Spielberg's War

Rating: 6/10 (12 December 2006)

After the assault on Omaha beach, a group of US soldiers, led by Cpt Miller (Hanks), are sent on a mission to retrieve the sole surviving Ryan brother (Damon). Success will earn them the right to return home.
After giving a definitive representation of the holocaust with the excellent "Schindler's List" and of slavery with "Amistad", Spielberg surprised the world again. "Saving Private Ryan" is a synergy of old "men on a mission" style war films, yet completely redefined how conflicts are to be portrayed on film. The film set a tone of savagery, violence and futility that has marked all war films since (and was perfected in Ridley Scott's awesome "Black Hawk Down"). As a visualist and action director, Spielberg can count this film as yet another resounding triumph. Whenever the tension goes up, as in the horrific opening battle (cinema's most visceral 20 minutes) or the closing siege, Saving Private Ryan surpasses almost any war film in existence.
the film is sadly not without its problems, and it is truly regrettable that Robert Rodat's script isn't up to the standards of Spielberg's direction. Whenever the tension dies down and leaves room for character moments, the film comes dangerously close to silliness or sappiness, ticking many of the worst genre clichés in ways that could make it seem like a flag-waiver despite the obvious overall absurdity the film tries to convey. It is a tribute to the acting talents of Damon, Burns, Ribisi, Sizemore and especially Hanks that the film survives such moments, even if a lame last scene undermines the film's power.
Despite its flaws, "Saving Private Ryan" has proved its importance and relevance through the considerable influence it has had on cinema action.