One of Spielberg's Most Haunting and Visually Stunning Films

Rating: 10/10 (30 June 2005)

"Saving Private Ryan" is one of Steven Spielberg's most haunting and visually stunning films. As the film opens, you see an elderly man (Whose identity is not revealed until the end), standing at a headstone, in tears. Why? You soon understand the story as we go back in time.
It is D-Day, June 6th,1944. You are soon caught up in the battle on Omaha Beach. And it is INCREDIBLY bloody. Soldiers are shot, drowned, blown apart or on fire during the battle on the beach against the Germany army. One of the soldiers fighting is Capt. Miller (Tom Hanks, in one of his best performances), who fights bravely, but you can see the terror that engulfs him. His hands say it all: an uncontrollable shaking.
Soon after the battle, Miller is given a mission: seems that 3 of the killed men were brothers. A fourth is behind enemies lines and needs to be rescued and sent home to America. With his team members accompanying him, Miller starts his search for Private Ryan (Matt Damon).
This is not an easy mission. Every single man knows that they may not survive the trek through the countryside of Normandy. Pvt. Reiben (Edward Burns)believes that Pvt. Ryan is not worth saving, at the cost of their lives. But with courage and determination by the team (although some members do lose their lives), they find Ryan. However, Ryan refuses to leave because a bridge in a bomb shattered town needs protection from the German army. With the assistance of the surviving team, they take a stand against the army. It is at this point that the surviving team members understand the importance of a lingering question through the film: will their sacrifice make a difference? By taking a stand to defend the bridge, the answer is obvious: yes.
The performances of the actors are powerful; Including Hanks, Burns and Damon, you have Tom Sizemore, Barry Pepper, Adam Goldberg, Giovanni Ribisi, Vin Diesel and Jeremy Davies. John Williams, who always works well with Spielberg, provides a powerful score. The battle at the beginning of the film is one of the most heart wrenching scenes in cinematic history (And is not for the squeamish). It is a very moving film, and you will need plenty of tissue before you watch it.