If you’re a fan of intense war dramas based on real events, then you probably loved 13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi. Directed by Michael Bay, this 2016 film tells the gripping true story of six elite ex-military operators who fought to defend the American diplomatic compound in Benghazi, Libya during a terrorist attack on September 11, 2012.
13 Hours is a powerful film that puts you right in the center of the action, making you feel the chaos, fear and bravery experienced by these heroic men. It’s a movie that sticks with you long after watching it.
So if you’re looking for more films that provide a similar visceral experience and tell compelling true war stories, look no further. Here are the 19 best movies like 13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi that any war movie buff needs to see.
1. Black Hawk Down (2001)
Directed by Ridley Scott, Black Hawk Down is based on the true story of a 1993 U.S. military raid in Mogadishu, Somalia that went terribly wrong. Like 13 Hours, it throws you into an intense, chaotic urban battle as a small group of American soldiers find themselves outnumbered and outgunned by enemy militia. With its frenetic pace, gritty realism, and incredible cast including Josh Hartnett, Ewan McGregor, and Eric Bana, Black Hawk Down is a must-see modern war classic.
2. Lone Survivor (2013)
Lone Survivor tells the real-life story of Marcus Luttrell and a small team of U.S. Navy SEALs on a covert mission in the mountains of Afghanistan that turns into a desperate fight for survival against the Taliban. Like 13 Hours, it’s a brutally realistic and emotionally powerful film that honors the courage of the men who fought and died. Mark Wahlberg gives an intense lead performance and the action sequences are heart-pounding.
3. The Siege of Jadotville (2016)
The Siege of Jadotville is a hidden gem of a war film that not enough people have seen. It depicts the incredible true story of how an outnumbered group of 150 Irish UN soldiers heroically fought off an attack by 3,000 Congolese troops led by French and Belgian mercenaries in 1961. If you liked how 13 Hours portrayed the bravery of the men against overwhelming odds, you’ll love this gripping and inspirational film.
4. American Sniper (2014)
Directed by Clint Eastwood, American Sniper stars Bradley Cooper in the true story of Chris Kyle, the most lethal sniper in U.S. military history. While the focus is more on Kyle’s personal story and the psychological costs of war, the Iraq combat scenes are incredibly tense and realistic, similar to 13 Hours. It’s a moving film about heroism and sacrifice that was a huge box office hit.
5. Saving Private Ryan (1998)
Any list of great modern war films has to include Steven Spielberg’s Saving Private Ryan. The scale is bigger than 13 Hours, depicting the Allied invasion of Normandy in World War II. But it shares the same you-are-there intensity, especially in its legendary opening D-Day sequence. It’s an emotionally powerful film that doesn’t shy away from showing the brutality of war.
6. Fury (2014)
Fury stars Brad Pitt as the commander of a U.S. tank crew fighting their way across Germany in the final months of World War II. Like 13 Hours, it’s a film about the bonds between men in combat and their courage under fire. The tank battles are visceral and intense, putting you right in the middle of the action. With a great cast that also includes Shia LaBeouf and Logan Lerman, Fury is a gripping and well-acted war drama.
7. Zero Dark Thirty (2012)
From Academy Award winning director Kathryn Bigelow, Zero Dark Thirty chronicles the decade-long manhunt for Osama bin Laden after 9/11 and the Navy SEAL raid that killed him. Like 13 Hours, it’s a taut, gritty thriller based on real events that keeps you on the edge of your seat. Jessica Chastain is fantastic as the determined CIA analyst at the center of the story.
8. Jarhead (2005)
Directed by Sam Mendes and starring Jake Gyllenhaal, Jamie Foxx and Peter Sarsgaard, Jarhead is a unique war film about the mental and emotional experience of soldiers rather than combat. Set during the Gulf War, it follows a Marine sniper who struggles with boredom, isolation and anxiety while stationed in the desert, waiting for action that never seems to come. It’s a powerful psychological portrait of the effects of war that pairs well with the non-stop action of 13 Hours.
9. Hacksaw Ridge (2016)
Directed by Mel Gibson, Hacksaw Ridge is the extraordinary true story of Desmond Doss, an American combat medic in World War II who refused to carry a weapon due to his religious beliefs. But during the brutal Battle of Okinawa, he saved 75 men without firing a single shot. Like 13 Hours, it’s an incredibly intense, violent film that shows the horrors of war. But it’s also deeply moving, with Andrew Garfield giving a powerhouse performance as Doss.
10. The Kingdom (2007)
The Kingdom stars Jamie Foxx, Chris Cooper, and Jennifer Garner as members of an elite FBI team sent to investigate a terrorist attack on an American facility in Saudi Arabia. Like 13 Hours, it’s a tense, action-packed thriller set in the Middle East that feels ripped from the headlines. The climactic car chase and shootout through the streets of Riyadh is one of the most exciting action sequences in recent memory.
11. Tears of the Sun (2003)
Starring Bruce Willis and Monica Bellucci, Tears of the Sun follows a Navy SEAL team sent to rescue an American doctor in Nigeria during a violent military coup. Like 13 Hours, it’s a story about American soldiers risking their lives to save civilians in a hostile foreign country. The action is intense and the emotions run high as Willis’ character and his team decide to help a group of refugees reach safety.
12. Green Zone (2010)
Reuniting director Paul Greengrass and star Matt Damon from the Bourne films, Green Zone is a gritty, frenetic thriller set in the early days of the Iraq War. Damon plays a U.S. Army officer searching for WMDs who uncovers a conspiracy involving faulty intelligence. Like 13 Hours, it’s a film that puts you on the chaotic streets of a war zone and features pulse-pounding, realistic action.
13. Act of Valor (2012)
Act of Valor is a unique film starring real-life active duty U.S. Navy SEALs as fictionalized versions of themselves. The plot involves a mission to recover a kidnapped CIA agent and stop a terrorist attack. Like 13 Hours, it aims to pay tribute to the skill and courage of American special forces. The action feels incredibly authentic since it’s performed by actual Navy SEALs, and the combat sequences are intense and well-staged.
14. Behind Enemy Lines (2001)
Behind Enemy Lines stars Owen Wilson as a Navy navigator shot down over Bosnia during a reconnaissance mission who must survive in hostile territory until he can be rescued. Like 13 Hours, it’s a suspenseful survival story that keeps you on the edge of your seat. Gene Hackman provides strong support as the admiral coordinating the rescue mission.
15. The Hurt Locker (2008)
Directed by Kathryn Bigelow, The Hurt Locker follows a bomb disposal team during the Iraq War and the dangerous daily grind they face defusing IEDs. It’s a masterful film full of white-knuckle tension that puts you right in the middle of the action, similar to 13 Hours. Jeremy Renner gives a riveting lead performance as a reckless, adrenaline-junkie sergeant. The film won six Oscars including Best Picture and Best Director.
16. Full Metal Jacket (1987)
Stanley Kubrick’s Full Metal Jacket is a Vietnam War classic that follows a platoon of Marines from their brutal boot camp training to the bloody streets of Hue during the Tet Offensive. While it’s a very different kind of film than 13 Hours, it shares the visceral you-are-there quality of combat and the psychological intensity. The first half of the film at boot camp is darkly funny, while the second half is a nightmarish descent into the hell of war.
17. We Were Soldiers (2002)
We Were Soldiers stars Mel Gibson as Lieutenant Colonel Hal Moore, who led 400 American soldiers in the first major battle of the Vietnam War against 2,000 North Vietnamese troops. Like 13 Hours, it’s a powerful and intense true story of courage under fire against overwhelming odds. The battle sequences are vicious and realistic, and the cast also includes Sam Elliott, Greg Kinnear, Chris Klein and Keri Russell.
18. Hamburger Hill (1987)
Hamburger Hill depicts the real-life story of the brutal 10-day assault on a heavily fortified Vietnamese position by the U.S. Army’s 3rd Battalion, 187th Infantry Regiment in 1969. Like 13 Hours, it’s a film about the incredible bravery of the men who fought, and the bloody, muddy, close-quarters nature of the combat. The young cast includes Dylan McDermott and Courtney B. Vance in early roles.
19. Platoon (1986)
Written and directed by Oliver Stone based on his own experiences, Platoon is a classic Vietnam War film that still packs a punch today. Charlie Sheen stars as a young soldier caught between two sergeants (Willem Dafoe and Tom Berenger) with very different leadership styles. Like 13 Hours, it’s a visceral, unflinching look at the chaos and brutality of war and the psychological toll it takes on the men who fight. It won four Oscars including Best Picture and Best Director.
So there you have it – 19 must-see films for anyone who loved 13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi. From modern warfare thrillers to Vietnam classics to true stories of courage under fire, these movies will keep you on the edge of your seat and leave you marveling at the bravery of the men and women who put their lives on the line in service of their country.
All of these films, like 13 Hours, are ultimately about more than just the action and violence. They’re about brotherhood, sacrifice, and the unbreakable bonds forged between men in combat. They’re about finding courage in the face of fear and doing what needs to be done, no matter the cost. So if you’re ready for more heart-pounding, fist-clenching, emotionally powerful films like 13 Hours, give these 19 movies a watch. You won’t be disappointed.
