The most realistic view of war yet

Rating: 9/10 (31 October 2003)

Firstly, this film is not 'entertaining' in the way war films like Pearl Harbour tried to be. This film attempts to re-create war as realistically as possible, and, although I've never been in one myself, from what I hear it is the best representation yet. By definition this means you cannot 'enjoy' it like you would most films. The opening scene at the beach during D-day was harrowing rather than enjoyable to watch. You don't find yourself on the edge of your seat as bullets fly, you find yourself cringing and wondering why on Earth people get driven to this. After this scene the film becomes less miserable and slightly more watchable as an entertainment mechanism, but it never loses its realistic touch. Hanks delivers a memorable if not slightly flawed performance, whilst the script is interesting to listen to. In general, this is the first film I have come across that truly played on my emotions and affected me, which is what it's meant to do. It is a fantastic achievement in the sense that it finally begins to show people just how real the horrors of war are. If you're looking for a nice night in with an action film, don't watch this. If you want to see closer to the truth, and appreciate truly great filmwork, watch it.