Best Pearl Harbor Movies (RANKED BY FANS!!!)

Because it was the spark that ignited the conflict between the United States of America and Japan throughout World War II, the attack on Pearl Harbor is considered to be one of the most significant happenings in the annals of world history. 

You should see one of the many films that are available on Pearl Harbor if you consider yourself to be patriotic or if you just have an interest in learning more about the events that led up to the assault.

Due to the fact that Pearl Harbor has long been considered one of the most significant locations in the annals of World War II, seeing films that focus on the assault on the harbor should prove to be an intriguing experience. 

In light of this, we have produced a list of the greatest films about Pearl Harbor so that you may satisfy your natural need to learn more about one of the most significant assaults in the annals of human history.

The Finest Films Relating to Pearl Harbor

People who have even a passing familiarity with history are likely aware that Pearl Harbor serves as one of the most recognizable locations in the world due to the fact that the assault on it by the Japanese kicked off World War II between the United States of America and Japan. 

Therefore, if you are interested in seeing the assault on Pearl Harbor from a new point of view, we have several films that are worthwhile viewing that you can check out.

10. The Final Countdown (1980)

Kirk Douglas, one of the greatest actors of all time, has the opportunity to reprise his role as a character in a film about Pearl Harbor in The Final Countdown. 

Due to the fact that it is a science fiction film, this movie tells a unique narrative with its own spin on the events that transpired during the assault on Pearl Harbor.

In the film, there is a modern aircraft carrier that somehow manages to go into the past to the day before the attack on Pearl Harbor takes place. This event is shown as a significant plot point. 

Therefore, in a sense, time travelers are faced with the decision of whether or not to alter the path that history would take, or whether or not to allow things to take place exactly as they should.

9. From Here to Eternity (1953)

From Here to Eternity is the first love tale to take place during the time shortly before the assault on Pearl Harbor that was told in the film Pearl Harbor (2001). 

The film centers on a love tale that, in a way, focuses on the difficulties and issues that arise with how war affects the whole structure of a relationship. These complexity and troubles are combined into one love narrative.

The narrative of the film focuses on the days prior to the attack on Pearl Harbor and gives us a glimpse into the routine everyday life of the troops through the eyes of a single soldier who takes on the role of a lone wolf.

Therefore, if you are interested in seeing a movie that combines historical drama with romantic elements during a period of war, From Here to Eternity is an excellent choice that ranks right up there with Pearl Harbor (2001) and is one that you should consider watching.

8. Tora! Tora! Tora! (1970)

Tora! Tora! In the fantastic film Tora!, which tells the tale of what took place during the assault on Pearl Harbor, the United States, and Japan worked together in an incredible partnership. 

Because of this, it is an excellent film that utilizes the contributions of the two nations that were part of that incident approximately 3 decades after the bombing had place.

When it was first made, this movie was hailed as an extravagant and expensive undertaking that presented contrasting points of view from all involved parties. 

Due to the fact that it is so thorough in its examination of historical detail, it was able to accurately represent the points of view of both the Japanese and the Americans. Because of this, the film was really awarded the Academy Award for Best Special Effects.

7. I Bombed Pearl Harbor (1960)

I Bombed Pearl Harbor is an entirely unique viewpoint on the assault on Pearl Harbor since it examines the matter from the point of view of the Japanese when they were making the decision to start the assault on Pearl Harbor. 

This is in contrast to the majority of the films that have been made about the event, which focus on the point of view of the Americans.

The film I Bombed Pearl Harbor, which wasn’t distributed in the United States until over 20 years after the assault on Pearl Harbor, had its debut in Japan and was then reworked for the American public. 

The narrative focuses on a Japanese pilot who participated in the successful assault on Pearl Harbor and recounts his experiences throughout the conflict. 

Nevertheless, the narrative also focuses on the exact pilot who was there at the time when the United States was victorious in the Battle of Midway. 

If you are interested in seeing events from the perspectives of a person who “was out there,” then you should watch this movie.

6. Midway (2019)

The most recent film to come out of Hollywood to chronicle the actions that took place during the assault on Pearl Harbor is titled Midway. The key distinction, though, is that rather than concentrating on the real assault that took place, this one looks at the Battle of Midway rather. 

This is due to the fact that Midway takes place immediately following the bombing of Pearl Harbor; despite this, we nevertheless think it’s a wonderful film depicting the assault on Pearl Harbor.

Midway is a Hollywood rendition of the Battle of Midway, which took place immediately after the attack of Pearl Harbor and while the United States and Japan were actually at war between themselves.

Like the film’s title suggests, Midway is a recreation of the conflict. This was a key combat that helped the Americans to degrade the strength of the Japanese, as this maritime duel between the two superpowers resulted in the sinking of four aircraft carriers.

5. Air Force (1943)

Even though it was made only 2 years after the attack on Pearl Harbor, the film Air Force suffers from poor performance and kitschy, uninspiring language, making it a less-than-ideal viewing experience for anybody interested in the subject. 

If despite this, you are interested in seeing how Hollywood was far more eager to raise the flag of triumph in the midst of World War II, it is still a good idea to view the movie in question.

The story told in the movie follows the members of the crew of a B-17 bomber that was tasked with landing in Hawaii immediately after the assault on Pearl Harbor started. 

These courageous guys were ready to get their retribution when they helped propel an assault on the Japanese fleet in what appears to be the Battle of Midway. 

The crew and the aircraft both survived the onslaught, and the courageous men were capable of achieving their vengeance.

4. December 7th (1943)

The date of the assault on Pearl Harbor, which took place on December 7, 1941, is mentioned in the movie’s title, so you don’t need any further clues to figure out that the movie is about that event. 

This movie was produced approximately 2 years after the assault really took place, and it was capable of successfully representing the actions that took place on that tragic day.

The issue with this movie is not that it won an Oscar back then; the problem is that it has a lot of aspects that are completely made up and have no basis in reality. 

On the other hand, John Ford is a skilled filmmaker and a great number of viewers thought the sequences were taken from real-life videos of the assault on Pearl Harbor.

Due to the way that certain sequences gave the impression that the United States military was unprepared for the invasion, the War Department demanded that the filmmakers remove nearly an hour of clips from the version of the film that was initially released in theaters. 

This was done despite the fact that the movie does have some positive aspects to it.

3. In Harm’s Way (1965)

When we mentioned that Kirk Douglas appeared in a film on Pearl Harbor, we were referring to the film which is called In Harm’s Way. 

Nevertheless, in contrast to The Final Countdown, this historical picture does not include any elements of science fiction. 

Instead, it is basically a soap opera that portrays the narrative of what life in the navy was like in Pearl Harbor at the time when the Japanese bombs were detonated there.

The film might not be the finest method to portray the tale of the assault on Pearl Harbor, but it has an incredible cast, with the spotlight falling mostly on John Wayne and Kirk Douglas, 2 of the most incredible performers in the annals of cinematic history.

In spite of the film’s many problems, its appeal lies mostly in the magnetic performances offered by its cast members. 

Nevertheless, if you are interested in seeing the assault from the viewpoint of the navy, this ought to be a wonderful historical drama for you to watch.

2. They Were Expendable (1945)

They Were Expendable is among the earliest films to convey the tale of what took place during World War II. The film was broadcast only a short time after the end of the Second World War, making it one of the first films to tell the story of what took place during the war. 

Nevertheless, Pearl Harbor isn’t the exclusive subject of this movie’s attention at any point. However, the thing that this is among the few movies that the great director John Ford shot that is related to World War II makes it a worthwhile viewing experience.

They Were Expendable presents the account of the initial battles that took place between American and Japanese troops in the Philippines in the immediate aftermath of the attack on Pearl Harbor. 

This is done rather than concentrating only on the attack on Pearl Harbor. As a result, despite the fact that it may not be centered on Pearl Harbor, it is still a wonderful movie because of the competence with which it was able to show the gallant Americans who were left behind after a conflict with the Japanese in the Philippines.

1. Pearl Harbor (2001)

Pearl Harbor, which is very probably the most famous movie about the assault on Pearl Harbor, is an excellent method of repeating what occurred earlier once Japan bombed Pearl Harbor. 

The movie is titled Pearl Harbor. Yet, it also serves as a method of presenting the narrative in a manner that combines love and tragedy alongside one of the most significant assaults in the annals of the history of mankind.

The story of Pearl Harbor centers on 2 pilots who are given jobs at the Pearl Harbor airbase in Hawaii. The two pilots, who are the closest of friends, both develop romantic feelings for the same lady, a nurse who is employed at one of the hospitals at Pearl Harbor.

Final Thoughts

If you love history and World War 2, then this article is perfect for you since it contains a list of movies that are based on the events that happened during the attack on Pearl Harbor. This was the event that prompted the United States to enter World War II.