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Summary: War is Hell, but at times a neccessary evil
Review: WWII was perhaps the defining moment of this century and certainly for those born during the first quarter of it. This movie clearly brings out how bad it really is from the getgo with all the carnage on Omaha Beach in what would be America's bloodiest day this century and indeed since the Civil War some eight decades earlier. The current generation only hears how evil and politically incorect war is in any circumstance, but fails to understand how evil the tyranny and oppression was in this instance and how much more difficult Nazi-Germany would be to endure a cold-war with than Soviet Russia over the remainder of the Century. Kudo's to Steven Spielberg for producing this masterpiece. --David Claudius Moore, Salt Lake City
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Summary: DTS is so much better then Dobly Digital... compare them.
Review: I have always known DTS is better then Dolby Digital but I did not realize how much better it is till I compared the Dolby Digital version of Saving Private Ryan to the DTS one. It is incredibly better. If you have a nice surround sound system or if you are planning to get one then the DTS version is a must have. Also if you are really into sound like me then you have got to compare the two for yourself and you will hear the difference. Buy DTS whenever possible... I know there are not a whole lot of titles availiable right now in DTS but hopefully that will change soon.
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Summary: A great film
Review: Steven Spielberg's "Saving Private Ryan" is one of the greatest war movies ever made. It had to face accusations of Yank jingoism, patriotism and sentimentality. But I think that none of these charges are true. It was alternately called pro-war and anti-war, which is a clear hint that it is neither. Spielberg depicts the war and the situations ring true, despite the fact that the plot relies on a premise that does not exactly seem to be common during war. Never does the film EXACTLY say, what the viewer is meant to think, you have to figure this out for yourself. Not even Mrs. Ryan's "You are a good man" qualifies as an affirmation that he was worth the carnage, because any wife would say this on an occasion like this (That's why I think the framing device is unnecessary). This subtlety is the strength of this remarkable film. In this respect it is similar to Wolfgang Petersen's equally impressive classic "Das Boot". Some said the film shows Germans in a poor light. I think the Germans in this film are neither good nor evil, they are just there and they are the enemy, that's why they kill Americans. But the Americans also kill Germans (even those who already surrendered). Does this make them evil? Perhaps, again it is up to you what to think. And what about the German who kills Tom Hanks despite the fact that he spared his life? This is (for me) a statement about war. It shows that during war, mercy does not pay off, that it is impossible to make a decision that is both decent and militaryly logical. It does not demonize the German since he does not recognize the man he shoots (How could he, amid the carnage). "Saving Private Ryan" is a unique achievement and another proof, that Steven Spielberg is undoubtedly one of the most talented directors currently working. Make sure that you buy the widescreen edition to see it in its original format. If you don't use DVD, purchase the limited edition which includes an interesting Making-of Bonus-tape.
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Summary: Unrealistic
Review: There were some things that could have made this movie much like the real WW2. Like teenaged soldiers who are strugling to stay alive. Or the commanders who are sending soldiers out to die, while they are safely far away from enemy lines. Or German, French, and British civilians who are being murdered by random bombing raids. Or civilians and soldiers starving to death. Or pacifists who are getting arrested or even killed for their religious beliefs. Or Russian soldiers who are raping and murdering East European and German civilians. Oh, I forgot. If those things were added in the movie, then the movie wouldn't make as much money.
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Summary: Awesome
Review: I watched Saving Private Ryan on DVD on my home theater system. As far as the technical aspects this movie was simply awesome. DTS sound quality breathtaking. As for the historical and theatrical events, Spielberg outdid himself. This movie was by far amazing. While watching the first 30 minutes of the landing at Omaha Beach I was riveted to my seat and awestruck by the details. At one point I felt like saluting the TV and singing the National Anthem. Makes me feel very proud for those who served in the military. This movie is one of Spielberg's best! Great story, great cinematography, great movie.
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Summary: Spielbergian Schizophrenia
Review: A very strange film, that can't quite make up it's mind about what it wants to be. It wants to be a powerful statement about the horrors of war, and a moving tribute to the men who fought and died in WWII, and a really cool war movie with lots of cool battle scenes. Needless to say, the final result fails to really coalesce into a coherent whole. As in most Spielberg films, the material points one way, and Spielberg goes in another.But Spielberg loads on the HIGH SIGNIFICANCE at every turn, and when all else fails, the music swells dramatically to remind us to start crying. Because, of course, you know that a movie is really good when it makes you cry, right? Well...
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Summary: An excellent period film
Review: This film was splendid with a lot of action! The director really made you feel as if you were there with the camera angles that were used. The film may have been on the graphic side, however, it placed an emphasis on what the unit had to endure. A must see.
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Summary: Kind of sappy, but gripping nonetheless
Review: The ragtag group behind enemy lines has been done before. And while the character types are stereotypical, the viewer gets involved in them nonetheless - perhaps BECAUSE of the familiarity with the character types. The first 30 minutes grabs you by the ruck straps and, from that point on, you're along for the ride. If anything, the interludes between action sequences allows you to catch your breath, beyond going a long way towards letting the viewer really get to know the characters. Thank goodness for DVD chapter stops, though, that let me skip over the sappy, manipulative opening and closing present day scenes. I get more of a sense of duty and sacrifice by watching the opening and closing battle sequences than I do from seeing a weepy old man salute the flag. As a DVD, this is reference quality. Picture clarity is superb, with the opening landing craft scene always giving me a sense that I'm there with the crew. Surround mix is active, and your subwoofer will be gasping by the time this movie is over. I wouldn't nominate this film as evidence of absolutely perfect movie-making (I'd actually put Speilberg's Schindler's List way above this film), but there's no doubt it's an engrossing 2.5 hours, and you could do a lot worse when picking a DVD to show off your system. Highly recommended as a film and a DVD.
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Summary: A well done motion picture
Review: Saving Private Ryan is, undoubtedly, a well done motion picture that depicts faithfully the sad reality of a war: it is full of blood, explosions, fire and mutilated human bodies. Although its screenplay lacks originality, since this kind of treatment given to the story is common among movies concerning war, Saving Private Ryan has many qualities: excellent direction by Steven Spielberg and great performances, specially by Tom Hanks; breathtaking cinematography and sound effects that bring the war out of the screen while the camera moves in a dynamic way and blood and water splash over it; realistic makeup and art direction that make us feel the pain and chaos of those who share the horrors of a war; and an original dramatic score composed and conducted by John Williams. But if there is one feature that calls attention is the patriotic appeal of Americans present in this motion picture: the eminent presence of the waving American flag and the idea of risking lives in behalf of the nation, which makes the reaction of Private Ryan kind of surreal, as Captain Miller (Tom Hanks) says in the movie.
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Summary: This "IS" World War II
Review: My father-in-law is a WWII veteran and was overseas for 2-1/2 years. I had always known that he had seen a lot of action but never heard him talk very much about it. He was in the D-day invasion and the Battle of the Bulge, plus many-many other battles. My father-in-law went to see this movie and cried through-out most of it (especially the first 30 minutes). We later talked about it and fifty years of thoughts came forth. The initial battle sequence in the film is exactly what it was like, the sounds, the smells, your hearing, etc. He said it was like being back on the beach all over again. He told me, unless you've been in battle, it's very hard to describe what it feels like. This movie hits the mark. See this movie and then thank a WWII vet for the contributions they made to the USA. I've read alot of the other reviews, and many people should do some reading about the invasion before they criticize it. Many keep asking where are the British, well, they were over on the Gold and Sword beaches, while the Candaians were on Juno beach. The US 4th Infantry div. attacked at Utah beach and the US 29th Infantry div and US 1st Infantry division attacked Omaha beach. This movie was about the landing at Omaha beach. Therefore, the reason you don't see any Brits in the film is because they weren't supposed to be there. They fought on the Gold and Juno beaches.
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