Give us some credit, Steve, Please?

Rating: Null/10 (6 February 1999)

C'mon, let's face it: Whoever said Steven Speilberg was the greatest second unit director was right. The man undoubtedly is -- there are huge scenes in both Schindler's List and in this picture which no one could have captured in such a beautifully, emotionally, real and startling way. But what the hell is with the framing of this story?! We have a film that, as any good war film should, brings up challenging questions about the motivations and morals of war. And, granted, it is the auteur's privelege to hint subtly at what he believes the right answers to those questions might be. But please, PLEASE, don't hit us over the head so you can make the ending "neat." Everything always has to wrap up so nicely with Speilberg that you wonder where all that realism went. If he thinks we were mature enough to handle the intense violence of the opening thirty minutes, then why can't we also be mature enough to decide for ourselves (and grapple a bit with the ideas presented), whether or not Ryan's life was "worth it"? To see the first and last five minutes of this movie is to understand why this film does not deserve the Oscar everyone so absently wants to give it. Call me bitter, but I'd rather watch The Longest Day anyday of the week over this.