Spielberg Sets The Benchmark for Warfilms

Rating: 9/10 (24 January 2017)

Saving Private Ryan has all the ingredients.
A good story - A young paratrooper, Private Ryan, is dropped into the confusion of the D-Day airborne landings. Unknown to Ryan, his three brothers have all recently been killed in action.
The commanding general orders that the last surviving brother must be located and returned home. A small squad of rangers, led by Hanks, is despatched into the Normandy countryside to find Private Ryan and get him to safety..
Dramatic battle scenes - Spielberg sets the style which has now often been copied for graphic and realistic battle scenes. E.g. 'Fury' copied the style but had a rather silly ending. Saving Private Ryan, although a fictional story, much of 'gore/battle scenes' recreate eye witness accounts, so is very realistic.
Great acting - Tom Hanks, Matt Damon Vin Diesel and the cast all make this very, very believable.
A fully satisfying, quality war film with a great and poignant ending.
Up until now I was unable to think of a war film that was comparable in all departments - Story/Realism/Acting.
However, having just seen Hacksaw Ridge I think that just 'pips' Saving Private Ryan, if only on the basis Hacksaw Ridge is also a true story.
Saving Private Ryan is a classic war film that can be watched many times. 9/10