vote on everything
Watchworthy
6.6k voters

The Best Submarine Movies Of All Time

Ranker Community
Originally by Ranker Community
Updated September 17, 2020 25.7k votes 6.6k voters 247.1k views46 items

List RulesAdd, rank, and rate sub movies from any era!

This is a list about the best submarine movies. Who doesn't love a good submarine film? Be honest. You know that whenever you see a trailer for a new submarine movie or hear about a great submarine movie you've never seen before that you get super excited and you feel like your head is about to implode... from the pressure. That's a submarine joke. Water. ...Depth.

From some of the top submarine and Russian sub movies like The Hunt For Red October, and Crimson Tide, to all-time great submarine movies like Das Boot, this list has everything you'll need to satisfy your insatiable need for input on the most famous and recent submarine movies. From thrillers to submarine comedy movies, this list has it all

The amount of times the word "submarine" appears in this list description is not an accident. Submarines are awesome (they go underwater, and there are people in them, and they are basically magic, and they shoot rockets and win wars!) and they deserve to be talked about more.

Thankfully, Hollywood agrees. Please enjoy this list of the best submarine movies of all time. Be sure to check Netflix and other streaming services for these awesome submarine movies.

Vote for your favorite submarine films now!

...more
Try the free app
  • 1
    Das Boot is listed (or ranked) 1 on the list The Best Submarine Movies Of All Time
    3,121
    498

    Das Boot

    Wolfgang Petersen

    Actors: Jürgen Prochnow, Herbert Grönemeyer, Uwe Ochsenknecht, Otto Sander, Sky du Mont

    Released: 1981

    Das Boot is a 1981 German epic film written and directed by Wolfgang Petersen, produced by... more on Wikipediaamazon buy button
  • 2
    The Hunt for Red October is listed (or ranked) 2 on the list The Best Submarine Movies Of All Time
    2,870
    480

    The Hunt for Red October

    John McTiernan

    Actors: Alec Baldwin, Sean Connery, Tim Curry, James Earl Jones, Jeffrey Jones

    Released: 1990

    The Hunt for Red October is a 1990 American submarine spy-thriller film directed by John... more on Wikipediaamazon buy button
  • 3
    Run Silent, Run Deep is listed (or ranked) 3 on the list The Best Submarine Movies Of All Time
    1,468
    319

    Run Silent, Run Deep

    Robert Wise

    Actors: Clark Gable, Burt Lancaster, Don Rickles, Jack Warden, Brad Dexter

    Released: 1956

    Run Silent, Run Deep is a 1958 film starring Clark Gable and Burt Lancaster, based on the... more on Wikipediaamazon buy button
  • 4
    The Enemy Below is listed (or ranked) 4 on the list The Best Submarine Movies Of All Time
    1,176
    297

    The Enemy Below

    Dick Powell

    Actors: Clint Eastwood, Robert Mitchum, Doug McClure, David Hedison, Theodore Bikel

    Released: 1957

    Watch for Free with Amazon Prime Free Trial
    amazon buy button
  • 5
    K-19 the Widow Maker is listed (or ranked) 5 on the list The Best Submarine Movies Of All Time
    1,249
    382

    K-19 the Widow Maker

    Kathryn Bigelow

    Actors: Harrison Ford, Liam Neeson, Peter Sarsgaard, Christian Camargo, Joss Ackland

    Released: 2002

    K-19: The Widowmaker is a 2002 submarine thriller film about the first of many disasters that... more on Wikipediaamazon buy button

    More K-19: The Widowmaker 

    #186 of 404 The Greatest Disaster Movies of All Time#20 of 22 The Greatest Lost at Sea Movies Ever Made

  • 6
    Crimson Tide is listed (or ranked) 6 on the list The Best Submarine Movies Of All Time
    1,855
    619

    Crimson Tide

    Tony Scott

    Actors: Denzel Washington, Viggo Mortensen, Gene Hackman, Ryan Phillippe, James Gandolfini

    Released: 1995

    Crimson Tide is a 1995 American submarine film directed by Tony Scott. On a U.S. nuclear... more on Wikipediaamazon buy button
  • 7
    Destination Tokyo is listed (or ranked) 7 on the list The Best Submarine Movies Of All Time
    595
    178

    Destination Tokyo

    Delmer Daves

    Actors: Cary Grant, John Garfield

    Released: December 31, 1943

    Destination Tokyo is a 1943 submarine war film. It was directed by Delmer Daves and written by... more on Wikipediaamazon buy button
  • 8
    Torpedo Run is listed (or ranked) 8 on the list The Best Submarine Movies Of All Time
    384
    136

    Torpedo Run

    Joseph Pevney

    Actors: Ernest Borgnine, Glenn Ford, Diane Brewster

    Released: 1958

    Torpedo Run is a 1958 American war film directed by Joseph Pevney. It was filmed in Metrocolor... more on Wikipediaamazon buy button
  • 9
    Down Periscope is listed (or ranked) 9 on the list The Best Submarine Movies Of All Time
    982
    439

    Down Periscope

    David S. Ward

    Actors: Kelsey Grammer, Rob Schneider, William H. Macy, Lauren Holly, Bruce Dern

    Released: 1996

    Down Periscope is a 1996 20th Century Fox comedy film produced by Robert Lawrence and directed... more on Wikipediaamazon buy button

    More Down Periscope 

    #162 of 252 The Funniest '90s Movies#349 of 1,137 The Absolute Funniest Movies Of All Time

  • 10
    U-571 is listed (or ranked) 10 on the list The Best Submarine Movies Of All Time
    1,449
    663

    U-571

    Jonathan Mostow

    Actors: Matthew McConaughey, Jon Bon Jovi, Bill Paxton, Harvey Keitel, Thomas Kretschmann

    Released: 2000

    U-571 is a 2000 film directed by Jonathan Mostow, and starring Matthew McConaughey, Bill... more on Wikipediaamazon buy button
  • 11
    Operation Pacific is listed (or ranked) 11 on the list The Best Submarine Movies Of All Time
    351
    126

    Operation Pacific

    George Waggner

    Actors: John Wayne, Patricia Neal, Ward Bond, Martin Milner, Scott Forbes

    Released: 1951

    Operation Pacific is a 1951 World War II submarine film starring John Wayne and Patricia Neal,... more on Wikipediaamazon buy button

    More Operation Pacific 

    #43 of 98 The Best John Wayne Movies of All Time, Ranked#119 of 304 The Best Military Movies Ever Made

  • 12
    Hunter Killer is listed (or ranked) 12 on the list The Best Submarine Movies Of All Time
    665
    82

    Hunter Killer

    Donovan Marsh

    Actors: Gerard Butler, Gary Oldman, Common, Linda Cardellini, Michael Nyqvist

    Released: 2018

    Hunter Killer is a 2018 American action thriller film directed by Donovan Marsh, based on the... more on Wikipediaamazon buy button
  • 13
    Operation Petticoat is listed (or ranked) 13 on the list The Best Submarine Movies Of All Time
    677
    310

    Operation Petticoat

    Blake Edwards

    Actors: Cary Grant, Tony Curtis, Marion Ross, Dina Merrill, Gavin MacLeod

    Released: 1959

    Operation Petticoat is a 1959 comedy film directed by Blake Edwards, and starring Cary Grant... more on Wikipediaamazon buy button

    More Operation Petticoat 

    #128 of 374 The 50+ Best War Movies Ever Made, Ranked#81 of 214 The Greatest World War II Movies of All Time

  • 14
    Ice Station Zebra is listed (or ranked) 14 on the list The Best Submarine Movies Of All Time
    637
    303

    Ice Station Zebra

    John Sturges

    Actors: Jim Brown, Rock Hudson, Ernest Borgnine, Patrick McGoohan, Gerald S. O'Loughlin

    Released: 1968

    Ice Station Zebra is a 1968 suspense film directed by John Sturges, starring Rock Hudson,... more on Wikipediaamazon buy button

    More Ice Station Zebra 

    #13 of 54 The Best Spy Movies of the 1960s#26 of 92 The Best Cold War Movies

  • 15
    Up Periscope is listed (or ranked) 15 on the list The Best Submarine Movies Of All Time
    496
    230

    Up Periscope

    Gordon Douglas

    Actors: James Garner, Frank Gifford, Alan Hale, Jr., Warren Oates

    Released: 1959

    Up Periscope is a 1959 World War II drama starring James Garner as a U.S. Navy Frogman... more on Wikipediaamazon buy button
  • 16
    The Bedford Incident is listed (or ranked) 16 on the list The Best Submarine Movies Of All Time
    167
    82

    The Bedford Incident

    James B. Harris

    Actors: Donald Sutherland, Sidney Poitier, Richard Widmark, Martin Balsam, Ed Bishop

    Released: 1965

    The Bedford Incident is a 1965 Anglo-American Cold War film starring Richard Widmark and... more on Wikipediaamazon buy button

    More The Bedford Incident 

    #136 of 161 The Best Movies of the '60s#59 of 136 The Best Political Thriller Movies

  • 17
    20,000 Leagues Under the Sea is listed (or ranked) 17 on the list The Best Submarine Movies Of All Time
    564
    284

    20,000 Leagues Under the Sea

    Richard Fleischer

    Actors: Kirk Douglas, Peter Lorre, Paul Lukas, Gloria Pall, J. M. Kerrigan

    Released: 1954

    20,000 Leagues Under the Sea is a 1954 American Technicolor adventure film starring Kirk... more on Wikipediaamazon buy button

    More 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea 

    #46 of 553 The Greatest Epic Movies Ever Made#61 of 136 The Scariest Animal Horror Movies Ever Made

  • 18
    Gray Lady Down is listed (or ranked) 18 on the list The Best Submarine Movies Of All Time
    291
    130

    Gray Lady Down

    David Greene

    Actors: Charlton Heston, Christopher Reeve, David Carradine, Ned Beatty, Stacy Keach

    Released: 1978

    Gray Lady Down is a 1978 disaster film by Universal Studios starring Charlton Heston, David... more on Wikipediaamazon buy button
  • 19
    The Abyss is listed (or ranked) 19 on the list The Best Submarine Movies Of All Time
    657
    370

    The Abyss

    James Cameron

    Actors: Ed Harris, Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio, Chris Elliott, Michael Biehn, J. C. Quinn

    Released: 1989

    The Abyss is a 1989 American science fiction-adventure film written and directed by James... more on Wikipediaamazon buy button

    More The Abyss 

    #515 of 1,189 Every Oscar Winning Film Ever#361 of 1,647 The Most Rewatchable Movies

  • 20
    We Dive at Dawn is listed (or ranked) 20 on the list The Best Submarine Movies Of All Time
    148
    91

    We Dive at Dawn

    Anthony Asquith

    Actors: John Mills, Eric Portman, Ronald Millar

    Released: 1943

    We Dive at Dawn is a 1943 war film directed by Anthony Asquith, starring John Mills and Eric... more on Wikipediaamazon buy button
  • 21
    The Command (aka Kursk) is listed (or ranked) 21 on the list The Best Submarine Movies Of All Time
    52
    5

    The Command (aka Kursk)

    Thomas Vinterberg

    Released: 2018

    amazon buy button
  • 22
    Black Sea is listed (or ranked) 22 on the list The Best Submarine Movies Of All Time
    146
    93

    Black Sea

    Kevin Macdonald

    Actors: Jude Law, Ben Mendelsohn, Tobias Menzies, Scoot McNairy, David Threlfall

    Released: 2014

    Black Sea is a 2014 British adventure thriller film directed by Kevin Macdonald, written by... more on Wikipediaamazon buy button
  • 23
    Hell and High Water is listed (or ranked) 23 on the list The Best Submarine Movies Of All Time
    181
    156

    Hell and High Water

    Samuel Fuller

    Actors: Richard Widmark, Cameron Mitchell, David Wayne, Gene Evans, Richard Loo

    Released: 1954

    Hell and High Water is a 1954 Cold War drama film starring Richard Widmark, Bella Darvi and... more on Wikipediaamazon buy button
  • 24
    Civilization (1919) is listed (or ranked) 24 on the list The Best Submarine Movies Of All Time
    0
    4

    Civilization (1919)

    Reginald Barker, Thomas H. Ince

    Actors: Alice Terry, Herschel Mayall, Howard Hickman, Enid Markey, George Fisher

    Released: 1916

    Civilization is a 1916 American pacifist allegorical drama film produced by Thomas H. Ince,... more on Wikipediaamazon buy button
  • 25
    Crash Dive is listed (or ranked) 25 on the list The Best Submarine Movies Of All Time
    12
    0

    Crash Dive

    Archie Mayo

    Actors: Tyrone Power, Anne Baxter, Harry Morgan, Dana Andrews, James Gleason

    Released: 1943

    Crash Dive is a World War II film in Technicolor released in 1943. It was directed by Archie... more on Wikipediaamazon buy button
LOAD MORE
FilmsFilmEntertainment