Saving Private Ryan

Rating:
Summary: Masterpice
Review: I love this movie it was great. I would give it 4 thumbs up if I had them. This movie made me really think about D-day it wasn't just heros and John Wayne it was real men. See this movie and you will beg for more.

Rating:
Summary: :(
Review: The last person who

Tested Hannibal Lecter?

Served with chianti

Rating:
Summary: A Great War Epic
Review: Saving Private Ryan is a fabulous and acurate war drama brimming with action and suspense. While not for kids due to the violence, Saving Private Ryan will make a War Movie Buff's dream come true with it's many action scenes. One of Speilbergs best.

Rating:
Summary: Flawed, but still good
Review: I disliked many things about this movie, from parts of the plot to the sappy ending that simply sucked. An American flag at the beginning and an American flag at the end is not exactly the most original form of patriotism I have ever seen, while I am not born in the US and am grateful for USA's importance in the release of Europe (and the world), I doubt even Americans will find it the best of Spieberg's ideas. A smoother, more stylish approach would have been more interesting, after all, soldiers of many other nations (hey, even young enemy soldiers) fought in the same war and suffered and died the same way. Why end with a propaganda-looking-cliché and a pretty weak last half-hour?

But that might be a matter of personal taste which is of no importance if I focus on the best aspect of this title: SPR has the merit of being the first WWII film to show the true reality of war. Almost any movie about WWII is far milder than "Saving Private Ryan." I remember feeling the discomfort of people when watching this movie, the audience didn't "like it", and people next to me were complaining how unpleasant it was, some kind of "I can take it, but I wish I didn't have to see more of it". It is visually disturbing. The sheer brutality of relentlessly violent and horrifying scenes goes on and on. Men froze in fear, cry like children, die, while commanders scream orders in the midst of thunderous explosions and torrential bullet fire. Technically, the visuals are very good and the sound work is simply breathtaking, definitely essential to listen in DTS or Dolby Digital 5.1. You will miss a lot of the impact on VHS stereo. Chapter two is still a reference when it comes to digital sound.

"Saving Private Ryan" is probably the best and most powerful war film, not because of its plot or actors, but simply because it's honest most of the time, showing us the true face of death, blood, and suffering. Other "war" movies and even TV coverage of computer technology making destruction "surgical" and "clean." have led to the notion that war may not be hell after all. Ryan eliminates any such distance between the audience and the reality of war, which is never surgical or clean, even today. To me at least, this movie's worth is based on its raw violence, the bloody, horrific nature of the conflict exposed with such realism. This time we don't see war as glamorised as in other movies, there are no heroic or stylish deaths, no John Waynes.

SPR is far from perfect, but even if you don't like the plot, or even if you feel discomfort while watching it and know you won't feel so good when it's over, you should still watch it simply because it sometimes pretty close to showing the true side of war; War, which is still part of our civilization, and as such, cannot be ignored even if it doesn't mix so well with our everyday life...

Rating:
Summary: Like being there
Review: I should start this review by saying that Saving Private Ryan is one of my favorite movies so I have a biased opinion.

I won't get into the specifics of the movie because many people before me have done a fantastic job of that.

What I loved about this movie is that it didn't make war look glamorous or desirable. It showed how terrible war could be and the reality of what really happens. After a huge battle or conflict you could actually see on the actors faces that they were scared and shaken. Of course the down side for some people is there is very violent scenes that could offend some viewers. The first 20 minutes of the invasion scene is brutal and very realistic. The first time that I watched the first scenes it hit me kind of hard and I never realized what those brave men must have felt or went through.

The main story line involves the saving of one soldier who actually doesn't enter the movie until mid-stream. What I love about Steven Speilbergs movies is that he lets you get to know the characters. All of the actors do a great job and are very credible and act like soldiers.

If you can get past the graphic scenes in the beginning of the movie it tones down some. I highly recommend this movie!

Rating:
Summary: A movie everyone should see
Review: This film has to be the most moving one that I have ever seen. War is captured here in it's brutal reality, which is something that most war films have never done before. Tom Hanks gives a wonderful performance in a wonderful film by Steven Speilberg.

The DVD contains special features that include, "In the Breach", which is a very insightful 'making of' documentory of the movie, a special message by Steven Speilberg, and the theatrical teasers and trailers. Buy this magnificant film today.

Rating:
Summary: We're still the Romans in the Coliseum.
Review: I love a good action flick, but what I hate is pretense.

If someone or something oozes too much sincerity, we suspect something else is going on. Often, but not always, those suspicions are correct.

Just who is glorifying war here? Spielberg is. His message is this: "You want a war movie? I'LL SHOW YOU A WAR MOVIE!".

Look at all the violence. Isn't is awful? Look at it again. Hey, one more time. Wow. Nasty. Excellent. I can hardly take my eyes away!

And, so we don't feel guilty about our bloodlust, he does it all under the guise of it being a "tribute". In fact, Spielberg revels in the violence, and he takes us along for the ride.

If you doubt that, then ask yourself if you watch the movie for the aggressive stimulation it provides, or to really contemplate some of the horrors of WWII and the sacrifices "our boys" made. Most guys will watch repeated viewings for the action.

We're being seduced. The viewer from Ridgeway, Ohio, talked about Montgomery and Eisenhower "and their blind, military cronies ... glorifying butchery and population control in the name of 'patriotism'."

That's exactly what's happening here, only on film. How long before a different director wants to top it?

Oh, and why are Matt Damon's teeth so white?

Sarcasm aside, I agree with Dennis Littrell's review. Spielberg is at his best when he entertains us with luxurious action sequences, and stays away from questions of morality, (regardless of Schindler's List, which is also deeply problematic).

Subtle the man is not.

Rating:
Summary: Very good movie!
Review: This is a great movie! I always thought of WWII an ancient history and that war was cool. Now that I saw this movie I relize how horrible the war was and the sacrifice those men gave for us. Everyone should see this movie. It changed my views on war and life itself.

Rating:
Summary: Mixed impressions of a great epic
Review: Being my favorite movie, I decided to read what others thought of this film. Not surprisingly, I found a few negative comments. These were the writings that I focused on. After reading only about 100 of the 747 reviews of this film I felt it was time to respond.

This film is not for everyone. It is violent, graphic, horrific, gut-wrenching, and, yes, patriotic. Some find this type of patriotism distasteful, and I respect that as a decision that they have made. However, I find that this film generates a feeling of respect for what ordinary men did in times of great tragedy. Storming a beach, facing machine guns and mines was not an easy thing to do. Yes, the 20 minute beach scene was short compared to the actual event, and, yes, it was not that easy in reality, but for movie-making (keeping the film under 24 hours long) it got its point across. In the movie's shortened sequence the confusion, panic, courage, and pain shined through in breif, but, meaningful segments.

I also do not believe that the Germans were portrayed as evil. After killing Melish, one Wermarcht soldier spares Upham's life. Would someone purely evil do such a thing? Of course the released German soldier is going back to fight with his countrymen. It was a time of war. Tragic and surprising things happened. I do not simply believe that the whole of the German Army is cast in a negative light by the actions of a few (for a truly riviting portrayl of German soldiers in WWII see Stalingrad). American soldiers were capable of horrors, too, as seen after the American's took the beach-head and executed unarmed German soldiers. These characters could have been German, Russian, Italian, Japanese, Canadian, Australian or British. I venture to believe that the reactions would be the same, but Speilberg did not make a movie about them. This movie is about American soldiers.

I did not see the American soldiers in the same light as others. There were no John Wayne's here. Capt. Miller is clearly shaken by his experiences in the war and, as detailed in his monologue following the storming of the machine gun-nest, he hopes that his wife will recognize him when he returns home. I saw everyday men in unusual circumstances. I saw men attempting to make rational decisions in irrational times.

I do not question the history of this movie. Like all war movies, including The Thin Red Line and Platoon, there are liberties taken and truths changed. It's not a history lesson that I take away from this movie. It is a profound respect for men who made decisions and faced situations that I hope to never see in my lifetime. For that I honor this film.

Rating:
Summary: Well Made.
Review: This is one of those films which were really well made. As I watched it I really appreciated the art, even if I didn't enjoy it very much. That, in reality, may be the point.

One of the first scenes in the film shows the invasion of Normandy. It seems so real; it almost seems too real. I almost felt like a "peeping tom" as I watched it. I felt bad for the real men who died facing gunfire on those beaches. This, by the way, is the first twenty minutes.

Afterwards the movie calms down a bit, but there are still alot of very tense scenes as a group of soliders search throughout Allied Controlled France for one private, Private Ryan. Their job is to find him and take him back home. While the storyline seems inplausible, even the people in the DVD struggle with their mission, it is a useful tool for showing us different aspects of the war.

This was a dark, bitter, sad movie. It had great moments, but it really suceeded in showing some of the real horrors of war. I know war is horrible. I didn't need to see such detail in my home. Again, I think this was the point of this film. It suceeded admirably.

I could appreciate the efforts, but not enjoy the results. Since, generally, I watch films to enjoy myself, I couldn't recommend this film to others of the same mindset. If, however, you want a detailed and very graphic view on how war can be, this film hits the mark. This film, by the way, should not be seen by children.