Spielberg's WWII epic sets a new standard in realism

Rating: 7/10 (17 May 2000)

THERE WILL NEVER BE ANOTHER WAR LIKE WWII. And though Hollywood has done everything in its power to glamorize full-scale combat, Saving Private Ryan is an important reminder that war is not glamorous, noble nor pleasant in any way. In Ryan, Steven Spielberg delivers some of the most terrifying battle scenes ever committed to film, and in the process, uncovers the lingering bits of humanity found in the hearts of all men, even soldiers in the midst of an all out invasion.
Most of the action in Ryantakes place on the battle field
the brutality of war Saving Private Ryan is a story of mutilation. Soldier's bodies are torn in half, exploded, gutted, sliced, stabbed, dismembered, and generally desecrated in every way imaginable. And for their trouble, the lucky ones receive a quick-and-dirty burial in a mass shallow grave. It's this reality that Spielberg embraces, never giving the viewer anything less than a close-up and graphic look at the carnage. But unlike slasher or Hong Kong action movies, Saving Private Ryan was not made to impress the viewer with its creative violence. The graphic violence is meant to scare the living hell out of the audience, and give some kind of explanation for the surviving characters' state of mind.
With war comes suffering for all, not just the soldiers
technical mastery Despite the horrors of war depicted in the movie, even the most squeamish of viewers will find it difficult, if not impossible, to tear their eyes away from the screen during the disturbingly intense battle scenes. From the hand-held camera work (complete with occasional dropped frames for that classic WWII stock footage look), to the devastating visual effects of bombs exploding, bodies being torn to hell and, most of all, bullets flying everywhere, Saving Private Ryan is a thing of absolute wonder. And yet the visual effects pale in comparison to the sound effects which are thick and powerful, and do more to bring the audience into the world of the movie than anything actually on the screen.

The opening scene beach invasion is the most intense battle of the entire movie what about ryan? Beyond the amazing effects, sets and spot-on performances from Sizemore, Burns, Davies and Pepper, Saving Private Ryan fails to deliver the knockout punch in some aspects of the story. Yes, Private Ryan is the last remaining brother of the Ryan family, and, of course it will be difficult to find one foot soldier in the middle of a war, but that's about all you get. Tom Hanks, as solid as his performance is, never quite takes his character where it wants to go, and Matt Damon's character proves practically meaningless, making it difficult to justify the loss suffered trying to save him.
so does it work? Saving Private Ryan will leave your nerves absolutely frazzled and give you plenty to think about on the subject of humanity. And though, there are a few disappointments along the way, the negatives are few and the strengths are many and impressive.