Some films are so in love with the USA, so in adoration of the Red, White and Blue, that they practically scream “America, fuck yeah” from the get-go. They are the uber-jingoistic, movies that fetishize military hardware, feature often overbearingly triumphant scores, and all-round promote US values like they’re selling American greatness itself. They’re about men being men – specifically American men – doing great things in the name of Uncle Sam.
Already this year we’ve had two films made in such a mold – 13 Hours and London Has Fallen – that absolutely flopped. Tub-thumping jingoism doesn’t always have to be to a film’s detriment, however. American cinema has produced plenty of movies that heartily pledge allegiance to the flag and that still come packed with artistic merit.
There have been some Hollywood movies that practically came draped in the Stars and Stripes that still turned out to be legitimately great, and here are nine examples.