Rating: 
Summary: Greatest battle scene ever...but
Review: The first 30 minutes of this film gets 5 stars without a doubt. Spielberg created the greatest combat sequence ever. But then again, he had the millions of dollars to do it. Technically, this movie is a masterpiece, no argument here. Unfortunately after Normandy, the film gets bogged down in the typical Hollywood story of war. As for realism, this movie is anything but, and that is really my major criticism. This is Spielberg's idealized and I have to say, his "Jewish" version of WWII. For example, when his camera spans the military graveyard, the first headstone we see is not a white cross, but a Jewish star signifying that "they" sacrificed also. And then he makes one of the squad members Jewish, so that he can use that as a vehicle as well. How many Jews were really in the Rangers in WWII? About two maybe? The infantry tactics are ridiclous, they are patrolling through enemy territory all bunched up and talking loudly. They should have been in a wedge formation and moving with total stealth. I realize it wouldn't have been much of a movie if this was done, I'm just making a point about how unrealistic this movie was. Totally unrealistic was at the end, when two squads of American infantry destroy a Waffen SS company with armor support. I seriously doubt it. If our guys were capable of such feats, we would have won the war in a couple of days. The worst thing about it though, was that Spielberg tries to make it look like the US Army was a democracy where private soldiers had their say and could disobey their NCOs and officers. In reality, instead of discussing their next moves together in the field, the privates wold have been spaced 100 meters out on a 360 degree security perimeter while the Captain and the Sergeant discussed what to do. Then they would have given the privates their orders and they would move out. Spielberg's democratic version of the army is a joke. All that aside, it is a brilliant movie that must be seen for the unforgettable invasion of Normandy.
Rating: 
Summary: A must-see
Review: This movie should be required viewing for any American who has never served in the military. Brutal, horrifying, and "in your face" real. It frames the heroism and sacrifice of America's "citizen-soldiers" without leaving out the horror of war.As someone who served in Bosnia, I thank God that my experience wasn't at all like it was for the men who hit Omaha beach. At the same time, I almost feel inadequate at sharing the title of "soldier" with men of that calibre.
Rating:
Summary: Patriotism meets pragmatism
Review: I was expecting a lot from Saving Private Ryan. It was released in Australia months after the US launch and so, I had plenty of time to read the reviews, watch the trailers and hear folks talking about it on-line. The frightening thing was, that almost everyone was raving about it; not just high praise, but rabid enthusiasm. So I was hoping it would be wonderful and at the same time trying not to mortgage my future enjoyment. It's happened before; an otherwise good film is still disappointing because the hype had led me to expect a great film.
Well, I needn't have worried. "Saving Private Ryan" is a great film but that is not why it can't be hurt by expectations. It makes a beautiful flanking maneuver around any prediction or, for that matter, any description. I knew the plot, the actors, most of the events and still I was not prepared for the film's effect.
After watching "Saving Private Ryan", a friend described it as "Horrific". He was right. But it wasn't horrific in the way, for example, the bombing of Dresden was. It was horrific in a very personal way. Spielberg manages to breath the same air as the men fighting in Europe. Oh bugger... I don't even know why I'm trying to describe it. The task is beyond me. Perhaps writing a synopsis will help to free my tongue.
"Saving Private Ryan" has an interesting story. I think I would have wanted to see it even without the hoopla. Imagine a family of four brothers, all serving during the war but in separate divisions and different parts of the world. Four service stars hang in their mother's window and everything is ripe for a future of heroic deeds and tearful homecomings. But somewhere in the thick of the D-Day invasion, three of the four Ryans are killed. The remaining brother's situation is not known with surety but it is certain that he has been dropped behind enemy lines.
Don't you want to know what will happen to the last Ryan brother? Do some of you want to comfort his mother or perhaps help the last Ryan in some way? In this case, help is sent from above. Initiated by a nostalgic general who seems to believe that saving Private Ryan is akin to saving his whole family; and protecting American families is every soldier's purpose. Whether this view is shared by the men he commands, is not considered, and by the end of the film, not at all clear.
Eight men are chosen to perform this duty. Eight very real people. During the course of the film we get to know each of them intimately and when death comes to some of them, it is a very personal, shocking thing. Death and general mayhem is graphically portrayed throughout the film. It is done so well that you are forced to believe all other visions of war you have been shown, are vague shadows of the true horror. But for the eight men we travel with, death is not something that can be excused. I wanted to save each of them. I wanted to rename the film, "Saving Miller's Company".
But in the end, as with life, we don't get to rewrite the script. Captain Miller and his men don't have many choices. They follow orders, not because they understand or agree with them, but because it is necessary. They are not supermen with bulging biceps, Sten guns in their hands and knives held in their teeth. They are hero's and demons and everything in between.
I am only just managing to stop myself from writing an article about war, its stupidity and inevitability. Save me the effort. Go and see "Saving Private Ryan". If you held off because of the violence, see it any way. It's the closest thing I've seen to a fitting warrior's epitaph since "All Quiet on the Western Front". Honor the past by understanding it, not glorifying it.
Rating:
Summary: Outstanding movie and DVD
Review: An outstanding movie dipicting both the horrors of war and the great spirit of man. Award winning (should have)performance by Tom Hanks and great cast all around. Defintely top shelf in the home DVD library.
Rating:
Summary: Displays the bloody reality of war.
Review: If you've never given a thought to the bloody reality of war or the extreme sacrifice offered by those who have fought to keep this country free, this film will bring it home.
There is a tenseness that runs through this film from beginning to end that can only be described as similar to the kind of tenseness soldiers must feel when they do not know where their next enemy is going to come from. The opening battle scenes are unforgettably gory. The story is excellent. A group of WWII soldiers, under the command of Tom Hanks, is sent on a seemingly senseless mission - to retrieve the only remaining, living son of someone who has already lost 3 sons in battle. By fate, the mission ends up not being as senseless as it first seems. This film deals with the harsh realities and difficult moral decisions those fighting a war are often faced with. The film is harsh, and therefore is not for everyone, but it is an excellent reminder that war is hell.
Rating:
Summary: Awesome and Horrifying
Review: This movie blew me away. I was one of those kids who liked to "play war" and fantasize about being a heroic soldier. When I saw this film, it made me realize that war is a horrible thing. A beautiful and stunning tribute to the heroes of WWII, "Saving Private Ryan" will affect you deeply. Its real strength is introducing characters that you really care about and identify with. So many other war movies, even good ones like "Platoon" have cliched characters and stereotyped solders. This film puts YOU in the shoes of the fighting men- and that is the most frightening and effective part of all. I remember leaving the theater after seeing it for the first time thinking "how did they do it? " I found it amazing that these men had the courage to do what they did. Tom Hanks is at his usual best as the main character, and Matt Damon shines as well. The sound and visual impact are unequaled. This is an experience you will never forget...
Rating:
Summary: WOW.
Review: This is life at its worst. This is what I want to miss more then anything. This is what makes people afraid to sign up for the Selected Service. This is WAR. Spielberg does a great job setting everything up and Tom Hanks was AMAZING in his part, as were all the other actors. This was one amazing movie, and it really shows you what war does to people. It kills you...if not on the outside, it will on the inside. WAR IS HORRIBLE.
Rating:
Summary: Please donate to the WWII Memorial fund
Review: I am a 21 year old college student. I first saw this movieabout two years ago. I'd heard stories about Omaha beach, but theywere very hard to imagine. Steven Speilberg has effectively created an image that should haunt anyone who sees it. As I watched this movie for the first time, I realized that most of the soldiers that gave their life for freedom were younger than I. I could not imagine the fear that must have occupied these brave souls' hearts moments before the invasion. I'm grateful for the sacrifice that they made, and I wonder if I could possibly make the same sacrifice. I like to think that I could, but there's no way to know for sure until you're presented with the opportunity. Thanks to these brave men, I'll probably never be presented with that opportunity. The other day, I saw a display that asked for money to fund a memorial to honor these brave soldiers. I gave every penny that I had in my pocket, a sum that amounted to about six dollars. I slept very well that night, knowing that I had given money to honor the bravest people that I'll never know. Every time I see one of these displays, I make a point to donate whatever I can. I hope that you'll do the same.
Rating: 
Summary: TARANTINO could have made it !
Review: There is so much blood in this film, that I guess Quentin Tarantino could have directed it.It seems Steven was having fun trying to create new and moderns specil effects showing people being butchered! It is always the same with Spielberg: he says he wants to give youa message, but the only thing he's after is your money ! Where's the message against War in this movie? Showing thousands of tons of blood will only make children play soldier more frequently ! (no harm here, just a fact) It's incredible how such gifted actors as Hanks and Sizemore accept to play dumb characters with no depth at all, only for the pleasure of the "experience" to work along Spielberg, who is the ultimate Master of Marketing, nothing more than that (exception - "SCHINDLER'S LIST" - even in this one at certain mments he tried to be the false sentimentalist again).
Rating:
Summary: Incredibly powerful.
Review: With every war movie I see I thank God, first that I'm a woman and that I've never had to face combat, second, that I've never lost an immediate family member to warfare, and, third, that no battles on the scale depicted in this film have been fought on American soil in my lifetime. There is nothing glamorous or glorious about war, and "Saving Private Ryan" drives this point home quite effectively. I'm a woman. I don't know what it would be like to march straight into the jaws of death with a piece of cold steel in my hands. I'm a young woman. I've never had to kiss my father, brother, son, or fiance for perhaps the last time and sent him off to face the horrors of ever-present fear, killing, and the constant loss of friends and comrades. Could anyone return from battle unchanged? Could any individual remain intact body, mind and soul? It's a testament to the bravery, skill and intelligence (and sometimes cowardice) of soldiers that anyone can survive war. My great-uncles and my Dad served in the armed services before I was born. I didn't know my second-cousins before they returned from Viet Nam. My brother-in-law commanded tanks during Desert Storm. I've been lucky; I haven't been called upon to make the incredible sacrifice of the life of someone I dearly love in order to ensure the freedoms I enjoy as an American. Other individuals, other families, have paid that price for me. To them I am tremendously grateful. "Saving Private Ryan" offers as close a look at real combat as one could get without picking up a gun oneself. The movie has some terrific special effects and is well-paced and tells a gripping story of courage, sacrifice and devotion to duty. The film merits its "R" rating. It is not a movie that should be seen by children at all. The battle scenes are simply too graphic and too bloody. No words can explain to a child why a man would pick up a weapon and kill another man whom he's never met. Children cannot understand war--and neither can many adults. The characters in "Saving Private Ryan" are true-to-life, completely believable, and the dialogue in keeping with the WWII era. This is a very well-made movie and every actor in it turns in a superior performance. There is not a half-hearted effort on the part of a single actor (or actress) in the cast. Watching this film, I had to think: as our technology has improved, have the results of warfare changed or improved? Gaping holes are still blown through the bodies of strong, brave young men, whether the weapons employed are muskets, cannons, rifles, or machine guns. I pray that our servicemen continue to demonstrate the bravery and loyalty that led previous generations to fight our battles with honor--and that our leaders, political and spiritual, have the wisdom and integrity to carefully choose those battles which are truly worth the sacrifice of the precious lives of those who fall on the battlefield.
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