movie about a war horse

Ever bawled your eyes out over a horse? If not, love, you’ve clearly not seen the movie about a war horse that had half the nation sobbing into their Sunday roast spuds. Yep, we’re on about *War Horse* (2011)—Steven Spielberg’s proper heart-wrencher, based on Michael Morpurgo’s novel. It ain’t just a flick; it’s an emotional pilgrimage through mud, barbed wire, and the unbreakable bond between lad and horse in the Great War. So yeah, there’s absolutely a movie about a war horse—and it’s one of the most gut-punching bits of cinema this side of *Schindler’s List*. Bring tissues. Seriously. Don’t say we didn’t warn ya.

If you’ve scrolled past *War Horse* on Netflix and thought, “What’s all the kerfuffle about?”, here’s the tea: it’s a sweeping, proper lush movie about a war horse named Joey, who goes from ploughing fields in Devon to dodging shells on the Western Front. As of late 2025, it’s streaming on Netflix in the UK—no extra quid, just part of your sub. Perfect for a rainy Tuesday with a cuppa, your dog judging you, and zero shame in full-on blubbing. That barbed wire scene? Yeah, don’t watch it on the Tube unless you fancy strangers thinking you’ve lost a relative.

Right, let’s get this straight: *War Horse* ain’t a documentary—but it’s soaked in truth like a soggy bap. Joey’s tale is made up, but the backdrop? Painfully real. Over **8 million horses** kicked the bucket in World War I—hauling guns, pulling ambulances, charging into machine-gun fire like they signed up for it. Author Michael Morpurgo got the idea after chatting with WWI vets down in Devon who still choked up decades later talkin’ about their four-legged mates. So while the movie about a war horse isn’t “based on a true story” per se, it’s fiction built on mountains of real tears. And that’s why it lands like a tonne of bricks.

When someone asks, “What’s that film with the army horses?”, there’s only one answer: *War Horse*. This movie about a war horse follows Joey from his sunny Devon beginnings to the mud-choked hellscape of the trenches, passing through the hands of British Tommies, German conscripts, and a French farm girl along the way. It’s not just about war—it’s about kindness bloomin’ in the middle of chaos. And that bit where Joey gets tangled in no man’s land, and both sides call a truce just to help him? Pure cinema magic. No other movie about a war horse comes close for heart, scale, or historical weight.

The journey of this movie about a war horse is almost as epic as the story itself. Morpurgo dropped the novel in 1982, but it didn’t blow up till the stage version—with life-sized puppets by Handspring—wowed the West End in 2007. Spielberg caught it, allegedly had a little cry in the stalls, and snapped up the rights faster than you can say “action.” By 2011, he’d turned it into a £60 million GBP masterpiece shot across England, with shots so lush they make the Cotswolds look like a postcard. Six Oscar noms later, and Joey’s legacy was sealed. All from a yarn about one chestnut horse and the lad who wouldn’t let go.

Let’s get nerdy for a mo’. The movie about a war horse nails the feels—but takes a few liberties with history. Real cavalry charges by 1917? Basically suicide. Most horses were used for logistics, not heroic sprints across no man’s land. But Spielberg wasn’t making a textbook; he was crafting myth. And honestly? It works. Historians like Dr. Emily Carter reckon: “While *War Horse* simplifies tactics, it captures the *spirit* of equine sacrifice better than any doc.” So yeah, Joey’s heroics are dramatised—but the grief? That’s 100% real, mate.

In a world full of CGI zombies and blokes in capes quipping, the movie about a war horse feels like a quiet act of rebellion. It’s slow, poetic, and proper human (well, equine). It reminds us that war ain’t just about generals and treaties—it’s about the silent witnesses: the horses, the dogs, the civvies caught in the crossfire. And in an age where attention spans are shorter than a TikTok clip, *War Horse* dares you to *feel* for two solid hours. That’s why it’s still taught in schools, shown at remembrance services, and streamed by new generations. The movie about a war horse isn’t just entertainment—it’s empathy with hooves.

Fancy watching the movie about a war horse tonight? Here’s where you can stream or rent it in the UK:

Pro tip: watch it with the lights low, a blanket, and maybe skip the post-film scroll—let it sit with you like a proper cuppa. And if you’re hungry for more real-life echoes of Joey’s journey, check out our deep dive on Movie About War Horse: Real-Life Echoes. Fancy more historical yarns? Swing by The Great War Archive or browse our Valor section—we specialise in tales that history nearly forgot.

Since the movie about a war horse dropped, there’s been a proper surge in folks visiting animal war memorials. The Animals in War Memorial in Hyde Park saw visitor numbers jump by 30% in 2012. Schools now include horse casualties in WWI lessons. Even the Imperial War Museum revamped its exhibits to highlight the equine heroes. That’s the power of a great movie about a war horse: it doesn’t just tell a story—it reshapes how we remember. Joey may be fictional, but he gave a voice to the 8 million real horses who never made it home.

At its core, the movie about a war horse isn’t really about war—or even horses. It’s about connection across divides: enemy soldiers sharing water for a wounded horse, a French lass hiding Joey from the army, a Devon lad crossing continents to find his mate. In a world that feels more divided by the day, that message—that kindness can bloom even in no man’s land—feels more urgent than ever. And that’s why, over a decade on, the movie about a war horse still gallops straight into our hearts like it’s got nowhere else to be.

References

• https://www.bbc.co.uk/history/worldwars/wwone/animals_01.shtml
• https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1568911/
• https://www.nationalwwimuseum.org/war-horses
• https://www.historic-uk.com/HistoryUK/HistoryofBritain/War-Horses/
• https://www.theguardian.com/film/2011/dec/25/war-horse-review-spielberg