Perfect.

Rating: 10/10 (22 May 2016)

Alright, so I probably saw saving private Ryan when I was a little too young. I believe I was 11 years old when I saw it (not in theaters) I begged and begged my parents to finally rent it so I could see it. I remember I saw bits and parts of it when my sister and dad were watching it once and, for some reason, I, even as a kid, was fascinated by WWII. Anyway, they finally caved and went against there better judgment to get me to shut the heck up and we rented it one weekend. Now, the incredible intensity and realism of the violence in this movie is so well done, it left me shocked for a few days afterwards. I wasn't sure how I felt about it. Once that shock wore off I realized what a powerful movie it was and even at a young age the amount of respect I developed for the heroes of WWII was deep. I believe everyone should at least see this movie (and band of brothers) to appreciate the sacrifice that military members, past and present, give to their country's people. The masses watch TV show after TV show of gratuitous violence with glee because it portrays it as a whimsical thing that has little impact on those around it. Which is of course ridiculous. Saving Private Ryan does NOT glorify war or violence, but leaves it for what it is; a devastation to humanity. However once this is realized the respect for the heroes who go through it goes beyond words, which is captured beautifully in the film's soundtrack. We need not forget the heroes of the past. Anyway, on a technical standpoint the film will never be outdone: the sets, the practical effects, the cinematography, everything is perfect to capture the intensity of combat. The acting and script (while some have claimed it used a lot of stereotypes I disagree to an extent, but that is another argument) is all fantastic and Spielberg is at his absolute best. This is one of those films that transcends "entertainment" and "media" and everything commercial about movies and becomes something a lot more: It is a tribute, and a powerful one at that. Aside from the violence and intensity there are also a few very heartwarming scenes (when they find where Ryan is from the deafened paratrooper and when Ryan tells the captain about his brothers to just name a couple if you didn't believe me) Tom Hanks is at his best as well, I feel his acting was on a different multitasking level in this movie. He is fully consumed by his character. Anyway, perfect and powerful film.