6 Best Prisoner of War Camp Movies

By Vlad Zakh · May 1, 2026

The ingenuity, defiance, and camaraderie of prisoners of war has powered some of cinema’s most gripping and unforgettable World War II dramas. In The Great Escape (1963): Allied prisoners orchestrate an elaborate, large-scale tunnel escape from a heavily guarded German POW camp. Another standout is The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957): A British colonel’s pride leads him to help his Japanese captors build a strategically vital railway bridge.

Unbroken (2014)

TMDB ★ 7.2

An Olympic runner survives a plane crash at sea only to endure years of brutal captivity in a Japanese POW camp.

Directed by Angelina Jolie · 2h 17m · Rated PG-13

Where to watch

Stream: Netflix, Netflix Standard with Ads · Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Empire of the Sun (1987)

TMDB ★ 7.7

A privileged English boy is separated from his parents and must survive a Japanese internment camp in wartime Shanghai.

Directed by Steven Spielberg · 2h 33m · Rated PG

Where to watch

Rent: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Spectrum On Demand · Buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

King Rat (1965)

TMDB ★ 7.2

A resourceful American corporal thrives on the black market inside a brutal Japanese POW camp.

Directed by Bryan Forbes · 2h 14m

Where to watch

Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

The Great Escape (1963)

IMDb ★ 8.2 RT 94% Metacritic 86

Allied prisoners orchestrate an elaborate, large-scale tunnel escape from a heavily guarded German POW camp.

Directed by John Sturges · 2h 53m · Rated NR

Nominated for 1 Oscar3 wins & 12 nominations

Where to watch

Stream: Amazon Prime Video, Philo, YouTube TV, Amazon Prime Video with Ads · Rent: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Plex · Buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957)

IMDb ★ 8.1 RT 96% Metacritic 88

A British colonel's pride leads him to help his Japanese captors build a strategically vital railway bridge.

Directed by David Lean · 2h 42m · Rated PG

Won 7 Oscars30 wins & 7 nominations

Where to watch

Stream: Sony Pictures Core Amazon Channel · Rent: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Spectrum On Demand · Buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Stalag 17 (1953)

TMDB ★ 8.0

American airmen in a German POW camp suspect one of their own is secretly informing for the enemy.

Directed by Billy Wilder · 2h 00m · Rated NR

Where to watch

Stream: Philo · Rent: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Spectrum On Demand · Buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Streaming availability data from JustWatch, via TMDB. Availability changes often, so check the service before you plan a movie night.

Vlad Zakh

Founder, Movieix

Founder of Movieix, built to fix a specific annoyance: most recommendation sites are just algorithm-driven noise. Our lists are researched and organized by who's in a film, where it's from, and the mood you're actually in tonight.

6 Best Prisoner of War Camp Movies

Unbroken (2014)

Empire of the Sun (1987)

King Rat (1965)

The Great Escape (1963)

The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957)

Stalag 17 (1953)

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