Submarine Movies: Best Films

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1954 - 20197 Films13h 54m4.3 Average

We've compiled for you a list of what we consider the best submarine movies ever made. Our selection prioritizes masterful filmmaking, compelling narratives, and films that have stood the test of time.

20,000 Leagues Under the Sea remains Disney's classic adventure beneath the waves, while The Enemy Below and Run Silent, Run Deep represent the golden age of WWII submarine dramas with their psychological depth and tense duels. Das Boot is widely regarded as the greatest submarine film in history, delivering unflinching realism and claustrophobic intensity.

The Cold War era gave us The Hunt for Red October, a perfectly crafted thriller, and Crimson Tide, which explores the ethics of nuclear command with powerhouse performances. Finally, The Wolf's Call proves the genre still thrives, offering modern technical sophistication and edge-of-your-seat tension.

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1
20,000 Leagues Under the Sea poster

20,000 Leagues Under the Sea

19542h 7m4.1
AdventureScience FictionFamily
Director: Richard Fleischer
Cast: Kirk Douglas, James Mason, Paul Lukas, Peter Lorre, Robert J. Wilke

A ship investigating mysterious sinkings encounters the advanced submarine Nautilus and its enigmatic captain, Nemo, leading to an extraordinary underwater adventure.

2
The Enemy Below poster

The Enemy Below

19571h 37m4
War
Director: Dick Powell
Cast: Robert Mitchum, Curd Jürgens, David Hedison, Theodore Bikel, Russell Collins

During World War II, the crew of an American destroyer engages in a tense cat-and-mouse battle with a German U-boat captain in a deadly game of naval warfare and psychological warfare.

3
Run Silent, Run Deep poster

Run Silent, Run Deep

19581h 33m4
DramaWar
Director: Robert Wise
Cast: Clark Gable, Burt Lancaster, Jack Warden, Brad Dexter, Don Rickles

A WWII submarine captain, driven by revenge against the Japanese destroyer that sunk his previous vessel, puts his new crew at risk with his obsessive pursuit of payback.

4
Das Boot poster

Das Boot

19812h 30m4.9
DramaHistoryWar
Director: Wolfgang Petersen
Cast: Jürgen Prochnow, Herbert Grönemeyer, Klaus Wennemann, Hubertus Bengsch, Martin Semmelrogge

A German U-boat crew faces the claustrophobic horrors of underwater warfare during World War II, as they hunt Allied ships while being hunted themselves in the unforgiving depths of the Atlantic.

5
The Hunt for Red October poster

The Hunt for Red October

19902h 15m4.3
ActionThriller
Director: John McTiernan
Cast: Sean Connery, Alec Baldwin, Scott Glenn, Sam Neill, James Earl Jones

A Soviet submarine captain appears to be defecting to the United States with his advanced nuclear submarine, while CIA analyst Jack Ryan races to prove his theory before both American and Soviet forces destroy the vessel.

6
Crimson Tide poster

Crimson Tide

19951h 56m4.2
ThrillerActionDramaWar
Director: Tony Scott
Cast: Denzel Washington, Gene Hackman, Matt Craven, George Dzundza, Viggo Mortensen

When a Russian republic threatens nuclear war, two U.S. submarine officers clash over whether to launch their missiles, leading to a tense standoff aboard the USS Alabama that could determine the fate of the world.

7
The Wolf's Call poster

The Wolf's Call

20191h 56m4.5
ThrillerActionAdventure
Original Title: Le Chant du loup
Director: Antonin Baudry
Cast: François Civil, Omar Sy, Mathieu Kassovitz, Reda Kateb, Paula Beer

A young submariner with exceptional hearing abilities makes a critical error that endangers his crew. As he tries to redeem himself, he uncovers a conspiracy that threatens to trigger a nuclear war between world powers.