The 1977 war film Cross of Iron, hailed by fans as the best war movie ever made, is now available for streaming on Amazon Prime. Viewers have taken to social media and review platforms to praise the film, claiming it surpasses the Hollywood classic Saving Private Ryan.
Why Fans Prefer Cross of Iron
Starring James Coburn, the film follows a German platoon on the Eastern Front during World War II. One reviewer on IMDb stated: 'I still rate this as the best and most honest war film I've seen. It ignores the Hollywood schmaltz that spoiled Saving Private Ryan and manages to portray the soldiers as human beings.'
Another viewer called it a 'masterpiece' and one of director Sam Peckinpah's finest works, alongside The Wild Bunch. They added: 'It deserves to be ranked in the same great war movie company as Apocalypse Now, Das Boot, Full Metal Jacket, Paths Of Glory, Saving Private Ryan, Seven Samurai, and Zulu.'
Critical Reception and Influence
Despite its cult status, Cross of Iron holds a 71% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. The film also influenced Quentin Tarantino's Inglourious Basterds, as the director has acknowledged. A sequel, Breakthrough, starring Robert Mitchum, was released in 1979.
For fans of gritty, realistic war cinema, Cross of Iron offers a unique perspective from the German side, focusing on the chaos and heroism of retreat. Now streaming on Amazon Prime, it is a must-watch for war film enthusiasts.
