Still Great, despite criticisms (some spoilers)

Rating: 10/10 (15 May 2000)

This is my favorite movie of all time, and it is a great one. Like all great movies, it has unfortunately become prone to backlash and criticism. I think that almost all of it is unfair; the movie is brilliant, and it is not supposed to be a `typical' war film. Instead of talking about the film itself, I actually feel compelled to defend this masterpiece.
First of all, what people bash more than anything are its `bookends' in the military cemetery. Every war movie has its own theme-`Full Metal Jacket' was about men dehumanized into killers, `Gallipoli' was about soldiers as individuals, and SPR is about the sacrifices that WWII veterans made that we no longer appreciate. The `bookends' would not have worked in `The Thin Red Line,' or `Apocalypse Now,' but they are necessary here. True, they are a little overly sappy, and the Ryan family's girls are so attractive it is distracting. But one of the major points of this movie is that many of us have forgotten what the veterans of this war did for us, and that we no longer appreciate the sacrifices they made. Far too often do younger people look at those from the war generation with indifference and disrespect. I am a WWII buff, and ever since I started reading about it in high school, I was always bothered by the fact that nobody seemed to care about it. The faded flags that open and close the movie are not symbols of patriotism-they are our fading appreciation for WWII veterans' sacrifices. I am happy that SPR brought a renewed interest in this subject.
SPR is about the American GI's experiences in WWII Europe, and Spielberg is not claiming with this film that people of other nations did not help or die fighting fascism with us. The Second World War almost covered the entire globe. I would never complain about the lack of Americans in `Soldier of Orange,' or `Hope and Glory,' two great films that are about the Dutch and British experiences, respectively.
SPR is not as black and white as many people claim it is. The Germans are not all `EVIL MONSTERS' in this movie; Isn't it Americans who sadistically shoot Germans (actually Czechs) who are most obviously surrendering? The `Steamboat Willie' Character is just a soldier doing his job--he later comes back and shoots Americans, after Miller's squad released him (and NO, he is NOT the SS Trooper that stabs Mellish with a bayonet!) Miller made the mistake of letting `Steamboat Willie' go, because it seemed the `decent thing to do.' But was it? A POW who is let go cannot be expected to surrender--what do we expect him to do? Tell his army upon meeting them that he can no longer shoot at Americans? According to the Video Hound book on war movies, the SS Trooper who stabs Mellish tells him, in German, `Don't fight it. Soon this will be over. You're going to a better place.' He is mercifully killing his enemy. He also lets Col. Upham live, since Upham poses no threat to him. This soldier is a good soldier, unfortunately on the opposite side. To many, it may seem like the Germans are depicted as monsters in this movie. But we must look deeper, and remember that men under fire don't really care what nice guys their enemies are outside of war. And comments like, `The German army were not Nazis. They were just soldiers' are as much generalizations as saying `all Germans were Nazis.' There were plenty of Nazis in the Wehrmacht. As far as I know, SPR was well received in Germany. Spielberg was honored with an award there shortly afterward.
This movie is anything but unrealistic. I think I even saw a claim on the IMDB that it was fake because `Soldiers would never storm Normandy without air and artillery support.' Guess what? They did! Normandy was an awful mess! Heavy cloud cover and fear of killing their own soldiers prevented the US from defeating the defenses at Omaha, and lead to the ultra-realistic slaughter depicted in the first half-hour of the movie.
Some have called the actions of the Germans in the final sequence (one of the greatest I have ever seen), `unrealistic,' and `unintelligent.' At this point in the war, the German army was in no position to carry out proper by-the-book battle tactics. They were under Hitler's stubborn orders to `hold at all costs' and were sent on many suicidal missions like this one. It was so bad that by the time of the Battle of the Bulge, Americans were appalled at the way that German soldiers marched right up a road, in broad daylight to the front. Historian Steven Ambrose said that Americans had no choice but to open fire on the columns, and mow them down "like a scythe cutting wheat!" Besides, Generals, Captains, Lieutenants, and Privates, etc. on both sides make horrible mistakes, and this war was no exception. As for the plot of this movie, one historian described it as `Very possible, but not very probable.' Take the case of Fritz Niland of the 501st PIR. All three of his brothers were killed in combat, in different divisions. Luckily, high officials in the US army knew where he was, and they had him sent home, immediately.
I don't see how anyone could not be affected by the opening sequence on Omaha Beach. It is clearly amazing. Actual veterans have offered their medals and patches to Spielberg because of it. The climactic battle sequence is absolutely unforgettable. I've seen it so many times, yet it is still difficult to watch. It is incredibly suspenseful, frustrating, explosive, horrifying, and shocking, yet it is all beautifully and coherently filmed. When Miller tells Ryan to `earn this,' he is also speaking to us, to the generations born after WWII, who have to respect what the veterans have done.
Most of us haven't `been there,' and we will never be able to say that we know what combat is like. But Spielberg has pleased veterans in creating a movie that depicts their experiences as well as a movie possibly can. SPR is a wonderful movie that will always be remembered, and that's worth more than any Oscar award it could have received.