It's amazing how many people think they are experts on war and movies

Rating: Null/10 (11 February 2001)

After reading the plethora of reviews on this movie I'm amazed at how many people think they are experts on war.
Let's keep in mind that Mr. Spielberg directed the movie - he didn't write it. He no more claims to be an authority on war than my kids do. He is a magnificent director and he does his job well, which is bringing realism and emotion to the forefront of an otherwise brutal look at war. The people who put the film together are some of the most knowledgeable and experienced veterans and historians in the world today so, let's give them a little credit. For those of you who have never been there; don't comment on credibility or realism unless you've actually seen it or done it and have something to compare it to. Saving Private Ryan is undoubtedly the closest most people will ever come to being in the war, thank god!
The story is based on the hypothetical scenario of seven U.S. Army Rangers along with a cowardly army corporal/translator from the 29th infantry division who are given the outrageous task of finding a paratrooper (Pvt. Ryan) who was dropped behind enemy lines in Normandy, France during Operation Overlord in WWII. As the sole surviving son of a midwestern family, the brass decides it would be noble to find him and send him home when they realize that all three of his brothers have been killed in the line of duty within 24 hours of each other and his mother will be receiving all three telegrams at the same time. The real story lies in the frustration of the soldiers themselves at trying to cope with risking their lives foolishly for the life of one man who is just another soldier to them. The orders seem ridiculous to the Rangers, but as Tom Hanks' character (Capt. John Miller) keeps reminding them; they are soldiers and it's their duty to follow orders - Period! It is a good portrayal of a scenario that could've very easily happened during the war. Other things far more ridiculous than that did happen. Trust me.
The movie is well done and very entertaining if you don't look to find an action movie underneath the story. It's compelling, moving and the Omaha beach scenes are downright shocking at times. While the movie makes all efforts to be as historically accurate as possible, please remember that this is not a history lesson or a documentary. Tom Hanks plays the part of the "unknown soldier", a captain of the Rangers second battalion who were the first american units on the beach at Omaha. The 2d Rangers were also the unit that, despite insurmountable odds, penetrated the german defenses and secured the beachheads for the rest of the Allied units arriving at Omaha on D-Day. The fact that they played the parts of U.S. Rangers of the second battalion is a true depiction of some of the greatest heroism this country has ever known alone in itself. It IS a movie about war and true heroism and it IS historically accurate.
For those of you who think there was too much flag waving and blatant patriotism; what is wrong with that? And those of you who think that the germans were portrayed as being too evil? This movie is about eight soldiers following orders and doing their jobs above and beyond the call of duty. It has NOTHING to do with who was the good guy and who was the bad guy. If you want to see a movie that portrays war from a german soldier's point of view, watch "All quiet on the western front" or, better yet, read the book!
I highly recommend this movie to anyone who has any interest in war movies. It IS very accurate historically right down to unit numbers and troop disposition, as well as the general attitude of the soldiers themselves. At least Mr. Spielberg has the common sense to hire some of the best people qualified to make the storyline authoritative, such as Steven Ambrose. He doesn't take it upon himself to try to re-create history itself. The effects are astounding and the acting is good. If you don't like Tom Hanks being portrayed as a patriotic war hero than you definitely won't like this movie. While he's not John Wayne, Mr. Hanks is definitely America's archetypical hero actor of today. Don't make the mistake of comparing Private Ryan to Vietnam war flicks. It's a totally different genre that has never been captured so intensely on film.
Not a good movie for the kiddies to watch. Lots of violence and graphic scenes.