Many different branches of military and several different military’s around the world have been featured in films. Even flicks like Avatar and Starship Troopers where futuristic military’s have been made up. Some have been funny like Sgt. Bilko and some intense like Sgt. Foley. Hopefully this is a fun and diverse enough list for you, if not I’m sure you’ll add any that I forgot or haven’t seen myself.
HONORABLE MENTION: CASEY RYBACK
Branch: Navy Seal
There is a reason some of us still regard the overweight Steven Seagal as an ultimate badass. In his earlier career his uber long stares and deep breath’s of discontent with his opponent were pretty cool, not to mention he actually kicked some serious ass back then. Under Siege is likely my favorite Seagal flick and a fun role as a Navy Seal kicking some arse.
10. MAVERICK
Branch: Naval Aviator
In Top Gun Tom Cruise brings sexy and swag to the military as this naval aviator who likes to live dangerously…. dangerously in the 80′s. We still love Mav and all his exaggerated bravado.
9. SFC WILLIAM JAMES
Branch: American Explosive Ordinance Disposal Squad (EOD)
Jeremy Renner playing the insane bomb specialist SFC William James. One of my favorite male performances of the year and the mystery of his character resonated as profoundly tempting. There is very little unveiled about James, yet the layers of depth and the small bits and pieces of emotion given through subtle details by Renner made this performance ridiculously understated. The overall film was without question incredible, but the enigma of James made it worth it.
8. SGT. APONE
Branch: Colonial Marines
If you need ask he’ll make you yell that you’re marines and absolutely bad asses. In Aliens Sarge makes his exit in the first act but not without finely imprinting his toughness before the demise. Also makes smoking a cigar look fucking cool.
7. JOHN RAMBO
Branch: Special Forces (Green Berets)
Stallone even comes back nearly 30 years later makes this character bad ass as ever. This guy is more wicked with a bow and arrow than most men are with guns, and while disturbed by his past and duties, he is truly an enigmatic military character.
6. COL. HANS LANDA
Branch: NAZI
Christoph Waltz was certainly not a good guy, but he was a feared military bad man nonetheless. Landa was cold blooded tactical and maniacal killer with the most impeccable manners. As vicious as he was it was amazing each time he entered the screen. An opportunist to his final moment never showing an ounce of humanity or fear, he is a villain you love to hate and made Inglorious Basterds an unforgettable film.
5. JORDAN ONEIL
Branch: U.S. Navy SEAL
A bit self righteous for it’s own good at times and unfortunately wavering from some of the action that many of us craved G.I. Jane wasn’t the greatest military flick of all time, but Demi Moore’s character Jordan Oneil was as tough as they come and her tale of surviving SEAL training, considering the most difficult in the military world, her character was no joke, and if you think it was, you better suck her dick.
5. CAPTAIN STEVEN HILER
Branch: Marine Corps F/A-18 Hornets Pilot
Hiler wasn’t just your run of the mill pilot that kicked ass when ass kicking became pertinent for the survival of humanity, he took it as a personal insult and started busting those ugly aliens asses and eventually brought that ass kicking to the mother ship where shit got real.
3. GENERAL GEORGE S. PATTON
Branch: U.S. Army
One of my favorite War epics with George C. Scott, and one of my dads favorite flicks ever. George S. Patton is played by George C. Scott in one of the best performances of all time. Wars have been shown threw the eyes of soldiers, the enemies, and the people, but seldom an interpretation through the general that had a huge part in the failure or success of that war, and Patton while hated by some and revered by others is one of the most compelling Generals in our history.
2. HOOT
Branch: Delta Force
There were some serious stand out roles in Black Hawk Down, in particularly Eric Bana’s portrayal of “Hoot”, the man from Delta Force that just kept going. His low key attitude towards the situation at hand separated him from a man who was there trying to fulfill his mission, to what I call a real modern warrior. He didn’t love what he did, but he did it because it was necessary.
1. Colonel Nathan Jessup
Branch: Marines
It’s no secret I’m fully enamored with good ole jack in this role. You expect Marines to be tough, so one expects a Marine Colonel to be as tough as a human can possibly be. Jack Nicholson as Col. Nathan Jessup personified that Marine ideal to a point so tough and powerful, you may find yourself bleeding from biting your lip so hard in anticipation of what he would say or do next. Jessup is only in the film for a few brief scenes, but they are the scenes that make this movie so remarkable. Adapted from play, the final courtroom scene with Jessup is easily in my top ten moments in film history.
Andrew (8)
Wayne (8)
Josh (6)
John (5)
Lauren (5)
Steve (5)
Dave Enkosky (4)
Jessica (4)
Justin (4)
Dan Heaton (3)
Twitter: ScribeHard
November 23, 2011 6:10 am
Another great list, Heather.
Tough to find room for George C. Scott’s Turgidson from Dr. Strangelove and Bill Murray from Stripes.
Twitter: heather_kenobi
November 23, 2011 7:09 am
Billy Murray from Stripes is a great option. Dr. Strangelove is one that escaped my mind.
Twitter: MarkusWelby1
November 23, 2011 6:35 am
The coolest thing about SGT. Apone was that he was in fact the real deal Vietnam vet. Everything he does in the film came completely natural to him and he considered it to not even be acting. “ABSOLUTELY BADASS”
Twitter: heather_kenobi
November 23, 2011 7:10 am
Just another day in the CORPS…………
I had the same nightmares after watching Lou Gossett, Jr. as a DI in An Officer & A Gentleman as I did from my own DI years ago. His uber confident “I know” at graduation is worth watching the whole movie for. I would certainly give him an Honorable Mention.
Twitter: heather_kenobi
November 23, 2011 7:11 am
The only thing to come outta Texas is steers and queers. Foley was great.
Twitter: MarkusWelby1
November 23, 2011 10:45 am
MAYO-NNAISE!
Oh, and don’t forget Sgt. Hulka in Stripes…another HM.
I’m very surprised not to see Cpl. Dwayne Hicks (Michael Biehn) on this list Heather
Can’t argue with Colonel Jessup as the top choice but no one from classics like Saving Private Ryan, Platoon, Apocalypse Now? 
Twitter: ScribeHard
November 23, 2011 7:37 am
Wasn’t Biehn’s Kyle Reese in The Terminator also military? I’d add that, too. He fathered the savior of the future!
Twitter: heather_kenobi
November 23, 2011 7:56 am
Kyle Reese is one of my favorite characters of all time.
Twitter: heather_kenobi
November 23, 2011 7:53 am
As far as sexiest male roles ever are concerned both Hicks and Reese apply and definitely sexiest military. I figured if I added either of them everyone would give me a hard time.
Twitter: heather_kenobi
November 23, 2011 7:55 am
I wanted to add Kurtz but I felt contreversial about it, he’s one of my favorite characters of all time and the inspiration for the major villain in one of my books. SPR just didn’t make it and Platoon maybe somewhere in the low teens along with FMJ.
Great call on Apone. I have a lot of love for Vasquez from Aliens too. My personal favorite military peeps are Dutch and Dillon from Predator. Remember their “ultimate swole guy high five”? The foley on that hand slap is unreal.
Twitter: heather_kenobi
November 23, 2011 11:13 am
“Hey Vasquez, have you ever been mistaken for a man?”
“No, have you?”
Too bad, too bad……….
She’s awesome, she played Janelle, John Conner’s foster mom in T2………”Wolfies just fine sweetie.”
Twitter: GoSeeTalk
November 23, 2011 12:53 pm
Haha, nice call on Hiler from ID4 and Apone is a pretty solid choice Heather:P Glad to see kick ass Patton getting some love…sure would have loved to see Barry Pepper’s sniper from Saving Private Ryan…ohhh or Snake Eyes from G.I. Joe:)
I might have added either Ben Foster/Woody Harrelson from The Messager and R. Lee Ermey from Full Metal Jacket.
Twitter: Top10Films
November 23, 2011 2:03 pm
I’m loving the love for Apone…an unsung hero whose authority was sullied by the poor leadership of Gorman who, if he had only known that those 10 millimeter explosive tip caseless standard light armor piercing rounds could not be fired under the cooling towers, would have a lot less dead soldiers on his resume.
…great stuff Heather!
What about 007? He is a Naval Commander! “Commander Bond” in some quarters. Connery, Moore and Brisbane have all donned the military uniform.
Brisbane should be Brosnan
I think that Hicks is the ideal soldier, in part because of what you see from him: adapting his behavior to the situation, accepting responsibility reluctantly, and staying focused. Even better, we see him fall asleep on the ship drop, which says he knows that a soldier gets sleep whenever possible.
That said, Apone was awesome, and was played (as noted above) by an actual vietnam veteran. No flies on you for choosing the Sarge over the Corporal.
I like Christian Bale’s role in Rescue Dawn, tho. In fact, if you haven’t seen it yet, why don’t you check out my RD review?
Also, James Earl Jones is a big one for me. Forget the charming admiral he played in the Jack Ryan movies, he was an impressive colonel in a movie called By Dawn’s Early Light. The military stages a cabinet-based presidential coup (a decade? before the 24 series), and he’s on air-force 1 as he realizes that the man trying to claim the presidency doesn’t care for the Constitution at all. He makes orders so his flight will crash into an air force plane on a suidice mission to keep democracy from falling apart. His entire performance, and the salute he gives to the pilot about to kill him, is exceptional.
Twitter: kaiderman
November 23, 2011 7:05 pm
Ummm… this is just awesome from top to bottom.