One of the Greatest War Films Ever Made

Rating: 10/10 (6 June 2002)

SAVING PRIVATE RYAN (1999) **** Tom Hanks, Edward Burns, Tom Sizemore, Matt Damon, Jeremy Davies, Barry Pepper, Adam Goldberg, Vin Diesel, Giovanni Ribisi, Ted Danson, Dennis Farina, Paul Giamatti, Harve Parsnell, Bryan Cranston, David Wohl, Joerg Standler, Leland Orser, Harrison Young. Steven Spielberg's epic scopic vision set in WWII emerses you from its grueling opening 25 minutes of you-are-there depiction of the battle of Omaha Beach, Normandy during D-Day grippingly depicts hell on earth with all its graphic carnage that is relentless in its harrowing approach only underscores the unfolding plot of saving one man's life: a true metaphor never ringing hollow. Hanks gives another patented beautiful performance as Capt. John Miller, the dispatched leader of an Army Rangers squad to find Pvt. James Ryan (Damon), the sole living son after his three active duty siblings are killed during battle. Leading what would only be called a Hollywood stereotypical troop of outspoken, griping Brooklynite Mick (Burns); built-to-kill Italian grunt who's writing a letter home (Diesel); gospel-spouting Southern sharpshooter (Pepper, a nice stand-out to root for); the token walking-conscience Jew (Goldberg); the medic with a heart of gold (Ribisi also excellent); and the never-seen-combat interpreter/journalist (Davies, ditto). The script by Robert Rodat, who incorporates the true life accounts of The Fighting Sullivans, who all perished at war, makes compelling characters come to life and one gets the sense of really pulling for these men on a literal look for a 'needle in a stack of needles'. Like 'Schindler's List' the film stands on its own; only this case instead of saving hundreds of lives, the precious gift of one only permeates the universal message: all life is precious, even if it seems fruitless for 8 men to sacrifice for it. Hanks clearly gives the film its soul with an incredibly nuanced turn as a school teacher on the frontline clearly feeling the end may be near given his ever exapanding right hand tic and his only hope of seeing his beloved wife stateside again on a mission as desperate as the bigger picture ('winning the war'). Spielberg outdoes himself by making arguably the most realistic and least sensationalistic war film ever made and that's saying something with the polemics of 'Platoon' and surreal imagery of 'Apocalypse Now' still reverberating the echoes of The War Film. Brilliantly filmed by Spielberg collaborator/cinematographer wunderkind Janusz Kaminksi, the camera suitably goes terror-laden trenches with its documentarian air about it and slightly grainy, yet gorgeous photography. The violence may be the hardest element to stomach but in light of its subject matter it certainly is not inappropriate; one will never actually feel what living in a war is like unless having fought one. Spielberg and company should be proud for its authenticity. Also of note: Dale Dye, a longtime military film adviser/actor (he has a cameo during the planned rescue debriefing), prepped the actors with rigorous boot camp training that clearly pays off. Arguably one of the best films ever made and ultimately cheated of Best Picture (losing out to - oh PLEASE! - 'Shakespeare in Love') but scored 5 Academy Awards including the deserved Best Director for Spielberg, Kaminski for Best Cinematography, Editing, Sound Effects and Sound Effects Editing.