"Saving Private Ryan" ranks in the TOP 20 as being one of the BEST War movies of all time and in the TOP 10 as the BEST films ever made.

Rating: Null/10 (22 March 1999)

Saving Private Ryan was 100% worthy of the best picture Oscar. I can tell you that no other filmmaker could direct a more realistic depiction of warfare on Omaha beach during WWII. It was so vivid that you were almost there, witnessing (but not experiencing) the brutality, pain, and fear the soldiers went through. The first 20 minutes or so of this film is increasingly graphic, but if you've ever wondered the true nature of a story told by a surviving veteran relative, here it is!
The plot is part non-fiction and part fiction, focusing on a mother who wants her son brought home after his three remaining brothers are killed in battle. A platoon of men (head by Tom Hanks, Tom Sizemore, Edward Burns, Jeremy Davies, Giovanni Ribisi, Garry Pepper) are sent to find the last remaining Ryan, Pvt. James Ryan (played by Matt Damon, who does not overact in the role) behind enemy lines. Each and every soldier was different, and what made it so interesting was how they interacted with one another. Yes, they were extremely sympathetic. The cinematography was brilliant, as was the set (which they actually filmed in international areas.) Another memorable scene was their conversations in that broken down French town towards the finale (Cherbourg?) speaking of romances that occurred back home and the irony of that record player working, with a French lady singing about heartbreak. A very UN-Hollywoodish movie.
I could recommend this film to anyone, and if you can't stand to stay to see the beginning, come in when that part is over. Anyone who says this movie was "boring" and "pointless" most likely has not seen the movie, or they are just fans of the Adam Sandler/Pauly Shore genre. Ignore the negative reviews you read about this film and just see it. It will go right through you, and you will be shocked, moved, and in awe as a result.

"Saving Private Ryan" ranks in the TOP 20 as being one of the BEST War movies of all time and in the TOP 10 as the BEST films ever made.