Saving Private Ryan is the quintessential war movie

Rating: 10/10 (30 January 2015)

Without question Saving Private Ryan is the best war movie of all time. It is also credited for renewing worldwide interest in World War II and also renewed popularity with old and new movies, TV shows, and video games. Saving Private Ryan set the bar very high for all war movies since its release. Steven Spielberg is a great director and Saving Private Ryan is easily one of his best movies of all time. The all star cast is fantastic.
Saving Private Ryan starts with a World War II veteran bringing his family to the American cemetery at Normandy when he is overcome with emotion when visiting the graves of fellow soldiers who he served with. The film then flashes back to the Allied invasion of Normandy on 6 June 1944. Captain John Miller (Tom Hanks in one of his best roles) leads the 2nd Ranger Battalion onto Omaha Beach to secure the beach and overcome the German defense amidst heavy casualties. While the opening 25 minute scene is unforgettable and excellently choreographed, this scene is a perfect depiction of the brutality of the horrors of war. It is realistically graphic and in no way glamorizes nor glorifies war unlike other movies.
Meanwhile in Washington D.C. at the U.S. War Department, correspondence is being prepared to send to the various families notifying them of the loss of their loved ones during the war. In one of the saddest scenes of the movie in which you can't help but shed a tear, Mrs Ryan receives three letters on the same day notifying her that three of her sons were killed in action. A decision is made for the fourth son, Private James Ryan (Matt Damon), to be located and sent home immediately.
The mission to find Private Ryan is handed to Captain Miller and his squad which includes his second in command Sergeant Horvath (Tom Sizemore), the cynical machine gunner Private Rieben (Edward Burns), Jewish soldier Private Mellish (Adam Goldberg), the deeply religious sniper Private Jackson (Barry Pepper), medic Private Wade (Giovanni Ribisi), Italian-American soldier Private Carparzo (Vin Diesel in an early role), and a skilled translator Corporal Upham (Jeremy Davies) who has not seen combat and finds himself bumbling throughout the mission and also resented by most of the squad members. The squad members find themselves questioning their mission to find one soldier and bring him home, but continue in their quest to locate Private Ryan as well as battling through numerous encounters with the German Army and confusion reigns as to whether Private Ryan is missing or presumably killed in action.
The screenplay by Robert Rodat is excellent and cinematography by Janusz Kaminski perfectly captures the desaturated colour imagery of World War II. Steven Spielberg's eye for detail as well as the ability to bring out the emotional side of viewers is highly admirable. The cast, particularly Tom Hanks as Captain Miller as an everyman thrust into action as the leader of men is excellent and he makes this role his own. Matt Damon as the young Private James Ryan must also be highly commended. The rest of the cast such as Tom Sizemore, Edward Burns, Giovanni Ribisi, Barry Pepper, Vin Diesel and Jeremy Davies shine in their respective outstanding roles.
Also in the all star cast, Dennis Farina (a well known character actor who sadly passed away in 2013), Paul Giamatti (another character actor known for comedic roles), Bryan Cranston (before his famous role as Walter White in Breaking Bad), and Ted Danson (best known for TV shows Cheers and Becker) pop up in small roles in Saving Private Ryan.
Saving Private Ryan is one of the few emotionally powerful movies that is capable of making grown men shed a tear, despite many unwilling to openly admit it. There are a few scenes, particularly the ending that evoke the emotional side of many viewers.
Saving Private Ryan deserved its widespread critical acclaim and success at the box office. It also garnered numerous awards and Steven Spielberg was a well deserved winner, but in a complete travesty was unfairly robbed of the 1998 Best Picture Academy Award. Why Saving Private Ryan missed out on the Best Picture Academy Award I'll never know.
Saving Private Ryan exhibits Steven Spielberg's finest movie to date, and this is certainly a very memorable movie for Tom Hanks. I take my hat off to Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks for their fantastic work in this movie. A lot of people say that Saving Private Ryan is one of the best war movies of all time due to its realistic depiction of the horrors of World War II. I wholeheartedly agree that it truly deserves its recognition as the best war movie of all time, and rightfully so.
10/10.