Saving Private Ryan (1998)

Saving Private Ryan (1998)

10/10

Starring

Tom Hanks

Matt Damon

Tom Sizemore

Edward Burns

Directed by Steven Spielberg

This is my second favourite World War II movie after Schindler’s List, which was also made by Steven Spielberg. Saving Private Ryan is captivating and also shows the whole events that war carries, the movie is well acclaimed for its graphic realistic depiction of World War II; since I wasn’t there during it, if this is what war looks like…, I pray to God that there is no World War III.

The movie is about a United States Army Rangers Captain John H. Miller (Tom Hanks) and seven other soldiers under him as they search for a paratrooper, Private First Class James Francis Ryan (Matt Damon), who is the last-surviving brother of four servicemen and has been ordered by the President to be brought home as his family fears losing all five sons to the war.

There is just one thing about this movie that cut my attention, after Hanks character Captain John H. Miller, drags the crew through the war losing many on their way in crude ways all in the name of finding Private Ryan, they finally found him and Ryan refuses to go back with them, claiming he doesn’t need saving.

Miller and the remaining of his crew then joins Ryan’s course. If I was Miller, I would have knocked him (Ryan) up the head and drag him home.

Saving Private Ryan is a War Epic film, done by Steven Spielberg, who has been involved in some World War II films before this, like Empire of the Sun and Schindler's List. To prep the guys for the film, the cast except from Matt Damon were sent to a ten days "boot camp" for training and work on the film set to prepare them for their roles. The reason Damon was excluded was for the other cast to develop a form of resentment towards him, which will help in their reaction to him during filming.

Critically noted for its portrayal of World War II, this film was released to a high positive acceptance and earned a whooping 11 nominations in the Academy Awards, going home with just 5, including winning Spielberg his second Academy Award as a director. The movies' cinematography too has to be praised the movie shots during the World War II fight on Omaha beach is a classic to see, that scene has been noted as one of the greatest TV scenes of all time.

Saving Private Ryan was also a commercial success, making more than 6 times its 70 million production cost, and its home video sale was massive.

This is a movie that I can bet my name on that you will enjoy, the depiction of the war sequence the sad end to lives during the war, the repercussion of cowardly behaviour all added to the drama and the fun you will get while watching this war classic.