Intense, Emotional, Terrifying yet Beautiful.

Rating: 10/10 (20 April 2017)

At first, I didn't know what to expect from this film. But at the end of it.. I was overwhelmed beyond any words.
First of all, the movie is just BEAUTIFUL, yet terrifying. The first 25 minutes were absolutely amazing and we all felt like we were sucked into the movie and found ourselves fighting alongside the soldiers. It was the most realistic and graphic portrayal of war till date. The whole film is filled with action and it keeps us all on the edge of our seats. The sound mixing and the picture itself is amazing.
The acting was just BRILLIANT. The crew is just amazing. Every actor plays his role almost flawlessly. And Tom Hanks was the icing on the cake. I must say that this is his one of his most phenomenal roles ever.
The direction was once again Outstanding. Spielberg really went out of this world in this movie. The way he took the movie is just Breathtaking. The final fight in Ramelle might have been dry if not for Spielberg's direction.
Synopsis: An elderly man and his family visit the Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial. The man walks around the cemetery and, upon seeing a particular grave, he falls to his knees.
We are then thrown into Omaha beach on June 6, 1944, along side American soldiers who are to fight the Germans, led by Capt. John .H.Miller. They suffer heavily from their struggle against German infantry, machine gun nests, and artillery fire. They eventually win the battle but not after losing many men. After the battle, the body of a dead soldier lying face down on the beach, with the name "S. Ryan" on the back of his pack, is shown.
Then we are taken to Washington D.C, where General George Marshall is informed that three of the four brothers of the Ryan family were K.I.A and that their mother is to receive all three telegrams on the same day. He learns that the fourth son, PFC James Francis Ryan, is a paratrooper and is M.I.A somewhere in Normandy. Marshall, after reading Abraham Lincoln's Bixby letter, orders that Ryan must be found and sent home immediately.
Three days after D-Day, Miller receives orders to find Ryan and bring him back from the front. He assembles six men from his company. A Paratrooper in Miller's squad, dies after being shot by a sniper.
Eventually, they locate a Private James Ryan, but soon learn that he is not their man. They find a member of Ryan's regiment who informs them that his drop zone was at Vierville and that his and Ryan's companies had the same rally point. Once they reach it, Miller meets a friend of Ryan's, who reveals that Ryan is defending a strategically important bridge over the Merderet River in the fictional town of Ramelle. On the way to Ramelle, Miller decides to neutralise a German machine gun position, despite the misgivings of his men. A medic from Miller's squad dies. Miller, at a Cartographer's urging, declines to execute a surviving German, nicknamed "Steamboat Willie", and sets him free on condition that he give himself up as a prisoner of war to the first Allied unit he encounters. A paratrooper declares his intention to desert the squad and the mission, prompting a confrontation with his Sergeant. The argument heats up until Miller defuses the situation by disclosing his background in civilian life, about which the squad had earlier set up a betting pool. The paratrooper then reluctantly decides to stay.
Upon arrival at Ramelle, Miller and the squad come upon a small group of paratroopers, one of whom is Ryan. Ryan is told of his brothers' deaths, the mission to bring him home, and that two men had been lost in the quest to find him. He is distressed at the loss of his brothers, but does not consider it fair to go home, asking Miller to tell his mother that he intends to stay "with the only brothers he has left." Miller decides to take command and defend the bridge with what little manpower and resources are available. Using his own men and the accompanying paratroopers, Miller forms ambush positions throughout the ruined town.
The enemy arrives. Although Miller and his squad inflict heavy casualties on the Germans, most of the paratroopers are killed. While attempting to blow the bridge, Miller is shot and mortally wounded by Steamboat Willie, who has rejoined the Germans. Just before a Tiger tank reaches the bridge, an American P-51 Mustang flies overhead and destroys the tank, followed by American armoured units which rout the remaining Germans. The cartographer surprises a group of German soldiers as they attempt to retreat. Steamboat Willie, raises his hands in surrender, believing that the cartographer will accept because of their earlier encounter. Having witnessed Captain Miller being shot by Steamboat Willie, The cartographer shoots him and lets the other surviving Germans flee. Miller dies due to the wounds.
It is revealed that the man in the Normandy Memorial is Ryan, and the grave he is standing at is Miller's. The elderly Ryan asks his wife to confirm that he has led a good life, and worthy of the sacrifice of Miller and the others. His wife confirms it. Ryan then stands at attention and delivers a salute toward Miller's grave.
Note: I have heavily borrowed some parts of the plot from various other sources.
And finally, There are a few flaws in this movie. However, I will point out the major one. This movie was purely an "American" one. One must know that the Allied soldiers also consisted of the British and Russian soldiers. However, the movie ignores them completely.
This is the best war movie till date and it's a must-watch for movie buffs.