Highest-Rated Movies about 'Basic Training'

Full Metal Jacket (1987), Hacksaw Ridge (2016), Lakshya (2004), The Dirty Dozen (1967), Sergeant York (1941), No Time for Sergeants (1958), Across the Universe (2007), Snowden (2016) ... Let's take a look at the ranked list of the best Basic Training movies.

#1. Full Metal Jacket (1987)

Storyline: A two-segment look at the effect of the military mindset and war itself on Vietnam era Marines. The first half follows a group of recruits in boot camp under the command of the punishing Gunnery Sergeant Hartman. The second half shows one of those recruits, Joker, covering the war as a correspondent for Stars and Stripes, focusing on the Tet offensive.

Plot Keywords: military, vietnam war, u.s. marine, u.s. marine corps, boot camp, vietnam, violence ...

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#2. Hacksaw Ridge (2016)

Storyline: The true story of Desmond T. Doss, the conscientious objector who, at the Battle of Okinawa, was awarded the Medal of Honor for his incredible bravery and regard for his fellow soldiers. We see his upbringing and how this shaped his views, especially his religious view and anti-killing stance. We see Doss's trials and tribulations after enlisting in the US Army and trying to become a medic. Finally, we see the hell on Earth that was Hacksaw Ridge.

Plot Keywords: world war two, soldier, medic, 1940s, embarrassing nudity, pacifism, combat ...

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#3. Lakshya (2004)

Storyline: Karan is a lazy good-for-nothing who lives on the generated income of his father and elder brother at their family business. Karan's days: hang out with buddies and romance a woman named Romi. When he watches an action movie, he decides to enlist in the army with a friend, but basic training proves to be too much of a bother and he shortly abandons it, thus making him lose respect on the home front. Romi also stops respecting him. Karan decides he must re-join the army and show his family and Romi that he, too, is focused upon the path he has to take in this lifetime, but will he be resilient enough to carry out this task?

Plot Keywords: cult film, military parade, laziness, helicopter, ex girlfriend, engagement ring, deadline ...

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#4. The Dirty Dozen (1967)

Storyline: A Major with an attitude problem and a history of getting things done is told to interview military prisoners with death sentences or long terms for a dangerous mission; To parachute behind enemy lines and cause havoc for the German Generals at a rest house on the eve of D-Day.

Plot Keywords: commando mission, psychopath, world war two, commando, commando unit, behind enemy lines, suicide mission ...

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#5. Sergeant York (1941)

Storyline: Somewhat fictionalized account of the life and war service of Alvin York, who went from humble beginnings to being one of the most celebrated American servicemen to fight in World War I. As depicted in the film, Alvin turned to religion when he was struck by lightning during one of his drunken outings. Alvin took his newfound religion seriously claiming to be a conscientious objector when receiving his draft notice. When that was refused, he joined the infantry where he served with valor, capturing a large number of Germans and saving the lives of many of his men who were under heavy fire.

Plot Keywords: u.s. soldier, target practice, one man army, patriotism, propaganda, firearm, world war one ...

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#6. No Time for Sergeants (1958)

Storyline: Hillbilly, Will Stockdale, drafted into the United States' Air Force, combines crushing naivety, stubbornness, a completely literal mind, and amazing physical strength. Will the Air Force survive all the numerous experiences?—Rod Crawford <puffinus@u.washington.edu>

Plot Keywords: based on novel, airplane accident, farm, bar fight, missile, jumping from an airplane, bathroom ...

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#7. Across the Universe (2007)

Storyline: Across The Universe is a fictional love story set in the 1960s amid the turbulent years of anti-war protest, the struggle for free speech and civil rights, mind exploration and rock and roll. At once gritty, whimsical and highly theatrical, the story moves from high schools and universities in Massachusetts, Princeton and Ohio to the Lower East Side of Manhattan, the Detroit riots, Vietnam and the dockyards of Liverpool. A combination of live action and animation, the film is paired with many songs by The Beatles that defined the time.

Plot Keywords: song, title directed by female, pantyhose, female stockinged legs, black pantyhose, vietnam war, near death experience ...

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#9. American Sniper (2014)

Storyline: Chris Kyle (Bradley Cooper) was nothing more than a Texas man who dreamt of becoming a cowboy, but in his thirties he found out that maybe his life needed something different, something where he could express his real talent, something that could help America in its fight against terrorism. So he joined the S.E.A.L.s in order to become a sniper. After marrying Taya (Sienna Miller), Kyle and the other members of the team are called for their first tour of Iraq. Kyle's struggle isn't with his missions, but about his relationship with the reality of the war and, once returned at home, how he manages to handle it with his urban life, his wife, and kids.

Plot Keywords: assassin, sniper, american soldier, iraq, iraq war, violence, mercenary ...

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#10. Jarhead (2005)

Storyline: Anthony "Swoff" Swofford, a Camus-reading kid from Sacramento, enlists in the Marines in the late 1980s. He malingers during boot camp, but makes it through as a sniper, paired with the usually-reliable Troy. The Gulf War breaks out, and his unit goes to Saudi Arabia for Desert Shield. After 175 days of boredom, adrenaline, heat, worry about his girlfriend finding someone else, losing it and nearly killing a mate, demotion, latrine cleaning, faulty gas masks, and desert football, Desert Storm begins. In less than five days, it's over, but not before Swoff sees burned bodies, flaming oil derricks, an oil-drenched horse, and maybe a chance at killing. Where does all the testosterone go?

Plot Keywords: soldier, desert, boot camp, sniper rifle, u.s. marine corps, cheating wife, violence ...

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#11. Tigerland (2000)

Storyline: In September 1971, a platoon of recruits arrives in Ft. Polk, LA, for infantry training before leaving for war. The final week takes place in Tigerland, a swamp similar to Vietnam. Jim Paxton has enlisted; he wants to experience everything and write books later. He befriends Roland Bozz, a cool Texan with a gift for getting into trouble and for helping misfits get discharges. At least one sociopath in the platoon hates Bozz, even as the sergeants grudgingly recognize his leadership abilities. As the platoon heads into its week in Tigerland, Paxton's body gives out, Bozz makes plans to go AWOL, and the sociopath gets hold of live ammo. Is the Louisiana swamp more dangerous than the DMZ?

Plot Keywords: vietnam, female frontal nudity, female nudity, female rear nudity, prostitute, sex, underwear ...

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#12. Heartbreak Ridge (1986)

Storyline: 1983. Thomas Highway (Clint Eastwood) is a well-decorated career military man in the United States Marine Corps, he who has seen action in Korea and Vietnam. His current rank is Gunnery Sergeant. His experiences have led him to become an opinionated, no nonsense man, who is prone to bursts of violence, especially when he's drunk, if the situation does not suit him, regardless of the specifics or people involved. Because of these actions, he has spent his fair share of overnighters behind bars. Close to retirement, one of his last assignments, one he requested, is back at his old unit at Cherry Point, North Carolina, from where he was transferred for insubordination and conduct unbecoming. He is to train a reconnaissance platoon. His superior officer, the much younger and combat inexperienced Major Malcolm Powers (Everett McGill), sees Highway as a relic of an old-styled military. Highway's commanding officer, Lieutenant Ring (Boyd Gaines), the platoon leader, is also a younger man who...

Plot Keywords: marine, tough guy, camouflage uniform, military dress uniform, patriotism, machismo, war violence ...

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#13. Stripes (1981)

Storyline: At the end of a very bad day when he realizes his life has gone and is going nowhere, John Winger is able to convince his best friend, Russell Ziskey, whose life is not much better, to enlist in the army, despite they not being obvious soldier material. In basic training, they are only two of a bunch of misfits that comprise their platoon. However, it is still John that is constantly butting heads with their drill sergeant, Sergeant Hulka. Two of their saving graces are Stella and Louise, two MPs who get them out of one scrape after another. Their entire platoon is in jeopardy of not graduating. But what happens during basic leads to their entire platoon being assigned to an overseas mission in Italy, to test a new urban assault vehicle, the EM-50 project. John and Russell decide to take the EM-50 for an unauthorized test drive to visit Stella and Louise who have been reassigned to West Germany. In the process, the rest of the platoon, Hulka, and Hulka's immediate superior, ...

Plot Keywords: u.s. army, military enlistment, army base, army life, american soldier, u.s. military, u.s. soldier ...

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#14. The Wild Geese (1978)

Storyline: A British multinational seeks to overthrow a vicious dictator in central Africa. It hires a band of (largely aged) mercenaries in London and sends them in to save the virtuous but imprisoned opposition leader.

Plot Keywords: gore, rescue mission, radio, jungle warfare, semiautomatic pistol, friendly fire, father son relationship ...

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#15. Ender's Game (2013)

Storyline: The Earth was ravaged by the Formics, an alien race seemingly determined to destroy humanity. Fifty years later, the people of Earth remain banded together to prevent their own annihilation from this technologically superior alien species. Ender Wiggin, a quiet but brilliant boy, may become the savior of the human race. He is separated from his beloved sister and his terrifying brother and brought to battle school in orbit around earth. He will be tested and honed into an empathetic killer who begins to despise what he does as he learns to fight in hopes of saving Earth and his family.

Plot Keywords: alien, brother sister relationship, military academy, teenage protagonist, child prodigy, based on novel, based on young adult novel ...

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