Saving Private Ryan

Film, Drama
0 Love It
Save it

D-Day: Capt John Miller (Hanks), a decent school teacher in another life, is among the unfortunates storming Omaha Beach. As men are mown down and blown apart, the visceral editing and urgent camerawork tug us into the heart of chaos. No viewer can doubt that war, however justified, is hell. Only after 30 minutes does the pace ease and the story begin, with Miller and his platoon assigned to find and bring back Private Ryan, the brother of three soldiers killed in the same week, who's missing behind enemy lines. Thereafter the movie becomes more conventional and, mercifully, less relentlessly gory, at least until Ryan (Damon) and a few other soldiers are finally found, and Miller and his surviving men join them in defending a bridge, at which point the nightmare begins again. Except for a redundant epilogue, sentimentality is mostly held at bay, but the film remains an utterly American take on WWII, with the lack of political, ethical and historical perspective which that implies. Why did Spielberg make it? He wants us to imagine we can feel the terror of being there, but does that make us any wiser about this or any other conflict? Probably not.

By: GA

Release details

Duration: 170 mins

Cast and crew

Director: Steven Spielberg
Screenwriter: Robert Rodat
Cast: Tom Sizemore
Barry Pepper
Dennis Farina
Adam Goldberg
Tom Hanks
Edward Burns
Matt Damon
Ted Danson

Average User Rating

4.5 / 5

Rating Breakdown

  • 5 star:12
  • 4 star:1
  • 3 star:1
  • 2 star:0
  • 1 star:1
LiveReviews|15
1 person listening
1 of 1 found helpful

A lot of sentimental garbage full of errors of fact and detail. Technical adivsor was a retired Marine captain. No Marines at Normandy. No designated sniper with a 1903 Springfied in an Army squed, either. The "sticky bomb" bit was a real hoot. Asking an infantryman to give up his boot socks would be disastrous since healthy feet is his greatest asset. Spielberg put together a pastiche of combat scenes mostly purloined from other war movies. He could have made a great movie about the Second Ranger Battalion and Point du Hoc instead of this bowdlerized mess.

Tastemaker

Fantastic film. I have seen it so many times and yet still find the first 30 minutes hard to watch. Arguably the most harrowing and traumatic scenes ever seen in any movie. The story itself is emotionally charged, well acted and thought provoking. The characters are likeable and interesting, plus there is enough action to retain your attention throughout. A classic for many years to come I'm sure.


The intro was great as most everyone know by now. However, this movie is far from being a great movie. Sure, there were great production values but overall, it ends up being another schmarmy Spielberg flick. Sorry, but true.


'does that make us any wiser about this or any other conflict? Probably not.' Us? You speak for 'us'? Let me tell you, you are wrong. The vast number of people who have watched this film are testament to that fact. Ask yourself why this is such a highly rated film, with the vast majority saying the complete opposite to you. You do not speak for any 'us', your views on this film as well as your critique of it, are clouded by your self important and arrogant disposition.


'does that make us any wiser about this or any other conflict? Probably not.' Us? You speak for 'us'? Let me tell you, you are wrong. The vast number of people who have watched this film are testament to that fact. Ask yourself why this is such a highly rated film, with the vast majority saying the complete opposite to you. You do not speak for any 'us', your views on this film as well as your critique of it, are clouded by your self important and arrogant disposition.


Probably the finest WWII movie ever made, with unsurpassed technical perfection. The visuals are grainy, de-colorized, and filmed in a first person aspect that convey an adrenalin driven, "fight or flight" vision that one experiences briefly during a car wreck, a fall, or in combat. The audio is astounding, and actually had me flinching during the harrowing first twenty minutes of the film. Exceedingly realistic and recorded in perfect three dimensional, positional audio that firmly plants you on that horrific beach. The film contains two climatic battles at the beginning and end, and two gripping squad level skirmishes in between, While it does not pretend to be documentary, it does follow historical events closely, especially at Normandy Beach. As an amuetrure historian obssesed with WWII, I can tell you that every event portrayed on that Beach is an accurate depiction an actual event as conveyed through hours of interviews with actual the participants. It was impressive to see the film makers go to such level of detail to ensure historical accuracy within the screenplay. As such, I would also agree that this movie should be required viewing for every tenth grade student in America.


Probably the finest WWII movie ever made, with unsurpassed technical perfection. The visuals are grainy, de-colorized, and filmed in a first person aspect that convey an adrenalin driven, "fight or flight" vision that one experiences briefly during a car wreck, a fall, or in combat. The audio is astounding, and actually had me flinching during the harrowing first twenty minutes of the film. Exceedingly realistic and recorded in perfect three dimensional, positional audio that firmly plants you on that horrific beach. The film contains two climatic battles at the beginning and end, and two gripping squad level skirmishes in between, While it does not pretend to be documentary, it does follow historical events closely, especially at Normandy Beach. As an amuetrure historian obssesed with WWII, I can tell you that every event portrayed on that Beach is an accurate depiction an actual event as conveyed through hours of interviews with actual the participants. It was impressive to see the film makers go to such level of detail to ensure historical accuracy within the screenplay. As such, I would also agree that this movie should be required viewing for every tenth grade student in America.


A fantastic movie with one of the best opening sequences in a film ever. It seems to me that many movie critics give a negative feedback on many top films just to appear clever. They will drag up obscure names as a comparison to current films. They try to blind us... The paying public... With their so called education. This is a film not a documentary. As for an American take on ww2. We wouldn't hav won if it wasn't for American involvement and I'm English. The film is awesome though.


A fantastic movie with one of the best opening sequences in a film ever. It seems to me that many movie critics give a negative feedback on many top films just to appear clever. They will drag up obscure names as a comparison to current films. They try to blind us... The paying public... With their so called education. This is a film not a documentary. As for an American take on ww2. We wouldn't hav won if it wasn't for American involvement and I'm English. The film is awesome though.


This is the most realistic, emotionally stirring and physically descriptive movie ever made. I originally saw it with a group of Normandy Veterans and they were transported to June 6 some 65 years ago. They were, as was I, reduced to tears at the carnage on the beach, and the courage of the men who prevailed and survived. This movie should be required watching for all high school students, as well as all government officials and Presidents who would be so disgusting as to bow to our enemies. Our side won through a great price paid in blood , sweat and tears, while retaining our human quality of loyalty, courage in our convictionsd, doing our jobs, doing the right thing, and following orders to achieve the ultimate victory. And that is why we are the Greatest Country on Earth. Any critic who dissed this movie should be required to serve in either a graves registration detail, or a mine clearing unit in Afganistan. Shakespere in Love? More like Citizen Kane move over ------ "Earn this" beats "Rosebud" hands down.


This is the most realistic, emotionally stirring and physically descriptive movie ever made. I originally saw it with a group of Normandy Veterans and they were transported to June 6 some 65 years ago. They were, as was I, reduced to tears at the carnage on the beach, and the courage of the men who prevailed and survived. This movie should be required watching for all high school students, as well as all government officials and Presidents who would be so disgusting as to bow to our enemies. Our side won through a great price paid in blood , sweat and tears, while retaining our human quality of loyalty, courage in our convictionsd, doing our jobs, doing the right thing, and following orders to achieve the ultimate victory. And that is why we are the Greatest Country on Earth. Any critic who dissed this movie should be required to serve in either a graves registration detail, or a mine clearing unit in Afganistan. Shakespere in Love? More like Citizen Kane move over ------ "Earn this" beats "Rosebud" hands down.


Probably the greatest film of the nineties. Easily the greatest war film ever made (everything else since has been a timid riff). The battle scenes are utterly harrowing, the performances fantastic, the score beautiful and the direction genius. It's no wonder its follow-on 'Band Of Brothers' was a masterpiece, too. A film every person needs to see and remember forever.


Probably the greatest film of the nineties. Easily the greatest war film ever made (everything else since has been a timid riff). The battle scenes are utterly harrowing, the performances fantastic, the score beautiful and the direction genius. It's no wonder its follow-on 'Band Of Brothers' was a masterpiece, too. A film every person needs to see and remember forever.