Good effort but not quite right

Rating: 4/10 (24 November 2000)

Quite a strange film this one. I would have to say that the opening sequence is impressive but then the film has something to live up to. Unfortunately, in my opinion, it fails and seems to plod on from scene to scene until the big finale when action takes over again.
I admire the fact that it is trying to bring to life an event that so many of us can not imagine. I, for one can not realise what the men who fought for their country (any country) gave and hopefully never will have to, but this film tries to address the issue. Successfully too. That is where the film succeeds.
Unfortunately, I don't identify with any of the characters within Tom Hanks' team. To me, it seems they are just a large group thrown together so they all can be killed one by one as a kind of sacrificial lamb. A kind of "oh it's another battle scene, which one shall we kill off this time". In between, the conversations between the characters seems a filler to try and give the individual some personality so you feel for them when (if) they eventually die. For me personally, I was losing interest and was actually wondering which one would be next. An average film overall but does show that not all aspects of war are about glory.
A once in a lifetime experience. i.e. I would only recommend you watch it once. Not the type of film to watch again and again.
To the people writing about only Americans being shown in the war - An American group of soldiers landing with an American infantry sent on a mission by their leader (an American, obviously) to rescue an American soldier from a place where only Americans are based. It doesn't seem that strange to me. If I was the leader, I know I wouldn't go to a group of British or French soldiers asking the whereabouts of an American soldier, surely you would go where Americans are based.