Good but NOT spectacular

Rating: Null/10 (18 June 1999)

This is a very well-made film. Certainly worth seeing more than once. The combat scenes at the beginning and at the end were eye-opening. I knew what this movie was going to be about before seeing it, and I knew what to expect, yet the battle scenes were still shocking to see. However, "Saving Private Ryan" was in no way the best movie of 1998--"Life Is Beautiful" was a superior film, in many ways. "Saving Private Ryan" excelled all other 1998 films on a TECHNICAL level. If you were to remove the graphic aspect of its battle scenes, "Saving Private Ryan" would be just another war movie. Some people consider this the greatest war movie ever made. This movie may have the most realistic battle scenes ever shown, but it's not a spectacular movie. In fact, its plot is rather lame. "Saving Private Ryan" is tied with "Shakespeare in Love" for being the most overrated movie of 1998. "Life Is Beautiful" clearly told a story about love and triumph without the use of theatrics or of famous actors/actresses. I can't see why Tom Hanks was praised so highly for his performance in this film; the supporting cast outshone him. Also, the most hideous thing that was done in "Saving Private Ryan" was to use the United States flag at the beginning and at the end of the movie. That's something that would only be done by someone trying to win an Oscar. I do commend Spielberg for his direction--overall, he did a really good job in demonstrating that war is hell.