riveting

Rating: 8/10 (3 August 2007)

Compared to other WWII movies I've seen, this one stands out. The opening battle of Omaha Beach was intense. It made me feel like I'd been there. The closing battle was also frighteningly realistic. The scene where the platoon's respite is interrupted by the rumbling of tanks was white-knuckle scary. It wasn't entirely free from clichés. The scene where Ryan's mother is told about the news of her sons' deaths was sad, but....a farm in the heartland? It would have been more powerful if she lived on a city block in New York or San Francisco. I didn't like the scene where Matt Damon's character is clutching his ankles and rocking while crying in the midst of battle. I don't think many GI's would do that. It was also far-fetched and inexplicable why the Nazi soldier would descend a staircase and pass a cowering GI with nine yards of machine gun bullets draped over his shoulder without killing him in he midst of a desperate battle. Still, the movie was a triumph.