Audiences love a huge, sprawling masterpiece of epic proportions. But what actually defines an epic? Characterized by length, scope, and subject, an epic tends to focus on a heroic figure’s legendary deeds upon a vast expanse. Often elevated by text, style, larger-than-life foes, and sweeping narratives, epic movies are feats meant for the brave.
New and extraordinary advancements in movie technology have opened many doors for filmmakers to test the limits of their artistry to create a masterful epic. The 21st century started with one tremendous epic film, the Oscar-winning Gladiator. The iconic Ridley Scott-directed historical epic was an instant classic, becoming the blueprint for future epics to follow. Since the release of the Russell Crowe film, these ten titles have proven worthy of being called the greatest.
‘Gangs of New York’ (2002)
Martin Scorsese is well-known for gritty films, mostly set in modern times, but he broke the mold in 2002. Gangs of New York was a historical epic based on Herbert Asbury’s 1928 book, depicting the brutal gang wars in Manhattan’s Five Points district during the 1860s. The epic follows Amsterdam Vallon (Leonardo DiCaprio) on a quest for revenge against Bill the Butcher (Daniel Day-Lewis) for killing his father.
Set against the backdrop of the Civil War and draft riots, Gangs of New York is a visceral exploration of vengeance and belonging during the violent birth of modern America. The road to creation took nearly two decades, but the final product was sensational, an ambitious project with detailed production design, from costumes to sets. Through a brutal, violent lens, Scorsese smartly touched on the central theme of the immigrant experience and the conflict over who has the “right” to be here. Perhaps resonating more than ever now, Gangs of New York’s profound depiction of the country’s lost history elevated it to an epic level. In the final scene, watching the New York skyline rise over the faded graves of the fallen, Scorsese’s thesis is fulfilled as personal, violent struggles will always be buried by the onward march of progress.
‘The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King’ (2003)
When the third part of an epic trilogy serves as its greatest, it’s telling. It’s not necessarily a negative; it means that the franchise just gets better. Directed by Peter Jackson, The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King sees the final confrontation between good and evil come to a head as the fight for control of Middle-earth rages. Frodo Baggins (Elijah Wood) and Samwise Gamgee (Sean Astin) reach Mordor in their quest to destroy the One Ring in Mount Doom, while Aragorn (Viggo Mortensen) leads the forces of good against Sauron’s evil army at the stone city of Minas Tirith.
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King was an epic conclusion done perfectly. A critically acclaimed masterpiece, it brought J.R.R. Tolkien’s universe to life through immersive realism. Jackson set industry standards of how to welcome an emotionally engrossing story, as engrossing battles leave us gobsmacked. Perhaps the pinnacle of modern fantasy films, The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King is a nuanced film that deserved every single award it earned. In short, this triumphant fantasy wasn’t just everything fans could’ve asked for, but it also broke the mold for how the final parts can be the best.
‘300’ (2006)
One may think that Zack Snyder’s greatest epic is Justice League, but let us not forget 300. Based on the Dark Horse comic by Frank Miller, Snyder’s epic retelling of the Battle of Thermopylae in the Greco-Persian War follows King Leonidas (Gerard Butler) as he leads 300 Spartans into battle against Persian “God-King” Xerxes (Rodrigo Santoro) and his 300,000 soldiers. As the war rages on, Queen Gorgo (Lena Headey) attempts to rally support in Sparta for her husband.
The fictionalized historical epic emphasizes the legendary aspect of the last stand through bravery, sacrifice, and defiance against tyranny. Distinctly different from its predecessor, 300 replicated the graphic novel’s visual style. For fans of the source material, it was a wonderful homage; for newcomers to the story, it left a lasting impact. Of course, the biggest draw here is the fight sequences, larger-than-life battles emphasized by stylized slow-motion fights from an army of muscular men fighting for their lives. Butler brought intensity to the part, giving us a hero to champion.
‘There Will Be Blood’ (2007)
Not all massive epics need to take us to distant histories or other worlds; sometimes, the epic can be found in the magnitude of a story’s vastness. Such is the case with There Will Be Blood, envisioned by Paul Thomas Anderson as a loose adaptation of Upton Sinclair’s Oil! The story centers on Daniel Plainview (Daniel Day-Lewis), a ruthless, misanthropic oilman driven by greed and ambition during the Southern California oil boom in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. On his unrelenting quest, the silver miner-turned oil tycoon unleashes the dark side of American capitalism through faith, family, and greed.
Though One Battle After Another may disagree, There Will Be Blood is regarded by many as Anderson’s magnum opus. Anderson’s ability to evoke a bygone time and place enables the evocative masterpiece to reach such great heights. His technical approach to filmmaking is on full display, meticulously crafting an evocative atmosphere through the bleak, vast, and unforgiving nature of the oil-rush landscape. There Will Be Blood is a visual experience that culminates in a sensational climax. Exploring the American spirit through its intentional imperfections, the showdown between Daniel and Eli Sunday (Paul Dano), though graphic, serves as the right way to end this brutal picture.
‘Avatar’ (2009)
James Cameron is well-known for massive projects. In 2009, the legendary director brought us to Pandora to meet an extraordinary group of creatures known as the Na’vi. Avatar tells the story of humans colonizing the lush, habitable moon of Pandora in the mid-22nd century to mine the valuable unobtanium. The mining expansion threatens the existence of the local tribe, the humanoid species indigenous to Pandora. Paraplegic Marine Jake Sully (Sam Worthington) inhabits a genetically engineered Na’vi body known as an avatar to explore the moon, where he falls in love with Neytiri (Zoe Saldaña), leading him to defend her people against the human colonists set to destroy their world.
An allegory for imperialism and environmentalism, Avatar revolutionized cinema with its world-building through pristine visual effects. Sitting in the theaters watching Avatar, you feel as if Cameron dropped you straight onto the surface of Pandora. As an epic, Avatar changed the possibilities of what movies can do. There are more than enough individual elements to satisfy the desire for action, adventure, romance, and empathy. It’s Cameron’s ability to bring them all together in one cohesive story that made the film a groundbreaking sensation. Achieving massive box office success, Avatar launched a franchise that continues to expand on the beauty and brilliance of the original.
‘Dunkirk’ (2017)
In 2017, Christopher Nolan took on World War II with the sweeping epic, Dunkirk. Told through the perspective of individuals on land, in the air, and at sea, Dunkirk tells the story of the brave people who participated in the operation as they helped save Western civilization. On land, it’s British soldier Tommy (Fionn Whitehead) who tries to reach safety via the beach. At sea, Dawson (Mark Rylance), a civilian, and his son, Peter (Tom Glynn-Carey), sail their boat to Dunkirk to help with the evacuation. In the air, Collins (Jack Lowden) and Farrier (Tom Hardy), Spitfire pilots, defend the beach from German planes.
Easily one of the greatest war films ever made, Dunkirk is an emotionally satisfying epic that honors the reality of a pivotal moment in war. Even though we know the outcome, Nolan’s ability to fill the screen with chaos and horror can still make you ponder if things might turn out differently. That said, the director maintains historical accuracy, allowing the story to live authentically. In Dunkirk, Nolan prioritizes tension and atmosphere over traditional dialogue or character arcs. While it didn’t diminish the performances, it contributed to the general horror of the operation. If you get anxious while watching a film, Dunkirk will absolutely give it to you. Just another notch into Nolan’s mastery.
‘1917’ (2019)
The stories from Sam Mendes‘ grandfather, Alfred Mendes, inspired the breathtaking World War I masterpiece, 1917. Set after the German retreat to the Hindenburg Line during Operation Alberich, the film follows two British soldiers, Lance Corporals Will Schofield (George MacKay) and Tom Blake (Dean-Charles Chapman), on a perilous mission across enemy lines to deliver a message that would halt an attack that would have cost 1,600 lives.
Renowned for its immersive one-shot filmmaking, 1917 captured the intensity of war through a real-time mission never before depicted in war movies, putting the audience into the trenches. With relentless pacing, stunning, visceral imagery of World War I, and a compelling emotional story, 1917 leaped to the top of the list of epic war masterpieces. From a historical perspective, there were accusations of sanitizing reality. From a cinematic perspective, the achievements elevated war cinema to new heights through the oft-overlooked chapter of World War I. At the end of the day, 1917’s exploration of the harsh reality of war was ever-present, remarkably depicting humanity through the loneliness and raw emotion of the surrounding danger.
‘All Quiet on the Western Front’ (2022)
Chances are, you read the 1929 novel by Erich Maria Remarque in school. And chances are you also watched either the 1930 or the 1979 movie versions. So, with two adaptations already, why make another one? Because it will be the perfect version. Edward Berger‘s version of All Quiet on the Western Front was simply sublime, following Paul Bäumer (Felix Kammerer), a young soldier who enlists, alongside his schoolmates, in WWI with patriotic fervor. They swiftly learn that the horrors of the front lines in France destroyed their hopes of heroism.
All Quiet on the Western Front emphasizes the loss of innocence and the inhumanity of the battlefield. Perhaps this iteration of the epic is the strongest because it hammered home the immense physical and mental suffering of the soldiers known as the Lost Generation and the stark contrast between their suffering and the callousness of leadership. Adding a parallel storyline focused on the intense political negotiations for the Armistice, led by Matthias Erzberger (Daniel Brühl), provides an important contrast to the battle on the front lines. Like many modern war films since Gladiator, Berger instilled renowned craftsmanship through an intense sound design and score to make the experience fully rounded.
‘Oppenheimer’ (2023)
Christopher Nolan’s sheer vision is perhaps strongest in his sweeping epic, Oppenheimer. Breaking free from the traditional biopic, Oppenheimer tells the story of J. Robert Oppenheimer (Cillian Murphy), dramatizing his leadership of the Manhattan Project to develop the first atomic bomb during WWII. The biopic about the “father of the atomic bomb” goes through his life in a non-linear format, honing in on his crisis of morality.
Through an explosive physiological look, Oppenheimer’s journey reflects the man’s mind through the use of imagery, sound, and color, or lack thereof. Through a poignant examination of the moral burden of scientific discovery, political, and the long-term consequences of human ambition, the film pushed into new, more immersive biopic territory. With a stellar ensemble featuring an Oscar-winning Robert Downey Jr., Emily Blunt, and Matt Damon, Oppenheimer was a masterclass in performance. Truly, was there anything wrong with Oppenheimer? I think not.
‘Dune: Part Two’ (2024)
If history repeats itself and Denis Villeneuve captures the same glory as Peter Jackson, we might need to swap out this entry for the third part at the end of the year. Until then, we celebrate Dune: Part Two. The remarkable follow-up film, based on Frank Herbert‘s 1965 novel, follows Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet) as he unites with the Fremen people of the desert planet Arrakis to wage war against House Harkonnen. Learning the Fremen ways on the road of revenge, Paul must grapple with a prophesied messianic role and visions of a devastating future holy war he might unleash.
Through power, love, religious manipulation, and the inevitable rise to become a dark anti-hero, Dune: Part Two built upon its predecessor’s success, becoming something even more epic. Bringing extraordinary new depth to the science fiction epic, Dune: Part Two builds upon the luscious visual spectacle to present a rich character-driven story. By focusing on Paul’s tragic arc, Villeneuve and Chalamet’s collaboration helps to make him an even more rounded character. Joined by many from the first film, including Zendaya and Rebecca Ferguson, and fresh faces like Austin Butler and Florence Pugh, the epic also became an acting masterclass. If the first film was a glorious appetizer, Dune: Part Two was the delicious entrée.