There is one _really_ good reason to see SPR...

Rating: 3/10 (21 May 1999)

... so you can see The Thin Red Line afterwards and marvel at how wonderful the latter is. I'm sure Mr Spielberg thought he was doing us all a favour by enlightening us on the nature of war: "hey, everyone! It's BAD - but necessary." Oh my. That was shocking. (Oh, the sarcasm!) I'm being flippant; let me qualify my statements. I do not doubt or belittle the fact that SPR was of great emotional worth and moral value to many people, some of whom are far more qualified than I to judge... ... but hell, that little demon inside just wants to be heard. And it says some nasty things. I came into this film wanting to _see_ a film - as opposed to three hours of histrionics and melodrama, dressed up as a serious and worthy discussion of war. Worthy - that's the word. Mr Spielberg wants to be _worthy_. He wants to teach us all about patriotism and freedom and evil and good and The American Way. Frankly it was rather offensive. Not his general intent (which was indeed worthy), but rather the manner in which he set about it (which was not worthy). Emotive scenes of slaughter, stereotyping of good and evil characters, simple resolutions, a gimmick in the form of "stickybombs" - all rather fairyfloss, fairytale elements in a supposedly hardcore, realistic film. From a historian's point of view, it spoke loudly of propaganda.
A review of '90s films would be incomplete without Saving Private Ryan, and no doubt it will continue to be hailed as "the greatest war film of all time". For those reasons alone, see Saving Private Ryan. But please don't believe the hype.