A war movie that was so powerful it left viewers speechless has been hailed as “one of the most realistic war movies ever made”. Despite foregoing the expensive productions typical of war films, the 2003 film won numerous best picture awards from more than 15 film festivals for its emotional depiction of World War II.
Saints and Soldiers follows a small group of Allied soldiers who survived the Malmedy Massacre, a war atrocity by German forces who executed unarmed Prisoners of War. After escaping the massacre, four US soldiers and a downed British airman have to navigate enemy territory, carrying with them critical intelligence that could turn the tide of battle.
At the heart of it is Corporal Greer, a deeply religious man whose dynamic with fellow soldier Gould, a skeptical and sarcastic medic, adds emotional depth and tension throughout.
Despite its modest budget, Saints and Soldiers succeeds through strong performances and an aesthetic that evokes older war footage, emphasising realism over spectacle.
One IMDB reviewer, who goes by remay1, wrote: “Every once in a while a little movie will come along totally unheralded, unexpected, under budget, under promoted, but which really shouldn’t be missed. Saints and Soldiers is such a movie.”
They said it aligned with his uncle’s depiction of war being a personal battle, saying: “This movie conveys those sentiments very clearly. It is about daily survival without the grandiose trappings. You really wind up caring about each of these characters.”
He concluded: “In my opinion it will go down in history as one of the more realistic war movies ever made.”
Another IMDB reviewer, smithfam548, gave it a 10 out of 10 ranking, saying it left them “speechless” at the end of the film.
They wrote: “The ‘surprise’ ending caught me a little off-guard with its VERY poignant and thought provoking message. In my opinion it will go down in history as one of the more realistic war movies ever made.”