Straddling the Fence

Rating: 1/10 (1 September 1998)

There is a line, however fine, between cinematic masterpiece and good filmmaking. Though I believe "Private Ryan" is neither, I would definitely place it in mediocre standing towards the latter category. It is a questionably solid example of a type of filmmaking known as realism; that is, "what" is more important than "how." Notice the lack of character development and the absence of closeness with organized plot. Most movies today, whether they be masterpieces or not, are at least cinematic. "Private Ryan" should not have been marketed like these other films. It is not cohesive, nor is it engaging. It is meant to shock us into believing that this is how it was in WWII. Therein lies it's merit. Spielberg should have promoted it this way: "My film is a realistic recreation of difficult and dramatic events, not a 'flick.'" He should have shown it in art houses and college classrooms. I wish that I could say his isolated attempt to engage audiences with realism was precise, but alas, I must also note that Speilberg's idea of realism is off-base. The movie, to me, seemed technically poor in some spots with inconsistent lighting and obvious computer manipulation. However, the real problem with the format of the film lies in it's breaches of realism. We get glimpses of character analysis with the very plastic opening and ending scenes in the cemetery. In addition, the inner scene in a crumbling old church (beautiful images out of place) where the young medic remembers his mother, lets us journey far too deeply within the mind and soul for realism. On a more positive note, the acting was superb all around. If Speilberg has accomplished anything with "Private Ryan," he has revealed the strengths of some outstanding young actors.