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Saving Private Ryan (D-Day 60th Anniversary Commemorative Edition) Customer Reviews (25 - 27 of 89 Reviews)

Impact Outweighs Flaws
Wow. All 5 Oscars for this film were well-deserved, in my humble opinion. The realism is astounding.

Personally, I was quite tempted to rate this film 4 stars because, as much as I hate to admit it, there were parts that bothered me, and I can't just let them fly without mentioning them: The implausible ironies (I won't spoil them for you); the casting of the incredibly irresistable, cool, and likeable Matt Damon in the role of the soughtafter Private Ryan who instantly earns the respect of several men who had openly hated him for weeks (and that awful story he tells about the last day he spent with his brothers - I didn't exactly get a charge out of it), and even the casting of Tom Hanks in the lead role (but only because I love the guy so much for his rare gift of making people laugh just at the sight of his face and the sound of his voice; he is just too darned funny for me to take seriously on a mission like the D-Day invasion; this is particularly evident in the scene of the mistaken identity. Who needs Bob Hope when you have Tom Hanks?)

HOWEVER, I give it 5 stars not only because of its groundbreaking depiction of the reality of the horrors of war (and I don't mind the blood and guts if it is what really happened and what haunts the survivors), but because of its emotional impact. In the bonus material, there is a mention of Spielberg's desire to depict the emotions that must have been felt through the eyes of the actors, while briefly showing one look in each soldier's eyes. At that moment, I thought "Bingo." THAT is what gives this film its "staying power" - the mark of all good films. This happens again at various points in the film. In one scene, the map-drawing corporal who found himself in the middle of this mission says that he doesn't smoke but is there nervously smoking a cigarette. I too have never smoked, and at 43, while watching this film, I honestly wished I had a cigarette at that moment, too. Another scene that grabbed me was them fishing through airborne division dog tags while the living airborne division walks by. The scene where the medic relates not knowing why he pretended to be asleep as a child when his mother came home early to talk to him, which he had always wanted. Every scene with a not-so-black-and-white life and death risk-based decision to be made on the spot certainly qualifies. Finally, I am a mother of two young children who still cry for me from time to time; hearing a young man cry for his mother just about sent me over the edge. I could not sleep for hours.

For this, I realized that those "flaws" I mentioned above not only didn't matter much in how I'd rate the film, but the film probably actually needs them to get many viewers through it.

I understand the storyline is ficticious, very loosely based on a true story, and that the D-Day events are very accurately portrayed, although the initial capture of the German bunker seemed a bit quick. I realize the film couldn't be that long, but a good filmaker ought to be able to make it appear as though more time has passed.

Bottom line is that I never had a deep interest in how this war was fought, but after watching this film, I found myself sobbing over the losses incurred by people who, not so fearlessly, fought for the freedoms I - and probably most of the free world - enjoy today. I hope to see the films that other commentators have mentioned (including any depicting the Russian invasion), to read more about this battle and the war, and Godwilling, to pay my respects at the memorial at Normandy someday. Any film that can inspire that kind of interest and have this ultimate impact earns 5 stars from me.

Excellent!!
This is probably the best movie I have ever seen. Excellent cast, crew, and effects. Spielberg delivers one of his best pictures ever. The cinematography, sound design and script are outstanding and his Best Director Academy is well earned.

best movie ever.
This is probably the best movie I have ever seen. Excellent cast, crew, and effects. The storyline is pretty good, but a bit iffy on the fact that they actually send a whole team of soldiers to rescue one. Still, the best movie I have ever seen.

Saving Private Ryan, the Best Movie.

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