Speilberg and Hanks deliver pure magic.

Rating: 10/10 (5 August 1998)

It is normal to believe that once a director makes a film like SCHINDLER'S LIST, he will struggle for the rest of his career trying to live up to it; not Steven Speilberg.
I cannot describe with words the power of SAVING PRIVATE RYAN. All I can say is that its overall execution is simply perfect. The depiction of the D-Day invasion is more than worth the price of admission and should receive special recognition as the greatest scene ever filmed. It is completely horrifying, as it should be; editing, cinematography and sound have been given a new standard with this terrifying sequence. That scene, along with the rest of the movie, is ultimately a tribute to its director. In Speilberg's hands, the level of drama reaches unchartered territory. Be patient, I'm only getting started.
The screenplay totally delivers. Robert Rodat's characterizations are subtle, yet powerful, and when someone dies, your sorrow lingers because you feel you have truly known them for that brief period of time. This is a tribute to the actors as well.
Unfortunately, fifty years from now Tom Hanks will probably be remembered as "the guy who played Forrest Gump"; he shouldn't be. For me, Hanks will always be Captain John Miller -- a decent man with a knack for leadership, a man who truly loves each boy he leads into battle, a man who is quietly more terrified than any of those boys. The genius in Hanks' performance lies not in his portrayal of an Army Captain, but in the way he makes us believe that John Miller truly IS a Captain. A word of advice to the Academy: DON'T BE POLITICAL! THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH SOMEONE WINNING THREE OSCARS IN SIX YEARS! Not if he/she deserves it, as Hanks does.
The supporting cast is also phenomenal. Matt Damon brings integrity and honor to the role of Private James Ryan; you feel that Miller's squad has made the right decision in doing their best to find him. Barry Pepper is terrific as Private Jackson, the religious sniper from Tennessee. Edward Burns hits the bullseye as Private Reiben, the cynical chatterbox from Brooklyn. The most solid supporting performance, however, is given by one of Hollywood's most underrated actors -- Tom Sizemore. His portrayal of the loyal Sergeant Horvath is amazing and, at its core, truly heartfelt. I pray he gets at least a nomination, if not a little golden boy of his own next March.
Next March is a fitting topic to conclude on. Be prepared to hear "SAVING PRIVATE RYAN", "Steven Speilberg", "Tom Hanks" etc. quite frequently at the 71st Annual Academy Awards. With this stunning epic, those phrases deserve to be all over the little white envelopes as they are torn open next year.