The Imitation Game (2014)

Alan Turing really did help crack Germany’s Enigma code during World War II, but the film changes parts of his personality and working relationships. It also suggests he built the decoding machine almost entirely on his own, when it was actually the result of a team effort.

Pearl Harbor (2001)

The attack itself is based on real events, but the fictional love triangle takes center stage. The movie also compresses the timeline between Pearl Harbor and the Doolittle Raid, making the two events seem much closer together than they really were.

300 (2006)

Frank Miller’s graphic novel inspired the film’s visual style, but many historical details were exaggerated along the way. Xerxes’ appearance, the size of the Persian army, and even the armor worn by the Spartans were all heavily stylized rather than historically accurate.

Napoleon (2023)

Ridley Scott’s film condenses years of history into a single narrative and changes several key moments from Napoleon’s life. One example is the scene showing him firing cannons at the pyramids, something historians agree never happened.

The Patriot (2000)

While inspired by the American Revolution, many of the movie’s characters and events are fictional. One of its most controversial scenes, showing British soldiers locking civilians inside a church before setting it on fire, has no documented basis in the war.

The Last Samurai (2003)

Tom Cruise’s character never existed. Instead, he was created by combining elements of several real historical figures involved in Japan’s transition from the samurai era to a modern military, rather than representing one specific person.