Overhyped, overrated, Hollywood trash.

Rating: 4/10 (20 July 2002)

This gruesome, big-budget film from Steven Spielberg, is saved only by its skilful direction. I can honestly say that every single other aspect of this film was d-grade. If you are looking for an excellent modern war film pick up a copy of the SHOCKINGLY UNDERRATED 'The Thin Red Line'. SPR is only famous because of it's highly publicised 'blood letting'. The war scenes are highly graphic and exciting, but it fails to shock us and reveal to us the true horrors of war. It is pretty clear that the writers took about 25 minutes on a Sunday afternoon in between innings at the cricket to concoct this crap. Tom Hanks, the boring, mainstream Hollywood, 'all American' actor, fails to please in this film (same with every other film he has been in). The rest of the cast are just as bland as Hanks, and fail to give us an interesting interpretation of their already pointless characters.