Saving Private Ryan: A sheer, hard truth about war

Rating: Null/10 (18 January 2019)

War is nothing of glory, prominence, or resolve. War is that of complete bloodshed and a reason that drives the motive to kill fellow man. War does not tell lies, nor do the bodies, wounds, and scars of the living and dead in a conflict between nations can hide from the truth. These same truths are what lead me to watch Saving Private Ryan, and how incredibly accurate the film depicts the monstrous and horrific nature of warfare. In the film, Saving Private Ryan, I will be examining how this true war story captures the true atmosphere of war and the many scenes that built up a character's development during this conflict in this amazingly heroic, action-packed, heartbreaking masterpiece of a film.
War is man's worst nightmare, bringing horrible and disastrous acts of violence and mishap. However, one man, Steven Spielberg, delivers us one of the most convincing and realistic depictions ever in this insanely powerful and depressing film; "Saving Private Ryan."
This courageous World War II film dives down deep and explores the struggle to keep the common soldier's sanity and humanity in the dead center of utmost hell. Showing the audience that Spielberg was very much on top of his game, as it truly conveys the sickening and heart-destroying emotions and feelings towards the audience, leaving them crying, shaking in their seats, or in an upward fetal position. And if this doesn't make you want to watch this film, I don't know what will. "Sure." You might say. "But we've got really good films like Black Hawk Down and American Sniper." But let me ask you this; "did any of those movies cover the small details? Did they use specific scenes to visualize a character's development and emotions? And did they actually show gore and the true brutality that occurs in an actual war, in the film?" To me, most other films seem to try to glorify and sugar coat over the truth, which is why I consider Steven Spielberg's work of art to be "advanced" for its time. A "true" war story never lies and it never should, which is why I recommend this film to you, even if it's genre isn't up your alley, you will find this movie to be absolutely groundbreaking and extraordinary. That I promise.
Shortly after a brief scene with an elderly man at a WWII memorial site, we fade out into the perspective of Tom Hanks (Cpt. Miller) as it throws the audience right in the midst of the D-Day landings at Omaha Beach. Joining Miller on this slaughterhouse of a mission is a squad of loyal but mixed characters. There's Miller's shadow, Sgt. Horvath (Tom Sizemore), the cocky but confidential commoner from Brooklyn, New York, Pvt. Reiben (Edward Burns), the upstanding Italian, Pvt. Caparzo (Vin Diesel), the tough, role model, Jewish kid, Pvt. Mellish (Adam Goldberg), the worrisome and sympathetic medic, T/4 medic Wade (Giovanni Ribisi), the Bible-quoting marksman, Pvt. Jackson (Barry Pepper) and the scared-as-hell interpreter, Cpl. Upham (Jeremy Davis). As the ramp goes down, the crew is met with a hellstorm of gunfire. Different angle and panning shots shows U.S. soldiers getting cut down as bullets rip and tear through flesh and uniform, not even those who jumped over the side were safe, as it seen showing people drowning from the overhaul of gear that they were carrying. Even as the cast makes it to the coast, the camera continues to focus on the surroundings and the other grunts screaming, guts, blown off arms and legs, and even a caved-in face. Even though it takes up a good portion of the film, the scene does a phenomenal job at grasping the situation through Hank's perspective, as it doesn't try to hide anything from what the landings at Omaha were actually like, presenting us with realism like no other.
On top of that, Steven Spielberg did an amazing job driving deep into character development, as I found that the most interesting parts of how the film and cast were presented and orchestrated, was the surreal fear and sadness that main cast acted out, including Cpt. Miller with his shaking hand, indicating towards the audience that he was just as human as the rest of his squad. Lighting also had a impact with depicting the character's fears, as one shot only shows Tom Hanks' face as the rest of his head and body is consumed by darkness, possibly to convey the theme of loss, as seen all throughout the rest of the movie. Other scenes include breaking down from the loss of characters, and the more human scenes and interactions of characters during the film makes it very irresistible to not want to smile.
Overall, I enjoyed the film very much considering that I had never really seen such a vast difference in how war stories are told or how they play out, much like from video games and books. In my mind, I believe that this film takes the cake for its realism and atmosphere, amassing the audience towards a traumatizing but fateful story of heroes, not only laying down their lives for the sake of their country and its people, but revealing and teaching a lesson in it as well; that war does not lie, not until we as people find common ground, will the scars and wounds ever heal from our actions. In the film, Saving Private Ryan by Steven Spielberg, I will be examining how this true war story captures the true atmosphere of war and the many scenes that relayed a character's development and emotions during this haunting conflict in this amazingly heroic, action-packed, heartbreaking masterpiece of a film.