wrong message

Rating: Null/10 (29 October 1999)

First let me say that the battle scenes in Saving Private Ryan are the most realistic and horrifying I have ever seen. I think most people will have some images of that film with them forever. My problem with the film is that it makes it seem like it was all worth while, not only the search for Ryan, not only WWII, but war in general. I'm hoping it was intended as an anti-war film that fell well short of the mark, but the opening and closing shots of the stars and stripes says that this wasn't the case. With the flag fluttering in the breeze, America (and the allies included I presume) fights just wars, fights GOOD wars, and Ryan being saved and then going on to live a decent, honest life, raising a family etc. is proof that it was worth it. Maybe the fast pace of the film compared to other (and what I consider better) war films like The Thin Red Line or Gallipoli is what makes it so popular. (Just compare the final scenes of those two films to the final scene of SPR). The message I got from Saving Private Ryan wasn't one of the futility of war. It was a much more realistic portrayal of the horrors modern warfare but, in the end, a romantic view none the less.