Perfect Period Piece

Rating: 10/10 (19 June 2014)

Film Review of Saving Private Ryan
The film Saving Private Ryan (1998) is a masterful period piece on the life of a select group of American soldiers during and shortly after the Normandy invasion in World War II. The film's plot is based on a small force of soldiers assigned to go behind enemy lines to find and bring home a young soldier whose family has lost all of their other sons to the war effort. Their interpersonal conflicts, thoughts, and physical efforts to fulfill this duty provide a gripping emotional and action packed film. The theme revolves around the sacrifices of men during war to accomplish difficult if not seemingly impossible assignments and goals. The viewer of this film experiences the personal point of view of the main character Capt. Miller (Tom Hanks) during this battle and assignment. We see a range of emotional and physical acts of courage, strength, and fear that each soldier exhibits as he battles toward the front lines. Since the majority of viewers did not take part in this war, the film brings to light many of the horrors of war along with the exceptional responses humans are capable of producing during such times. The men that fought this fight had to be overwhelmed and horrified to watch their comrades die as well as for the majority experiencing killing for the first time. Spielberg's directing and the acting of the main actors relay the realism, emotions, and fears of war to the audience. Director Steven Spielberg creates an exciting adventure film with the use of different cameras, angles, and points of view. The use of the flashback point of view of Pt. Ryan (Matt Damon) from the initial scene in the cemetery throughout the film is a pivotal technique for continuity and emotional impact. The sound effects and surround sound evoke a strong and emotional response by adding realism. The lead characters Capt. John Miller (Tom Hanks), Sgt. Horvath (Tom Sizemore), Pt. Reiben (Edward Burns), Pt. Jackson (Barry Pepper), Pt. Mellish (Adam Goldberg), T-4 Medic Wade (Giovanni Ribisi) and Corporal Upham (Jeremy Davies) all delivered believable performances with examples of the varying personalities any group under extremely trying circumstances would exhibit. Captain Miller is the lead character commanding his team through many difficult obstacles. This team had not only enemies to fight but at times each other. The interplay between the characters adds interest and depth to this film again revealing the theme of sacrifice as each character struggles with the amount of sacrifice he is willing to make to complete the assignment of saving Pt Ryan. Tom Hanks again progresses in his acting depth by taking on an intensely dramatic role. His performance is an excellent mix of intensity, frustration, and caring that will mark this piece as one of his best thus far.
Saving Private Ryan is a fictional piece but based on true events from WWII where three sons in one family were killed within a one week period. The United States war department then sent a group of soldiers to try and find a fourth son before he too was killed. Post WWII, the Fighting Sullivans (1944) was another film in a similar theme based on the true story of five brothers all dying when their battleship the U.S. Juneau sank (www.history.navy.mil/faqs/faq72-1.htm) The director and actors brought realism to this story and the entire film. Spielberg and Hanks along with the rest of the cast draw on skill and emotions to reveal the core of human strength in times of sacrifice and war in Saving Private Ryan. While the film is long, almost three hours, it is well worth the viewing and highly recommended.