*** stars

Rating: 6/10 (19 May 1999)

The beginning and ending of this film are very vivid, but the middle slows down to a point where it loses its intensity, and therefore can't be ranked among the best war films. The best ones remain intense ALL the way through. The film does stand out for not being as patriotic as all other WWII films; it actually shows the "War is hell" side that we only really see in Vietnam War films. But it p****s me off Spielberg can show hanging intestines, severed limbs and other atrocities that all other film makers (especially horror film makers) are given NC-17s for. Yet Mr. Infallible can get away with it because he's making a "meaningful" film.