One of the best war films ever.

Rating: 10/10 (15 August 1999)

When I first saw this film a year ago, I was completely blown away. I knew people who had seen it said the battle scenes were pretty intense, but it was nothing like I expected. I was in a state of shock as was everyone else at the screening I attended. The two extended battle scenes that open and close the film are, simply, the greatest battle scenes ever recorded on celluloid. The primary reason is because they show absolutely everything. Blood, body parts, gore, you name it. This is easily the most violent film I've ever seen. Can you imagine what the reaction would've been like if this movie came out at the same time "The Wild Bunch" did? I was somewhat surprised that this film sailed through with an "R" rating. The film tells a fairly straightforward story of a platoon of soldiers led by Tom Hanks who are assigned to find and bring back a young soldier whose three brothers have been killed in action. The characters are sharply and simply drawn, the editing is phenomenal, the cinematography is excellent, and the score is appropriate. This is Spielberg's fourth WWII movie, and arguably his best film ever. The only complaint I have about this film is its continued absence on DVD. Please, please, Mr. Spielberg, get this masterpiece out on DVD real soon.