One of the Greatest War Movies of All Time

Rating: 10/10 (20 August 1999)

Together with "Schindler's List (1993) and "Platoon" (1986), "Saving Private Ryan" ranks as one of the greatest war movies of all time. Like "Platoon" it gives the viewer an "in the trenches" experience.
Spielberg has hit another home run with this one. The battle scenes are so realistic and gut wrenching that the viewer is left with the impression of what the real battles were actually like. Spielberg conveys the uselessness and futility of war as we follow Tom Hanks and his squad in their search for Private Ryan following a devastating battle on D-Day.
Spielberg's two World War II masterpieces, Schindler's List and Saving Private Ryan should be required viewing at the high school level in order to instill in our youth a sense of the sacrifices that were made over a half a century ago in order to preserve our freedom.