An absolutely fantastic film--one of the best of all time

Rating: 10/10 (30 April 2009)

This film grips you from the very beginning and holds you spellbound through the entire movie--it has all the elements of an endearing classic that both informs and entertains. In reading the other reviews it is absolutely amazing that anyone would rate this movie below 7 or 8 stars. It seems the detractors fall generally into two camps--those that do not like the fact that the German soldiers were not shown in the same sympathetic manner as the Americans and those with such virulent anti-American or anti-war sentiments that they are simply incapable of forming an objective, rational, and honest opinion. In other words, their negative reviews of the movie are an expression of their political/ideological views, not their honest assessment of the quality of this movie, which does a disservice to this movie and to those they may dissuade from seeing this film. So don't let the negative reviews stop you from watching this movie--it is truly one of the best movies ever made of any genre. If you are a fan of great film making, you will love this movie--if you are virulently anti-war or anti-American, this film is not for you.