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 favorite World War II movie after Schindler’s List, which was also made by Steven Spielberg. Saving Private Ryan is captivating and shows the whole range of 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 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. He 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 caught my attention. After Hanks’ character, Captain John H. Miller, drags the crew through the war, losing many of them in cruel ways—all in the name of finding Private Ryan—they finally find him. Ryan refuses to go back with them, claiming he doesn’t need saving. Miller and the remaining crew then join Ryan’s cause. If I were Miller, I would have knocked Ryan on the head and dragged him home.

Saving Private Ryan is a war epic directed by Steven Spielberg, who has been involved in other World War II films before this, like Empire of the Sun and Schindler's List. To prep the cast for the film (except for Matt Damon), they were sent to a ten-day "boot camp" for training and to work on the film set to prepare for their roles. The reason Damon was excluded was to help the other cast members develop a form of resentment towards him, which would assist in their reaction to him during filming.

Critically noted for its portrayal of World War II, the film was released to high positive acceptance and earned a whopping 11 nominations at the Academy Awards, going home with 5, including Spielberg’s second Academy Award for Best Director. The movie’s cinematography also deserves praise—the shots during the World War II fight on Omaha Beach are iconic. That scene has been noted as one of the greatest in TV and film history.

Saving Private Ryan was also a commercial success, making more than six times its $70 million production cost, and its home video sales were massive.

This is a movie I can bet my name on that you will enjoy. The depiction of the war sequence, the sad end to lives during the war, and the repercussions of cowardly behavior all add to the drama and the enjoyment you’ll get while watching this war classic.