Yar, you be here: Saving Private Ryan > Customer Reviews

Saving Private Ryan Customer Reviews (13 - 15 of 91 Reviews)

Ryan: WOW what a movie

Saving Private Ryan

Saving Private Ryan is an epic World War II film directed by Steven Spielberg. It is truly one of the most moving and realistic modern day portrayals of World War II. Even though this is a movie, it holds very true to actual events, being based on the lives of eight U.S. soldiers attempting to find Private Ryan and tell him that his continued service in the U.S. army is excused due to the fact that all three of his brothers had died in combat.

The opening scene is filmed during the World War II Memorial Day in France. Private Ryan is portrayed as an old man standing at the sea of graves where men from World War II were buried. From this tranquil point, there is a dramatic transition into the most moving and graphic war-time scene ever filmed.

"Saving Private Ryan" is best known for its enactment of one of the bloodiest war-time scenes ever witnessed. This scene is the landing of the Americans in Normandy and the invasion of France, otherwise known as D Day. It shows the American soldiers being hacked to pieces by German machine guns. Even though the Americans sustained heavy causalities, they still managed to take the beach head. The enormity of this accomplishment is clearly emphasized for viewers throughout this tensely visual scene.

The movie has more than one scene that is truly engraved in one's mind. For instance, the part where the mother of Private Ryan is told that all three of her sons were killed is equally memorable. As the mother falls to the ground in despair, words are not used, nor needed. It is truly amazing that Spielberg was able to convey his message to the audience, without actually using dialogue, which makes the movie all the more powerful.

To take the movie out into a larger context, one sees the truly vicious nature of war that Steven Spielberg was trying to portray. Most World War II movies fall into one of two categories; tales of heroic glory, such as "Bridge over the River Quay" and "Battle of the Bulge", and biopics such as "Patten." It seems that "Saving Private Ryan" falls into neither of these categories. It is a story of human courage and sacrifice. This is what the movie glorifies, rather than war itself. Even though the movie is based on a true story, some of the characters in the movie are fictional. Yet, it is very hard to accept any of these characters as not real.

This film truly leaves a lasting impression on viewers. What one leaves the movie with is highly subjective. For myself, I left the movie in awe. Nothing I have seen has come close to it. More importantly, the film accurately portrayed what war is really like, without trying to glorify it, which in turn made it ever more powerful. One cannot help but have an enormous amount of respect for those who so bravely gave their lives in this war. Clearly, to volunteer your life for your country is the ultimate sacrifice and a pure act of bravery, but to volunteer your life to save another is an act of selfless caring for another human being and without a doubt that is the ultimate sacrifice.

Breathtaking !
The first 20 minutes of SPR boasts the greatest peice of Cinematography ever filmed - The June 6th D-Day landing on Omaha Beach. Subsequently the movie slows down but is still good.

Checkout the movie "Come and See" which is a spellbinder on the war on the Eastern Front - Soviet Red Army and the German Nazi's seen through the eyes of a teenage boy. Great movie - No war scenes like SPR.

Best WWII Movie Ever Made, Can Only Be Rivaled By Band of Brothers.
One of the best war movies, or any movie for that matter, ever made. Shows inteanse realistic combat, and the comradery between men who serve in war together. Great story, supported by great acting, directing and special effects. Worth every penny, only WWII drama to even come close to being as good was the series Band of Brothers. I recommend seeing them both. This movie was totally robbed of the Best Picture award that year.

Previous Page

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31

Next Page