For years, the television drama Band of Brothers has stood as the gold standard for war-themed productions. Conceived by Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg, the series is widely regarded as the pinnacle of the genre, having dramatically raised the bar for war epics since its release. Now, another war drama is being hailed as a 'phenomenal masterpiece' — and it could potentially eclipse even Band of Brothers.
Available to stream on Netflix, this relatively under-the-radar war drama limited series comprises three episodes, each running for approximately an hour, and the acclaim surrounding it has been overwhelming. War Sailor, originally titled Krigsseileren, is a Norwegian war drama that was chosen as Norway's official submission for Best International Feature at the 95th Academy Awards — and viewers simply cannot stop singing its praises.
A True Story of Heroism and Sacrifice
The war drama draws upon the true, real-life accounts of 30,000 Norwegian civilian sailors who served within the Allied convoys throughout the Second World War. The official synopsis reads: 'Merchant sailors are caught in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean during Germany's invasion of Norway and hijacked into working for the Allied war effort.'
It was first released as a feature film in the latter half of 2022, and when it eventually arrived on Netflix in April 2023, it was presented as a three-part miniseries with 30 minutes added to its original runtime. Written and directed by Gunnar Vikene, it also holds the distinction of being the most expensive Norwegian film ever produced, with a budget of $11.1 million.
Stellar Cast and Critical Acclaim
The drama features Kristoffer Joner and Pål Sverre Hagen in the leading roles, alongside Ine Marie Wilmann, Henrikke Lund Olsen, Armand Hannestad, and Leon Tobias Slettbakk. Boasting an impressive 92% audience approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, War Sailor has been branded 'heart-in-your-throat moving' by viewers.
One IMDB user review of the war drama says: 'One of the best war movies I've seen. I thought I'd seen so many war and catastrophe movies I'd become numb to the emotional drama and could only be stimulated by history lessons and battlefield action but this one gripped me.'
Viewers Overwhelmed by Emotional Impact
Another viewer said of the series: 'Intense but phenomenal. It's difficult to sum up the experience of watching this film. It weaves suspense, devastation, love, hope, and the horrors of war together into a picture that will stay with me for a long time to come.'
Another audience review added: 'Brilliantly written, directed and acted, this is a gripping, at times excruciating, film. The characters are beautifully, painfully individual, the story unexpected and painfully convincing. It takes us inside the actions of war but the unforgettable moments are the still ones in which nothing happens but meaning.'
Meanwhile, one fan dubbed it 'a masterpiece': 'Wow — what an intense film. Excellent acting and period sets. A masterpiece.'
A Sweeping Epic That Transcends the Ordinary
Another audience review reads: 'A sweeping epic. Structured like a sweeping epic, Krigsseileren tells about the efforts of Norwegian commercial sailors in the Atlantic theatre during WWII. A combination of authenticity, technical brilliance, and a clear artistic framework makes this into an all-encompassing viewing experience.'
While one impressed viewer said the drama 'transcends the ordinary': 'Something Extraordinary Finds its Way to Our Screens. Just when we thought nothing of quality is left, nothing worth our time, what we have left of it, War Sailor shows up on Netflix. As real a depiction of events which shaped our world as you are likely to see. Transportation to another place and time at a historic moment in history, for the price of your Netflix subscription. Empowering performances that transcend the ordinary. Highly recommended.'
Critical Praise for Performances and Direction
Critics labelled the war drama 'powerful and engrossing', with one reviewer noting, 'War Sailor is the best kind of war movie: a character drama that happens amidst war, focusing most on how the characters are changed by the atrocities over the years.' Another critic said: 'War Sailor offers some of the best ensemble acting seen in recent years. It's been perfectly cast down to the smallest role.'
War Sailor is available to stream on Netflix.
