Stunningly horrific, yet greatly entertaining

Rating: 10/10 (27 December 1998)

Saving Private Ryan Rated: R For: Graphic Violence, Adult Langauge, Adult Content Starring: Tom Hanks, Matt Damon, Ed Burns, Tom Sizmore Directed by: Steven Spielberg Running Time: 2 hours 48 minutes
Well, to start off, this movie should not be viewed by children under 15, that is, unless you want to teach your children about the real effects of war. This movie starts off with an older James Ryan at Omaha Beach, his family behind him. He has walked up to the marble gravestones that are placed there in remembrance of the soldiers that dies at D-Day, which he flashes back to. In the flashback (which is simular to Titanic as in it being the whole movie) to the beginning of D-Day, with a shot of Captain Miller (Tom Hanks), and his platoon of soldiers, who, before landing on Omaha, vomit in terror, they hit the beach and two rows of soldiers are taken out, the others dive into the water, a couple drown under the weight of they're equipment, others dying before even hitting the beach. For the first half-hour of this masterpiece, I dare say "masterpiece" because that's what it is, the soldiers go through hell, a mess of blood, dead bodies, and gun fire that'll make you appreciate those that went through that. After that, Captain Miller and his team of soldiers, on the mission to save Private Ryan (Matt Damon), along the way save Ryan, they run into a run down radar tower, a run down town, and several other things which leave them with unexpected loses. And the final battle may be the best, and most prolific in the history of cinema, Tom Hanks delivers an Oscar worthy performance, Steven Spielberg should get an Oscar for best director, and he proves his is the greatest director of our time. Edward Burns, Matt Damon, and Tom Sizemore are also giving great perforances, along with guest appearances by Dennis Farina and Ted Danson, this movie has major star power, a great plot, great dialogue, and a great direction, all-in-all, this gets my vote for best movie of the year. I give it an A+.
"Sometimes I wonder if I've changed so much, my wife is even gonna recognize me whenever it is I get back to her ... and how I'll ever be able to ... tell about these days like today." Captain Miller