This is the defining moment for the film and the character, and illustrates everything Spielberg feels about the war. Yet, rather that get heavy-handed, Spielberg employs a surprisingly light touch. This leaves it for us to decide whether Upham's change is a tragedy or a victory. The crowd I saw it with both times was split down the middle. Some were saddened, others cheered.
Few films allow for such extreme and personal reactions to an individual moment.
Personally, I love that. But, it is precisely this push and pull between the overt and the subtle in the films of Steven Spielberg that continues to fascinate me. But, I could talk about this film and the complexities of Spielberg cinema all day. This is a landmark event for DVD, not only because it represents a strong show of support by Mr. Spielberg for the format, but because the disc itself is such a potential powerhouse in terms of audio and video presentation. Initially, I was a bit intimidated on how to discern the quality of the image.