Movies Like Das Boot (1981)

Das Boot is a 1981 drama, history, war film from Wolfgang Petersen with a MovieMagicScore of 8.1/10. Here are 20 similar films, ranked by real viewer ratings — starting with In Which We Serve and The Cruel Sea.

Drama History War

In Which We Serve

1942

The story of the HMS Torrin, from its construction to its sinking in the Mediterranean during action in World War II. The ship's first and only commanding officer is Captain E.V. Kinross, who trains his men not only to be loyal to him and the country, but—most importantly—to themselves.

6.8

MagicScore

The Cruel Sea

1953

At the start of World War II, Cmdr. Ericson is assigned to convoy escort HMS Compass Rose with inexperienced officers and men just out of training. The winter seas make life miserable enough, but the men must also harden themselves to rescuing survivors of U-Boat attacks, while seldom able to strike back. Traumatic events afloat and ashore create a warm bond between the skipper and his first officer

6.9

MagicScore

Greyhound

2020

A first-time captain leads a convoy of allied ships carrying thousands of soldiers across the treacherous waters of the "Black Pit" to the front lines of WWII. With no air cover protection for 5 days, the captain and his convoy must battle the surrounding enemy Nazi U-boats in order to give the allies a chance to win the war.

7.4

MagicScore

The Bedford Incident

1965

During a routine patrol, a reporter is given permission to interview a hardened cold-war warrior and captain of the American destroyer USS Bedford. The reporter gets more than he bargained for when the Bedford discovers a Soviet sub and the captain begins a relentless pursuit, pushing his crew to breaking point.

6.9

MagicScore

Midway

1976

This war drama depicts the U.S. and Japanese forces in the naval Battle of Midway, which became a turning point for Americans during World War II.

6.6

MagicScore

The Battle of the River Plate

1956

In the early years of the World War II, the Royal Navy is fighting a desperate battle to keep the Atlantic convoy routes open to supply the British Isles, facing the great danger posed by the many German warships, such as the Admiral Graf Spee, which are scouring the ocean for cargo ships to sink.

6.2

MagicScore

The Enemy Below

1957

The crew of the American destroyer escort, the USS Haynes, detects a German U-Boat—resulting in a prolonged, deadly battle of wits.

7.0

MagicScore

Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World

2003

After an abrupt and violent encounter with a French warship inflicts severe damage upon his ship, a captain of the British Royal Navy begins a chase over two oceans to capture or destroy the enemy, though he must weigh his commitment to duty and ferocious pursuit of glory against the safety of his devoted crew, including the ship's thoughtful surgeon, his best friend.

7.2

MagicScore

Morituri

1965

A German living in India during World War II is blackmailed by the English to impersonate an SS officer on board a cargo ship leaving Japan for Germany carrying a large supply of rubber for tyres. His mission is to disable the scuttling charges so the captain cannot sink the ship if they are stopped by English warships.

6.8

MagicScore

#10

Run Silent, Run Deep

1958

The captain of a submarine sunk by the Japanese during WWII is finally given a chance to skipper another sub after a year of working a desk job. His singleminded determination for revenge against the destroyer that sunk his previous vessel puts his new crew in unneccessary danger.

6.9

MagicScore

#11

The Land That Time Forgot

1974

During World War I, a German U-boat sinks a British passenger ship and takes the survivors aboard. After getting lost in fog, the submarine surfaces near the unknown island of Caprona, a lost world where they find dinosaurs and Neanderthals.

5.7

MagicScore

#12

Godzilla Minus One

2023

In postwar Japan, Godzilla brings new devastation to an already scorched landscape. With no military intervention or government help in sight, the survivors must join together in the face of despair and fight back against an unrelenting horror.

7.6

MagicScore

#13

Mysterious Island

1961

During the US Civil War, Union POWs escape in a balloon and end up stranded on a South Pacific island, inhabited by giant plants and animals. They must use their ingenuity to survive the dangers, and to devise a way to return home. Sequel to '20,000 Leagues Under the Sea' .

6.6

MagicScore

#14

In the Sub for Love

2024

She is a tactical submarine officer. He is a steward. Before diving for 90 days she chooses to make it her "four-hour". But here he is clinging. Who follows her. Who sticks it. Where do we go if the flight crew of a 747 prides itself on romance? As if we had time to be in love on board a military ship. Still, the Pacific Ocean is not big enough. Neither does the Arctic Ocean. The world is so small when you love each other so much.

5.4

MagicScore

#15

Sink the Bismarck!

1960

The story of the breakout of the German battleship Bismarck—accompanied by the heavy cruiser Prinz Eugen—during the early days of World War II. The Bismarck and her sister ship, Tirpitz, were the most powerful battleships in the European theater of World War II. The British Navy must find and destroy Bismarck before it can escape into the convoy lanes to inflict severe damage on the cargo shipping which was the lifeblood of the British Isles. With eight 15 inch guns, it was capable of destroying every ship in a convoy while remaining beyond the range of all Royal Navy warships.

6.8

MagicScore

#16

20,000 Leagues Under the Sea

1997

In the 19th century, an expert marine biologist is hired by the government to determine what's sinking ships all over the ocean. His daughter follows him. They are intercepted by a mysterious captain Nemo and his incredible submarine.

5.7

MagicScore

#17

Action in the North Atlantic

1943

Merchant Marine sailors Joe Rossi (Humphrey Bogart) and Steve Jarvis (Raymond Massey) are charged with getting a supply vessel to Russian allies as part of a sea convoy. When the group of ships comes under attack from a German U-boat, Rossi and Jarvis navigate through dangerous waters to evade Nazi naval forces. Though their mission across the Atlantic is extremely treacherous, they are motivated by the opportunity to strike back at the Germans, who sank one of their earlier ships.

7.1

MagicScore

#18

The Dirty Dozen

1967

12 American military prisoners in World War II are ordered to infiltrate a well-guarded enemy château and kill the Nazi officers vacationing there. The soldiers, most of whom are facing death sentences for a variety of violent crimes, agree to the mission and the possible commuting of their sentences.

7.6

MagicScore

#19

Hostile Waters

1997

Based on true events, an American submarine collides into a Soviet sub of the coast of America and an ensuing standoff occurs that could lead to total annihilation.

6.0

MagicScore

#20

Saving Private Ryan

1998

As U.S. troops storm the beaches of Normandy, three brothers lie dead on the battlefield, with a fourth trapped behind enemy lines. Ranger captain John Miller and seven men are tasked with penetrating German-held territory and bringing the boy home.

8.2

MagicScore

Frequently asked

What are the best movies like Das Boot?

The top films similar to Das Boot by MovieMagicScore are In Which We Serve (6.8), The Cruel Sea (6.9), Greyhound (7.4). Each shares drama/history/war themes and is ranked by real viewer ratings, not critics or studios.

Is Das Boot worth watching?

Das Boot holds a MovieMagicScore of 8.1/10 from 2,495 viewer ratings, putting it among the better-reviewed titles in its genre.

What kind of movie is Das Boot?

Das Boot (1981) is a drama, history, war film directed by Wolfgang Petersen, starring Jürgen Prochnow, Herbert Grönemeyer, Klaus Wennemann.

Where can I find more recommendations like Das Boot?

Browse the full ranked list above, or explore more drama recommendations on MovieMagicScore, where every list is ordered by genuine viewer ratings.

Keep exploring

Movies like In Which We Serve Movies like The Cruel Sea Movies like Greyhound Movies like The Bedford Incident Movies like Midway Movies like The Battle of the River Plate

About movies like Das Boot

This ranked list pairs Das Boot (1981), a drama and history and war film from Wolfgang Petersen, with similar titles by genre, theme and cast overlap (fans of Jürgen Prochnow take note). Unlike critic-driven sites, every position here is ordered by MovieMagicScore — a rating built only from real viewers, with no studio marketing or paid placement. Scores update as more people rate, so the list stays current.

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