Ex-Military Thrillers: A Cinematic Journey

Description: A group of Iraq War veterans, framed for a crime they didn't commit, use their special forces skills to clear their names and bring down the real culprits.

Fact: The film is based on the 1980s TV series of the same name. Liam Neeson was cast as Hannibal, the leader of the team.

Description: A retired U.S. Marine and DIA officer with a mysterious past uses his skills to help those in need, leading to a confrontation with the Russian mafia.

Fact: Denzel Washington did much of his own stunts for the film. The character was originally portrayed by Edward Woodward in the 1980s TV series.

Description: An elite hitman teaches his trade to an apprentice who has a connection to one of his previous victims, leading to a complex web of revenge and betrayal.

Fact: This film is a remake of the 1972 Charles Bronson film of the same name. Jason Statham performed many of his own stunts.

Description: A former military police investigator, Jack Reacher, gets involved in a case involving a sniper accused of a mass shooting.

Fact: The character Jack Reacher is based on a series of novels by Lee Child. Tom Cruise, who played Reacher, is significantly shorter than the character's described height in the books.

Description: A marksman living in seclusion is coaxed back into action after learning of a plot to kill the president, using his military training to unravel the conspiracy.

Fact: The film is based on the novel "Point of Impact" by Stephen Hunter. Mark Wahlberg underwent extensive training to portray the sniper.

Description: A former military man turned bank robber in Boston faces a moral dilemma when he falls for a woman he took hostage during a heist.

Fact: Ben Affleck, who directed and starred in the film, grew up in the neighborhood where the story is set. The film was shot on location in Charlestown, Boston.

Description: This film follows an elite Army bomb squad unit in Iraq, focusing on the psychological effects of war on a sergeant who thrives on the adrenaline rush of defusing bombs.

Fact: Kathryn Bigelow became the first woman to win the Best Director Oscar for this film. The movie was shot in Jordan, standing in for Iraq.

Description: A Navy SEAL sniper, Chris Kyle, becomes a legend in the Iraq War, but his multiple tours take a toll on his personal life and mental health.

Fact: Bradley Cooper gained 40 pounds for the role to accurately portray Chris Kyle. The film was nominated for six Academy Awards, winning one for Best Sound Editing.

Description: An idealistic FBI agent is enlisted by a government task force to aid in the escalating war against drugs at the border area between the U.S. and Mexico, involving a former military operative.

Fact: The film's title "Sicario" means "hitman" in Spanish. The movie was shot in real locations in Mexico, adding to its gritty realism.

Description: A chronicle of the decade-long hunt for al-Qaeda terrorist leader Osama bin Laden after the September 11 attacks, involving a CIA operative with a military background.

Fact: The film's title refers to the military time of the raid on bin Laden's compound. It was shot in India, Pakistan, and Jordan.