For years, the television drama Band of Brothers has been the gold standard for war-themed dramas, crafted by Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg. Now, another war drama is being lauded as a 'phenomenal masterpiece' that might eclipse it. Available on Netflix, the relatively obscure limited series War Sailor has garnered widespread acclaim.
What Is War Sailor?
War Sailor, originally titled Krigsseileren, is a Norwegian war drama that was selected as Norway's official submission for Best International Feature at the 95th Academy Awards. It premiered as a film in late 2022 and arrived on Netflix in April 2023 as a three-part miniseries with 30 minutes of additional footage.
Written and directed by Gunnar Vikene, it is the most costly Norwegian film ever produced, with a budget of $11.1 million. The cast includes Kristoffer Joner, Pål Sverre Hagen, Ine Marie Wilmann, Henrikke Lund Olsen, Armand Hannestad, and Leon Tobias Slettbakk.
Story and Reception
The drama draws from the real-life experiences of 30,000 Norwegian civilian sailors who participated in Allied convoys during World War II. 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.'
Boasting a 92% audience approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, War Sailor has been described as 'heart-in-your-throat moving.' One IMDB user wrote: 'One of the best war movies I've seen. I thought I'd become numb to emotional drama, but this one gripped me.' Another viewer said: 'Intense but phenomenal. It weaves suspense, devastation, love, hope, and the horrors of war into a picture that will stay with me.'
Critics have called it 'powerful and engrossing.' One review noted: 'War Sailor is the best kind of war movie: a character drama that happens amidst war, focusing on how characters are changed by atrocities over the years.' Another critic praised the 'best ensemble acting seen in recent years.'
One fan described it as 'a sweeping epic' that 'transcends the ordinary,' adding: 'As real a depiction of events which shaped our world as you are likely to see.' War Sailor is now available to stream on Netflix.
