When War Becomes Nightmare: 5 Horror Films for Memorial Day

From the absurd to the down right terrifying

Today is Memorial Day, the day capitalism stole from honoring those who died in wars. War horror encompasses the profound psychological, physical, and moral trauma that emerges from armed conflict. It's the stark reality that exists beneath political rhetoric and strategic discussions, the human cost that transforms both combatants and civilians.

The horror manifests in multiple dimensions. There's the immediate physical violence: the sudden, brutal ways human bodies are destroyed, the chaos of combat where split-second decisions determine who lives or dies, and the randomness that can spare one person while devastating another standing nearby. Soldiers describe the disorienting sensory overload, the deafening noise, acrid smells, and visual scenes that contradict everything their peacetime minds understood about human existence.

Beyond the battlefield, war horror seeps into the fabric of entire societies. Families are torn apart, not just by death but by the psychological changes in those who return. Veterans often struggle with what they've witnessed and participated in, carrying memories that don't fit into civilian life. The moral injury, having to act against one's deepest values to survive, can be as devastating as physical wounds.

Civilians face their own particular horrors: the loss of safety and normalcy, displacement from homes, the collapse of social structures that once provided meaning and security. Children grow up with war as their baseline reality, fundamentally altering their understanding of what human life should be.

The horror also lies in how war reveals the fragility of civilization itself. Rules, ethics, and social bonds that seemed permanent can dissolve rapidly when survival is at stake. People discover capacities for both cruelty and courage they never knew they possessed.

What makes war horror particularly haunting is its persistence, trauma that echoes through generations, landscapes scarred for decades, and the way violence can become normalized in post-conflict societies. It's not just what happens during war, but how it fundamentally changes the people and places it touches long after the fighting ends.

With that in mind, from parodies to movies that give you pause, here are five horror movies you can watch while wrapped up in the old red, white and blue:

Starship Troopers (1997)

The obligatory mention of what could be the greatest parody movie of all time. From the over-the-top propaganda to the open mocking of fascism, this cult classic shows a future Earth run by a council that makes compulsorily governmental service a requirement to do things like vote and procreate. (I ask this film NEVER be shown to Trump, he’ll get ideas.) Based on the novel by Robert A. Heinlein, Starship Troopers sees our future Earth friends stuck in a battle with what is known as the “perfect species” which are arachnid looking creatures of high intelligence. A group of teens enlist in the Federation, portrayed by Casper Van Dien, Denise Richards, Dina Meyer and Neil Patrick Harris. While many of them will end up meeting their demise, they finally capture the brain bug, and one of the best memes ends the movie.

You can watch Starship Troopers on Netflix and Apple TV. You can also rent it from Fandango and Prime Video.

Overlord (2018)

We can’t have a war list without alternate history, right? It’s the night before D-Day, and a recently integrated paratrooper unit is put in behind enemy lines to bomb a German radio jamming tower in a church, where we learn that Nazi experiments have been taking place, with most people being disfigured by the experiments being burned by the Nazis. Some of the experiments deal with bringing the dead back to life.

Overlord is notable for its high production values, practical effects, and committed performances. It doesn't shy away from the brutality of either warfare or horror, creating an intense atmosphere throughout. The film manages to honor the serious historical context of D-Day and Nazi occupation while delivering the thrills expected from a horror movie.

The pacing builds steadily from military tension to outright horror, making it appealing to fans of both war films and monster movies. It's essentially a B-movie concept executed with A-level film making craft, resulting in an entertaining genre hybrid that takes both its historical setting and horror elements seriously.

You can watch Overlord on Shudder, Apple TV, and Plex. You can also rent it on Amazon Prime Video

La Llorona (2019)

The film operates on two interconnected levels. On one hand, it's a courtroom drama dealing with very real historical atrocities and the pursuit of justice for war crimes. On the other, it's a ghost story rooted in Latin American folklore, where the legendary figure of La Llorona, the weeping woman who mourns her lost children, manifests as a supernatural presence.

As the legal proceedings unfold, strange and unsettling events begin occurring in the general's affluent home, where he lives with his family. The supernatural elements gradually intensify, creating an atmosphere where past sins seem to literally haunt the present. The film suggests that some crimes are so profound that they transcend the boundaries between the living and the dead.

Director Jayro Bustamante crafts a deliberate, atmospheric piece that uses horror elements to explore themes of guilt, justice, and historical memory. Rather than relying on jump scares, the film builds dread through its oppressive mood and the weight of unacknowledged trauma. The horror feels inseparable from the historical context: it's not just about ghosts, but about how collective trauma and unpunished crimes can manifest in supernatural ways.

You can watch La Llorona on many FAST (Free Ad Supported TV) channels.

Combat Shock (1984)

The film operates as both a psychological horror piece and a gritty social drama. Frankie exists in a state of constant mental anguish, unable to escape the trauma of what he witnessed and endured during the war. His present-day life is marked by unemployment, financial desperation, and a deteriorating family situation that mirrors his internal breakdown.

Director Buddy Giovinazzo crafted the film with an extremely low budget and a deliberately raw, documentary-like aesthetic that amplifies the sense of despair and hopelessness. The movie doesn't romanticize or glorify war or its aftermath, instead, it presents an unflinching look at how combat trauma can destroy not just the veteran but everyone around them.

What makes Combat Shock particularly notable is its commitment to showing the un-glamorous reality of PTSD and veteran neglect. The film explores themes of societal abandonment, economic desperation, and the way war's psychological wounds can fester when left untreated. It's relentlessly dark in tone, offering little relief from its protagonist's suffering. While this is not explicitly a war movie, it goes to show how much Ronnie Reagan hated veterans. Seems apropos in the days of Trump.

You can watch Combat Shock on Shudder and Troma NOW. You can also rent this on Amazon Prime and Fandango.

Hex (2017)

The film explores themes of isolation, power dynamics, and the allure of belonging to something greater than oneself. The protagonist finds herself drawn into a world where ancient practices and modern life intersect in unsettling ways. As she becomes more deeply involved with this group, the line between reality and supernatural influence becomes increasingly blurred.

Director Rudolf Buitendach creates an atmosphere of creeping dread through the film's rural setting and the gradual revelation of the group's true nature and intentions. The movie relies more on psychological tension and atmosphere than overt supernatural spectacle, building unease through character interactions and the protagonist's growing sense that she may be in over her head.

The film examines how vulnerable people can be manipulated by charismatic leaders who promise spiritual fulfillment or special knowledge. It delves into themes of exploitation, the search for meaning, and the dangerous appeal of secretive communities that claim to possess hidden truths.

Hex operates within the folk horror tradition, using the English countryside and occult practices to create a sense of ancient evil persisting in the modern world. The horror emerges from human behavior and psychological manipulation as much as from any supernatural elements, making it a character-driven piece that focuses on the protagonist's psychological journey.

You can watch Hex on the Roku Channel, and rent it on Amazon Prime Video.