, Jiro, and Saburo.

Family ties once close to home are now being severed by the brothers as their father's past lingers over them. Bids for power devolve into a political turf war, bringing the Ichimonji clan to ruin after the sons' respective armies clash one last time.

5 Battle of Aqaba

Lawrence Of Arabia (1962)

Lawrence of Arabia
Columbia Pictures

Lawrence of Arabia recounts the experiences of British archeologist Thomas Edward Lawrence and his struggle between his loyalties to the British Empire and his newfound Arabian brotherhood.

The attack on Aqaba was a 600-mile journey advised by Lawrence as the British needed its Red Sea port to aid in the First World War. Lawrence later helped establish the provisional government known as the Arab National Council, putting an end to warring tribes and the Ottoman Empire.

4 No Man's Land

All Quiet on the Western Front (1930)

all-quiet-on-the-western-front-1930
Universal Pictures

All Quiet on the Western Front depicts the trench warfare of World War I with haunting accuracy. Earth explodes beneath the feet of the Allies and German Army at the unnatural sound of mortar shells screaming for their death.

They hold and breach each other's front lines caked in dirt and blood. Charging the enemy through machine gunfire only to be met by a bayonet knife or hand-to-hand combat is a harrowing experience.

Related: Why The Battle of Algiers Is Often Considered the Best War Movie Ever Made

3 Battle of Endor

Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi (1983)

Star Wars Episode 6
Via: Lucasfilm Ltd.

The third film of the original Star Wars series, Return of the Jedi follows the army of the Rebellion as they set out to destroy the dreaded Death Star one more time. However, they must do it with Emperor Palpatine in attendance as he has his eyes set on crushing the Rebellion and turning Luke Skywalker to the Dark Side. In order to attack the Death Star, Han Solo, Princess Leia, Chewbacca, an army of rebels, and an army of Ewoks must deactivate the shield generator on the nearby forest moon of Endor.

A battle ensues with stormtroopers and imperial forces near the generator. Despite Leia getting wounded and R2-D2 getting shot, the rebels are able to set charges and blow up the shield generator. That allows General Lando Calrissian and Co. to fly into the Death Star and blow it up from the inside. It could very well be considered the most important battle in a galaxy far, far away.

2 Omaha Beach

Saving Private Ryan (1998)

Saving Private Ryan opening scene
DreamWorks Pictures

On June 6, 1944, also called D-Day, the Allied invasion of Normandy began at the height of World War II. The U.S. army landed on Omaha Beach, a part of German-occupied France. The men are riddled with artillery fire and mortar strikes as they leave their Higgins boats for the shore.

Some are in a catatonic state; others are yelling their want to go home, while the few are wading through their fallen comrades. The battle scene in Saving Private Ryan encapsulated history's largest seaborne invasion that liberated France and Europe but also emphasized the true-to-life assault and PTSD veterans experienced.

1 Battle of Earth

Avengers: Endgame (2019)

A scene from Avengers: Endgame
Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

In perhaps the great superhero battle of all-time, the Battle of Earth in Avengers: Endgame pitted all the Avengers against Thanos and his army, who have time-traveled from the past to destroy any chance of the Avengers saving the universe. This battle is special because half of the Avengers that were snapped away by Thanos in the previous film have returned. Friends are reunited, and all MCU heroes have answered the call to destroy Thanos.

In the end, after the heroes find a way to just barely keep Thanos from snapping his fingers in the Infinity Gauntlet once more, Iron Man snaps his fingers and sends Thanos packing. Tony Stark made the ultimate sacrifice, which is what Captain America said he wasn't capable of doing in the first Avengers film (2011). It will be hard for Marvel to ever top this battle scene.