Beautifully shot - needs some editing

Rating: 8/10 (20 August 2002)

It's hard to argue Spielberg can't shoot a beautiful picture. Rarely, if ever, has a film so accurately portrayed the horrific consequences of war.
That said, despite excellent acting jobs by the cast, the film suffers from a frequent Spielberg curse - that of the oh-so-obvious moral theme and the dreaded "bookends".
The scenes of the old man weeping at the end of the film, in my mind, ruins its message. Clearly, after the scene on the bridge where Miller (Hanks) tells Ryan (Damon), "earn this", we can see all of the evils and horrors this man has absorbed and will carry for the rest of his life. It is unnecessary to see the older Ryan, fifty years later, having proved he took his captain's words to heart.
Ultimately, it's still a great film - and one that's worth seeing, if not for all of the actors, who were somewhat unknown at the time.
It is not, however, worth seeing Ted Danson in any way, shape, or form.