Best World War II Film Ever Made

Rating: Null/10 (4 June 2004)

This film is actually a simple tale told through the mind of the man who was saved...Private Ryan... There's been very little attention focused on the opening and ending sequences, where we see Ryan as an elder, complete with his family. We know from the opening that his coming back to Normandy is incredibly significant; it's in his walk and in his eyes... As he kneels down on the battlefield cemetery his mind is far, far away...After the tale is told, the ending is as touching as anything I've ever seen in the movies...We get the feeling his journey (here and in life) is now complete; he's paid homage to those who fought and died for him (and for all of us). Very Simple. You can talk all you want about the historical specifics and/or inaccuracies this film might or might not contain; to me they are irrelevant: The bigger picture is not in dispute - WWII, the war in Europe, the fight against Hitler, the allied invasion of France, and D-Day were all defining moments of the 20th Century that brought out the worst (and best) mankind has ever had to offer.

The main body of the film is incredible. Difficult to watch and just as hard to look away from, the opening and ending battlefield sequences set new standards for action-cinematography. To those who have criticized other portions of the film as boring, or over-the-top sentimentality, I think Spielberg's attempts to humanize his main characters are a great success; unlike BLACKHAWK DOWN, the story takes the time to let us get to know each soldier - I WANTED to know who they were and as each begins to get "picked off" as the story evolves, you feel yourself mourning the thousands of soldiers each represents.
Tom Hanks is wonderful as the Captain in charge of saving Private Ryan...his performance is understated to perfection. Tom Sizemore, Ed Burns, Giovanni Ribisi, Adam Goldberg, Matt Damon, Barry Pepper, and Jeremy Davies are all believable and finely cast in their respective roles...This film takes the time to flush out its characters. In the end, when all decide that saving Private Ryan is the right thing to do and <> most end up paying with their lives, I was struck with what a great sense of appreciation I felt for their accomplishment; with what it meant for Private Ryan, and again, what it meant for all of us.
My father died in 1966 as a direct result of an injury he sustained in WWII (B-24 pilot who was shot down in 1943 over Germany, sustained severe head injury, lost 10 of his crew, was held as POW for almost a year before escaping, Silver Star recipient, died of brain hemorrhage 23 years later). I know this film would have made him proud.