25 Epic Movies Like 300 Everyone Needs To See

First on the list is the sequel to "300," "300: Rise of an Empire." Like its predecessor, "300: Rise of an Empire" was also based on a graphic novel from Frank Miller. The movie follows Athenian General Themistocles as he leads his people against the expanding Persian Empire. Like the original, the sequel is very stylish, leans heavily on slow motion, and plays fast and loose with history. Unlike the original, however, the sequel features naval battles. But not just any naval battles; it features naval battles done in the style of Zack Snyder.

With the patina of hyper-reality Snyder created in the first film, sequel director Noam Murro delivers a phantasmagoria of ancient oceanic warfare. Ships are the size of cities, men can jump dozens of yards, and arrows continue to "blot out the sun." It's really, really fun. The only person in the movie having more fun than the audience is actress Eva Green.

Green plays the movie's main antagonist and Xerxes' right hand woman, Artemisia. She murders his foes, leads his navy and keep his lackeys in line. She also steals every scene she's in. Clearly, Green relished the opportunity to play such a nasty villain in such a bonkers movie. Any fan worried that Butler's hammy energy could not be replicated in the sequel need not fear, Green is here. Avoid "300: Rise of an Empire" as a history lesson, but enjoy it as an expert display of unchecked insanity.

For fans of sword-and-sandal epics, there's no better modern take on the genre than Ridley Scott's "Gladiator." Scott, with a story from David Franzoni, made a movie about a Roman general turned slave turned gladiator turned champion of the people that's endlessly rewatchable. The movie holds up so well because it told a Golden Age of Hollywood tale with modern sensibilities. Instead of simply being a 1950s epic like "Ben Hur," "Gladiator" is also a revenge thriller and a sports movie all rolled into one.

The movie — for the unlikely few that haven't seen it somehow — follows the misadventures of one General Maximus Decimus Meridius, played by Russell Crowe. Maximus is a loyal servant of the Empire who's betrayed by the rising emperor Commodus during a coup. To seize power, Commodus accuses Maximus of murdering the previous emperor and sentences Maximus and has family to death. Eventually, Maximus ends up in the Coliseum as a gladiator and sees an opportunity to get revenge against Commodus.

What follows is an epic display of a lot of talented folks having an absolute field day in front of and behind the camera. The music swells, the swords fall, Hell is unleashed, and a young Joaquin Phoenix delivers one of the greatest villain performances of all time as Commodus. For anyone looking to be entertained by something similar to "300," look no further than "Gladiator."

Alex Proyas' "Gods of Egypt” is an inherently silly movie. It stars Gerard Butler and Nikolaj Coster-Waldau as Egyptian gods Set and Horus respectively. It features CGI that can only be described as corny on purpose. But most importantly, it doesn't take itself seriously at all. Everybody involved in the film — from the director to the actors to the person who held the boom mic — knows exactly what kind of movie they're in. Line readings are winking and straightforward in equal measure, the story's stakes are so high they're simple to grasp even when the plot isn't, and Butler has a blast playing a villain who screams every line.

The movie — about the war between Horus and Set and the valiant human hero caught in the middle — is definitely an acquired taste. In fact, all of Proyas' movies are. Proyas' films largely lean into style and striking images to tell their stories. Sometimes his sensibilities result in marvelous wonders like "Dark City" and "The Crow." "Gods of Egypt" wasn't the biggest hit with critics upon its release. However, for any fan who enjoyed "300" because it was cool to look at, "Gods of Egypt" is the movie for them.

2014's "Hercules" is not a faithful adaptation of the myth or even a historically accurate recreation of the times in which the legend took place. Instead, a perfectly cast Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson plays a Hercules whose status as the son of Zeus is never confirmed nor denied. He brings the same shirtless energy to the character that Butler brought to Leonidas in "300."

In the movie, Herc is a well known entity in Ancient Greece who hires out his club — and band of mercenaries — to the highest bidder. He trades on his legend to make a buck, so the resulting movie plays like somebody threw "The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance" and "Clash of the Titans" into a blender. It's definitely an interesting idea for a film.

The film's also not hurt by its supporting cast. Hercules' band of merry mercenaries includes the always excellent Ian McShane of "Deadwood" and "John Wick" fame. The princess he serves is played by Rebecca Ferguson with the same kind of singular suspicion she brings to roles like the Lady Jessica in "Dune." Plus, incredible thespians like Joseph Fiennes and John Hurt show up in various heavy performances. It may not be faithful, but "Hercules" is most definitely fun.

"Alexander ” — Oliver Stone's meditation on history and one of its most impressive participants, Alexander the Great — is not quite a capital "G" great movie, but it's close. The story, like its namesake's vision, is beyond ambitious in scope. It follows the conqueror through the milestones of his life and the moments that inspired them. The shifting timelines can be a bit confusing for folks not versed in Classical history, but the movie is entertaining nonetheless, especially "The Ultimate Cut" issued by Stone in 2014. Critics like Peter Sobczynski, for example, have made a strong case that it's Stone's best version of the film.

While a movie with multiple cuts may not sound promising, "Alexander" is worth checking out. Stone — the man behind angry, brilliant anti-establishment films like "Platoon" and "JFK" — isn't the usual suspect to helm an epic. So instead of making a movie that praises the conqueror's achievements and recreates the defining moments of his life, Stone takes the time to display how much those achievements cost. In his hands, ancient history is a blood-stained, chaotic mess navigated successfully by the small few willing to make abysmal decisions. It's shaggy and overlong, but it asks real questions of its audience. For anyone interested in a movie like "300" that's about history and how it's told, look no further than "Alexander."

Our next entry stars Channing Tatum and Jamie Bell as a Roman soldier and a captive slave on a mission to restore the lost signet of their legion: The Eagle. In his review, critic Roger Ebert called the movie a "rip-snorting adventure." He then went on to explain he felt that he had to "bring the term 'rip-snorting' out of retirement" because they don't make many swashbuckling adventure stories anymore. They really don't.

Tatum and Bell make a great team and the movie wisely does more for their relationship than simply turning them into a buddy comedy duo. Instead, the film leans into the pair's uneasy alliance. Bell's slave Esca hates the Roman Empire but feels loyal to Tatum's Marcus because Marcus saved Esca's life. It's well-developed, well-acted, and it adds an uncommon wrinkle to a plotline that otherwise may have veered into cliché.

On the action front, the movie keeps things pretty pared down. Not to say there's no action — there's plenty — but rather their fight scenes rely on practical effects, editing techniques, and actual human bodies over mass formations of CGI. While not nearly as stylized as the balletic battles in "300," the straightforward approach to combat in "The Eagle" gives the movie a hard edge that's definitely worth checking out.

1960's "Spartacus" is widely considered an all-time great movie — and it's not hard to see why. It stars the platonic ideal of Hollywood's leading man, Kirk Douglas. It was written by Dalton Trumbo, a screenwriter so talented there's a movie about him. It's filled with a kaleidoscope of working Golden Age character actors, including John Ireland, Charles Laughton, and the incomparable Woody Strode. And last but not least, it was directed by Stanley Kubrick. Yes, that Stanley Kubrick.

The movie, for the uninitiated, follows the relatively straightforward story of Spartacus' enslavement by the Roman empire, his time as a gladiator, and his subsequent slave rebellion against the Romans. However, while its narrative beats may be standard fare, the rest of its components are far from it. Douglas' central performance radiates charisma. Trumbo's screenplay invented classic moments like the "I'm Spartacus" sequence that have been copied but never outdone since. Kubrick's genius shines through in scenes he frames marvelously or stocks with extras to give the movie its genuine epic depth and scope.

Another movie like "Spartacus" probably won't come along ever again, but for acolytes of New Testament swordfests like "300," consider "Spartacus" the Old Testament. It's absolutely worth streaming wherever it's available.

The sequel to "Conan the Barbarian," called "Conan the Destroyer," brings the same high fantasy and striking visuals to the big screen that its predecessor did. However, this time it adds ritual prolicide, a quest for a mythical horn, a fight in a hall of mirrors, some stop-motion monsters, and NBA superstar Wilt Chamberlain.

There's a lot more to the movie, but to give away too many of the plot's details would spoil the fun. Needless to say, any movie with Wilt Chamberlain playing a warrior named Bombaata is a must-watch. The man scored 100 points in a single game and wields a mace in a 1980s fantasy movie. Beyond Wilt's contributions to cinema, the movie also features Grace Jones as Zula and Olivia d'Abo (of "The Wonder Years'" fame) as Princess Jehnna.

The movie, rated "PG" instead of "R" like its predecessor, is significantly less violent than the first film. However, its milder take on the character is overridden by the sheer fun the actors are having on set. For any fan looking to enjoy some quirkier fantasy without the accompanying violence, "Conan the Destroyer" is for you.

2009's "Valhalla Rising" is more of a fever dream than a movie. Director Nicolas Winding Refn's insane Viking film stars one of the greatest character actors of all time, Mads Mikkelsen, as One Eye. One Eye is a mute warrior who's really, really good at hurting people. After escaping a life of captivity where he fought for the entertainment of his captors, One Eye accompanies some Christians on their Crusade. Saying anymore than that would spoil the movie's greatest surprise.

What won't spoil the film is talking about the stylish way Refn does, well, everything. Like "300" director Zack Snyder, Refn's works have a look that's all their own. In other words, anybody who recognizes the director's work will likely know when they're watching a Refn movie. Refn's stylistic choices lean heavily on extreme color contrasts, graphic violence framed artistically, and protagonists who don't speak all that much.

Luckily for Refn, and fans, Mikkelsen doesn't need to say a word to communicate how dangerous his character is. He's so good in the role, it'll be hard to not see One Eye the next time fans see Mikkelsen on screen. For anybody looking for another film about combat that pairs a charismatic lead with a super-stylish director, check out "Valhalla Rising."

2018's "Outlaw King" serves as a spiritual follow-up of sorts to "Braveheart." The movie, set in medieval Scotland at the end of William Wallace's failed insurgency, traces the rebellion of Robert the Bruce. Bruce, played by Chris Pine, is a highborn lord who breaks his alliance with England in a bid for the throne of Scotland and the country's independence. His war with the English is long, arduous, and costly.

While all of this may sound like standard historical sword-swinging fare — or just another "dad movie" — director David Mackenzie films the movie with such grace that some scenes play more like arthouse than epic. For example, in the opening scene Mackenzie introduces the conflict, its major players, and the character of the film's protagonist in an enormous single tracking shot. In an interview with Collider, Mackenzie explained he wanted to "throw the audience into the world."

It works. For the rest of the movie Mackenzie and his cinematographer Barry Ackroyd compose scene after scene of tactical beauty. For the audience, it makes the alien time period feel much less foreign because it gives every shot depth, reality, and sense of lived-in-ness. Frankly, no movie about Dark Ages bloodshed has any business looking this good. For fans taken by the unique version of beauty in "300," this one's for you.

Akira Kurosawa is an incredible director. Entertainment Weekly even placed him on a list of the greatest directors ever. For anyone interested in his work — or seeing "300"-sized battles created without CGI — seek out "Ran."

"Ran" adapts the basic plot of Shakespeare's "King Lear," but transplants the story to feudal Japan. In the story, an aging warlord divides his land among his sons instead of choosing a single successor. Naturally, the sons almost immediately fall into bitter infighting over who controls what. If Shakespeare with samurais isn't enough of a selling point, the movie's almost life-sized battle scenes should do the trick.

Since "Ran" was made in 1985, Kurosawa opted to film his war sequences at scale with armies composed of real actors. Most battles are fought by armies in opposing primary colors, while practical effects like smoke and real sets make up the rest of the palette. The end result is a movie so beautiful it's hard to look away from — even when it turns tragic. Kurosawa's visuals are magnificent, but they're not solely about war. Instead, they make up one of the greatest movies about the perils of ambition, legacy, and existentialism ever put on the silver screen.

Zack Snyder's "300" is remembered for rendering an ancient conflict through highly stylized cinematography and design choices. Robert Eggers' "The Northman" will likely be thought of for the same reasons. However, unlike Snyder, Eggers has rooted his singular production design in painstakingly accurate period detail and based his cinematography in long, single camera shots. Both of Eggers' choices make "The Northman" unlike any movie in recent memory.

Through his lens, the Scandinavian legend of Amleth (which Shakespeare adapted to "Hamlet") is a pulsating, living, breathing, heaving, and bleeding thing. It's a visceral exercise in creating a world long lost to history, so that his actors can run, stab, chop, vomit, flatulate, and fornicate their way through it. The movie acts as a bizarro portal to a point in human history when glory, honor, and death by the sword were the guiding principles of life. It should feel alien to watch, but "The Northman ” is so specific in its telling that it almost makes its characters' horrendous actions understandable.

The movie also features one of the greatest single-shot battle scenes ever committed to the screen, big or otherwise. If anybody ever asked for coverage of a berserker raid with a camera that operates like it's covering a football game as opposed to a movie, look no further than "The Northman."

"Pilgrimage" follows a group of monks on a brutal trek across medieval Ireland in an effort to deliver a holy relic to the Pope. It also features a cast of now A-list actors like Tom Holland and Jon Bernthal. The movie, directed by Brendan Muldowney, follows the "Apocalypse Now" or "Heart of Darkness" storytelling model.

The monks, set in their ways and beliefs about the Church, face increasingly bizarre, dangerous, and violent scenarios on their journey, with various different parties interested in the relic. By time they reach their final destination, the group (mild spoiler) has changed. Holland plays Brother Diarmuid, a young, fresh-faced monk who's never left the monastery. Bernthal plays "Mute," a monastery laborer who doesn't speak and seeks redemption for the heinous sins he committed as a knight in the Crusades.

While some of the ideas in the movie are not particularly fresh, its unique setting creates opportunities for all kinds of dips and dives into some of medieval history's truly chaotic elements. For example, the presence of Gaelic tribes stand in for the colonized peoples in stories like "Heart of Darkness," while mounted knights replace the helicopter battalions famously captured on film in "Apocalypse Now."

Plus, for fans of "300"-style action, Bernthal delivers as a shirtless bruiser of a bodyguard who's as talented with his fists as he is with a sword. The movie went under the radar upon release, but it's certainly worth tracking down now.