More than a movie

Rating: Null/10 (2 October 1999)

Sometimes, very rarely, a film comes along that blows itself off celluloid and straight into the mind. SAVING PRIVATE RYAN begins in a way that leaves the viewer gasping, as we see the D-Day landings in all of their hideous glory. The opening battle scene is one of the most raw and frightening sequences ever captured on film as we are spared nothing from the battlefield.
The rest of the film is spent with the examination of the effect of war on the psyches of the men involved; how the cling to memories of home for survival and the way they band together in order to keep each other alive.
The performances are terrific, but it is the superb direction by Spielberg from Rodat's emotive script that really makes the story. He got the Best Director award, but how the film was overlooked as Best Picture at the Oscars by a daft bit of fluff like SHAKESPEARE IN LOVE boggles the mind.
I urge you to see this movie, but be aware that it goes beyond a story on screen and will leave you touched inside and thankful for the peace that exists for most of us today.