14 Brutal Civil War Movies That Are Way Too Realistic And Very Hard To Watch

In American history, there has never quite been a conflict like the Civil War. Brother against brother, North against South, countrymen against countrymen, this struggle literally split the nation in two. While there were a lot of intricacies surrounding the actual cause of the war, and certainly regarding its aftermath, the Union and the Confederacy were clear opposites, with the former coming out on top and setting the country back on the right path. Some of the best Civil War movies detail these skirmishes well as specific battles were highlighted with varying degrees of historical accuracy. 

But when it comes to war pictures, those that display the sheer harshness and incredibly violent nature of military combat are often the most accurate, even if they are the hardest to watch. In terms of the Civil War, issues such as state's rights, slavery, racism, independence, and bloodshed were commonplace. These are some of the ingredients to some of the most brutal Civil War flicks out there, and if you're looking to dive deeper into America's troubled history, we might suggest starting here. They may not all be the best, but these are some of the most realistic Civil War movies you'll find, complete with some of the most breathtaking (in more ways than one) battles and the most gruesome of historical details.

Initially planned as a miniseries, "Gettysburg" is one of the longest films to be released theatrically, painstakingly chronicling one of the bloodiest conflicts in American history. Of course, the Battle of Gettysburg lasted a full three days, and this 1993 classic is sure to remind us of just that. With a powerhouse cast including Tom Berenger and Martin Sheen as Confederates Lt. Gen. James Longstreet and Gen. Robert E. Lee, respectively, and Jeff Daniels and Sam Elliott as Union officials Col. Joshua Chamberlain and BG Gen. John Buford, "Gettysburg" is a recipe for success. To this day, this picture is still one of the premiere Civil War flicks out there, and for good reason. But between its egregious runtime and the dueling North-South philosophies, it can admittedly be a tough watch. Though, considering it's a fairly accurate depiction of the historical events — some of the film was even shot on the actual battlefield — that's not exactly surprising. After all, as Union General William T. Sherman supposedly said, "War is hell," and "Gettysburg" won't let you forget it.

• Starring: Tom Berenger, Jeff Daniels, Martin Sheen, Sam Elliott
• Director: Ronald F. Maxwell
• Year: 1993
• Runtime: 254 minutes
• Rating: PG
• Rotten Tomatoes Score: 77%

Perhaps one of the most brutal films on this list, "Free State of Jones" isn't exactly a beloved Civil War epic, but it gets points for its undeniable expression of violence. From the Second Battle of Corinth sequence early on in the film to the infamous church shootout later on, director Gary Ross makes the Civil War as bloody as ever. Heads are surrounded by a distinct red mist as soldiers are plucked straight from the battlefield, and on the sidelines, the medic tents have even more gruesome horrors that would make one wish they had died in combat. With too many corpses to count, and plenty of detached limbs to boot, "Free State of Jones" is tough on the soul, and expertly highlights the true horrors of the Civil War. Sure, the film takes some liberties with the story of Newton Knight (Matthew McConaughey), but only to further its expression of the warfare itself.

• Starring: Matthew McConaughey, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Mahershala Ali
• Director: Gary Ross
• Year: 2016
• Runtime: 140 minutes
• Rating: R
• Rotten Tomatoes Score: 48%

Okay, sure, "Cold Mountain" is as much a romance as it is a Civil War movie, but that doesn't mean it's always easy to watch. As Jude Law's W.P. Inman finds himself finds himself pulled into the war, the beginning of the film details the truly abominable Battle of the Crater, in which our hero witness the harsh ugliness of mortal combat first hand. Considered one of the most accurate and downright nauseating Civil War battle scenes put to film, we watch helplessly as the Confederates "turkey shoot" the Union soldiers below. It's heartless, distasteful, and serves as the catalyst for Inman's eventual (and understandable) desertion from the Confederate Army, though it leaves us with a bad taste from the get-go. While not the only callous sequence in the film, it's by far the most significant, and if you can get past it, the rest of "Cold Mountain" awaits.

• Starring: Jude Law, Nicole Kidman, Renée Zellweger
• Director: Anthony Minghella
• Year: 2003
• Runtime: 154 minutes
• Rating: R
• Rotten Tomatoes Score: 70%

Considered one of the most important films made about the American Civil War, "Glory" is a triumph in every sense of the word. As Col. Robert Shaw (Matthew Broderick) is tasked with helming the 54th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment (made up entirely of African-American soldiers), he's joined by Pvt. Silas Trip (Denzel Washington, in an Oscar-winning performance), Sgt. Maj. John Rawlins (Morgan Freeman), and Maj. Cabot Forbes (Cary Elwes) as they partake in seemingly unending combat. Though the Second Battle of Fort Wagner is maybe the most notable, it's the opening Battle of Antietam — complete with a Union officer's head being blown apart like a balloon — that really scars Shaw (and the audience). But violence on the battlefield isn't the only thing that's hard to watch. As Trip and the other black Union soldiers deal with endless racism, we're forced to watch him flogged for an offense that was completely justified. Even if everyone other than Shaw is technically a fictional character, "Glory" is one of those Civil War pictures that's simply a must-see. You won't regret it.

• Starring: Matthew Broderick, Denzel Washington, Morgan Freeman, Cary Elwes
• Director: Edward Zwick
• Year: 1989
• Runtime: 122 minutes
• Rating: R
• Rotten Tomatoes Score: 95%

Technically a prequel to "Gettysburg," "Gods and Generals" is probably the most poorly received movie on this list, which is saying something considering its exceptional cast. Criticized for its pro-Confederate bent, the film is fairly bloated (though not as long as "Gettysburg") and poorly paced. However, Jeff Daniels' return as Joshua Chamberlain and, combined with Stephen Lang's Stonewall Jackson and Robert Duvall's Robert E. Lee (replacing Martin Sheen), offers us some fantastic performances to chew on. If "Gods and Generals" has one thing going for it though, it's the attention to historical detail that makes the battle sequences, such as the Battle of Fredericksburg and the Battle of Chancellorsville, so dang interesting. Clearly having learned from "Gettysburg," director Ronald F. Maxwell manages to recapture some of that reenactment goodness on a comparable scale. "Gods and Generals" may be most hard to watch because of its Southern sympathies and long-winded runtime, but this picture is worth at least one viewing for the battles alone.

• Starring: Jeff Daniels, Stephen Lang, Robert Duvall
• Director: Ronald F. Maxwell
• Year: 2003
• Runtime: 219 minutes
• Rating: PG-13
• Rotten Tomatoes Score: 8%

Once described by Variety as "a brutal but sensitively observed film about the fringes of the Civil War," 1999's "Ride with the Devil" can be a tough picture to get through. The film follows Bushwackers Jake Roedel (Tobey Maguire) and Jack Bull Chiles (Skeet Ulrich) as they battle the Jayhawkers of the North alongside Daniel Holt (Jeffrey Wright) and a band of "Irregulars." Exploring the consequence of violence during this tumultuous time in American history, "Ride with the Devil" isn't afraid to get downright bloody, nor is it unwilling to address the intricacies of individual politics from alternative points of view. It's also not afraid to kill characters much earlier in the narrative than you might expect, which adds to its distinctly realistic flare. This is a fascinating film that's not easy to get through given the sheer savagery within — especially as those deemed "Jayhawkers" are executed mercilessly in the streets— though is (mostly) rewarding in the end if you stick with it.

• Starring: Tobey Maguire, Skeet Ulrich, Jewel, Jeffrey Wright
• Director: Ang Lee
• Year: 1999
• Runtime: 138 minutes
• Rating: R
• Rotten Tomatoes Score: 64%

One might not think that any Jimmy Stewart movie could be particularly hard to watch, but then "Shenandoah" would probably prove you wrong. While this film isn't gratuitously violent by any means (and its excellent as far as filmmaking technique is concerned), this is a story of a family caught between both sides of a war they want nothing to do with. As Charlie Anderson (Stewart) fights to keep his family together, he's forced to battle both the Union and the Confederacy to get his loved ones back. Some encounters end more poorly than others, but Anderson's perseverance in the face of hopelessness almost gives the audience hope themselves. While things don't quite work out the way he may have planned, its his persistence in getting there as a devoted father that feels too real. "Shenandoah" meditates on the horrors of war from all sides, and makes the dark case that neutrality only leaves one vulnerable to attack, with no allies to step in the gap.

• Starring: James Stewart, Doug McClure, Glenn Corbett, Patrick Wayne
• Director: Andrew V. McLaglen
• Year: 1965
• Runtime: 105 minutes
• Rating: Approved
• Rotten Tomatoes Score: 100%

Based loosely on the real-life story of "Whipped Peter," "Emancipation" follows Will Smith as a runaway slave following the call of Abraham Lincoln's "Emancipation Proclamation" as he escapes through the Southern swamplands to join up with the Union Army. With its desaturated look and Smith's impeccable performance, "Emancipation" is a well-made motion picture that's also a bit of a tough sell. The film is particularly vile at times, most notably during moments of racially-motivated violence (such as the literal branding of slaves), which can make it a chore to get through. As Peter evades the slave catchers — such as Ben Foster's malicious Jim Fassel — he experiences not only the bloody horrors of slavery and racism, but of war as well. This one certainly isn't for the faint of heart.

• Starring: Will Smith, Ben Foster, Charmaine Bingwa
• Director: Antoine Fuqua
• Year: 2022
• Runtime: 132 minutes
• Rating: R
• Rotten Tomatoes Score: 44%

Once labeled "a masterpiece" by syndicated columnist Liz Smith (at least, according to the VHS), "Andersonville" tells the story of a detail of Union soldiers who are captured and imprisoned at the titular Confederate prison camp following the Battle of Antietam. There, they experienced war crimes that would make you just shiver, and things are made even more complicated as the prisoners fight amongst each other, with the rogue faction known as the "Andersonville Raiders" making the lives of the Union officers all the more difficult. A story not often told in Civil War pictures, "Andersonville" expresses the very real struggles of those who didn't die on the battlefield, or even win the conflict, which is what makes this miniseries-turned-television film stand out. That and the powerful performances from its relatively unknown stars.

• Starring: Jarrod Emick, Frederic Forrest, Ted Marcoux
• Director: John Frankenheimer
• Year: 1996
• Runtime: 167 minutes
• Rating: N/A
• Rotten Tomatoes Score: N/A

A fictionalized account of the very real Battle of the Wilderness, "Wicked Spring" is an independent production that tells the story of "six men, two armies, and one dream." It's a compelling drama that unites men from both the Union and the Confederacy as they spend a night in the woods together, blissfully unaware they're on opposite sides of the impending carnage. Of course, it starts with bloodshed as the opposing armies face one another in combat before nightfall. Unfortunately, the war doesn't disappear come morning, and the six men find themselves surrounded by both sides. Though "Wicked Spring" offers hope in companionship, it's final message is one of destruction and despair, proving once again that war is a no respecter of persons. Perhaps the least violent on this list, "Wicked Spring" still earns a mention for the hopelessness of its ending.

• Starring: Brian Merrick, DJ Perry, Terry Jernigan, Aaron Jackson
• Director: Kevin Hershberger
• Year: 2002
• Runtime: 102 minutes
• Rating: PG-13
• Rotten Tomatoes Score: N/A

While not your traditional Civil War picture, "Dances with Wolves" tells the story of a fictionalized Lt. John Dunbar (Kevin Costner) as he leaves the battlefield in favor of a station on the American frontier. Taking place still during the events of the war, Costner's historical Western epic (often credited with reviving the genre) focuses instead on the other front the Union Army was fighting: Indian territory. Forced to confront the Pawnee and Sioux peoples, Dunbar learns to see the value in human life no matter the culture or skin color one bears, and it's this shift in perspective that feels very Civil War-ish. Of course, we do get to see an actual Civil War battle at the beginning, but it's the rest of the film that really stands out. Aside from being fairly long, "Dances with Wolves" doesn't pull any punches as far as violence is concerned.

• Starring: Kevin Costner, Mary McDonnell, Graham Greene, Rodney Grant
• Director: Kevin Costner
• Year: 1990
• Runtime: 181 minutes
• Rating: PG-13
• Rotten Tomatoes Score: 87%

Though on the surface "Seraphim Falls" feels more like a revenge Western than a Civil War flick, we soon discover that the two are more entwined than initially thought. Liam Neeson plays Colonel Morsman Carver, a former Confederate on the trail of Pierce Brosnan's Gideon, a former Union officer with whom he has a truly bloody history. There's a deep connection between the American Western and the Civil War that preceded it, and this picture ties them together furiously. Not only is Carver's merciless pursuit of Gideon particularly barbaric, but the flashback to the war itself — where Gideon made Carver watch as the latter's family burned alive — is exceptionally horrific. Though we enter the film through Gideon's perspective, it's Carver we're a bit more sympathetic to by the time the credits roll.

• Starring: Liam Neeson, Pierce Brosnan
• Director: David Von Ancken
• Year: 2006
• Runtime: 115 minutes
• Rating: R
• Rotten Tomatoes Score: 57%

Though Clint Eastwood is arguably best known for his role in Western pictures, we've already established that the genre cannot be divorced from the events of the American Civil War. Of all of Eastwood's horse operas, this is chiefly evident in "The Outlaw Josey Wales" (which is not based on a true story). Here, we first meet the titular Missouri outlaw during the events of the war after his family is murdered by a pro-Union group. This ignites a fire in the gunslinger and he joins up with Confederate sympathizers for some sweet revenge. Wales continues fighting long after the war is over, unable to fully move on from his personal tragedy. Like "Dances with Wolves," this film offers a different side of America both during and after the Civil War, tackling Native American conflicts as well. But it's Wales' last words — "I guess we all died a little in that damned war" — that truly haunt us, painting a cruel picture of the war's aftermath.

• Starring: Clint Eastwood, Chief Dan George, Sondra Locke, Bill McKinney, John Vernon
• Director: Clint Eastwood
• Year: 1976
• Runtime: 135 minutes
• Rating: PG
• Rotten Tomatoes Score: 91%

Technically not a feature film, Ken Burns' most famous documentary series, "The Civil War," is a tough one we just couldn't ignore. Originally broadcast in parts on PBS, Burns' "Civil War" is arguably the most detailed exploration of the most deadly conflict in U.S. history. It explores both the Northern and Southern points of view, and elaborates gravely on the horrors of the American slave trade. More than all that, unlike the previously mentioned films which contain varying levels of fiction, Burns deals in cold, hard facts. While not gory or gratuitous, "The Civil War" reminds us that brutality can come in many forms, and the most frightening stories may be those ripped straight from the history books.

• Starring: David McCullough, Sam Waterson, Julie Harris, Morgan Freeman
• Director: Ken Burns
• Year: 1990
• Runtime: 690 minutes
• Rating: N/A
• Rotten Tomatoes Score: 100%