Wanna see some brains............!

Rating: 9/10 (13 November 1998)

What can I say, I was gobsmacked within five minutes of this fast and frighteningly realistic war movie. During the first battlescene on the beach my heart was pounding out of my chest and I was nearly sick in my popcorn, the portrayal of the landings was so accurate I could cry. I have great knowledge of the D-Day landings having read books, been to France and strolled around the museums for the 50 year anniversary and watched many films and thus I can say with all sincerity that this is the most realsitic yet. Other films such as 'The Longest Day' do not really show the full horror of D-Day whereas in SPR I felt as if I was their experiencing the soldiers fear and anguish, it was fantastic. As for the claims that 'without the two battlescenes it wouldn't be any good' they are rubbish, their is still plenty of tense and exciting moments in between to keep me happy, anyway if it just consisted of battlescenes all the way through my heart would have packed up. Also in this months Total Film two people have written in letters that suggest that SPR has no substance and character development. I do not agree with these statements as you really have to look into the film and what it's about to get something out of it. I could tell you something about all of the eight men as the characters were developed in such a way that was probably realistic for the period. You have to realise that this is a war film not some movie about a man trapped in a TV show (Truman Show), so character development is not as important in this case although it is still crucial for a good film. Also the cinematography is excellent. Mr Spielberg used a slightly slower film than normal during the battlescenes to give the feeling of speed and this is why I spent the first 30 minutes with my heart in overdrive, the direction from Mr Spielberg was as ever excellent. He attempted something new in the portrayal of injuries and deaths (guy picking arm up off the beach, German sniper, knife in chest close up) and I was overjoyed yet disturbed. For too long film directors have side stepped the brutal reality of war. I also liked the way war is not glorified as invariably happens in a war film. In all a great movie which had the right blend of ingredients for a war movie and it has now replaced Platoon (Oliver Stone) as my favourite war movie. It is a particuarly exciting but moving film and I will look upon war in a different light from this day forth.