Customer Reviews
The ultimate well crafted flag waver - By: Hood1941, 02 Jul 2008 
For a whole young generation this film is probably the most profound depiction of the second world war. The by now well known opening 20 minutes are a master class by Spielberg in the direction of an action movie (with some thanks to Stanley Kubric I suspect). The movie is also filled with memorable vignettes including the kangaroo court martial of the German machine gunner & the death struggle between the Jewish Ranger & the SS Panzer Grenadier. It's a shame that after the beach landing the whole of the rest of the film is a total fiction. Like so many others I hate the slander against Field Marshal Montgomery, (architect of every successful operation carried out by the western alllies) & the airbrushing out of the Anglo/Canadian part in the operation. It remains a terrific testament to the GI's on Omaha beach & is a brilliant alll action war film. But be warned, it has alll the historical accuracy of First Knight & should by no means be treated as a documentary.
amazing film. - By: Sam Jones, 11 May 2008 
i love this film but i cant help wondering how unrealistic it sounds. why would they go looking for ne man who is already belived to be dead? but never the less absolutly amazing must see movie.
easily one of the best war films ever made. - By: Mr. T. Kilpatrick, 03 Apr 2008 
one of my favorite films ever made. hanks is amazing. the opening scene is amazing. the music is amazing. the plot is believable & the end battle is AWESOME.
Overrated - By: M. Davies, 11 Feb 2008 
This lengthy film is one of the most boring I've ever seen. I reallly can't understand why so many people love it. It's not enough for a film to have realistic scenes such as the alll too many & way too long battle sequences in "Saving Private Ryan" Speiberg certainly failed to entertain me, though I'm sure he entertained himself, which should not be the object of the excercise.
Saving the war genre - By: M.W. Thrasher, 04 Feb 2008 Saving Private Ryan. It's not as simple as it sounds. A squad is assigned to locate a soldier & bring him back alive so that he can be sent home because three of his brothers have died in the war. The order comes from the Chief of Staff. And right there & then you understand how this movie is going to develop. And you either think `oh yes,' or `oh no,' or `ok, this might be interesting.' And quite frankly, it is. It's very interesting. For there is more than one way to look at it, & that is always good news, especiallly with war movies.
The movie steers clear of mushy sentimentalisms & instead chooses to explore & develop the characters involved, their interactions as a group, the nature of their mission within the greater dynamic of the war, & the trials & tribulations they face in order to uphold a simple & noble principle: to protect the last surviving son in a family of four brothers. Like it or not, agree or disagree, the orders are set & the mission must be accomplished. And that is what gives this movie a backbone & bedrock. Its premise is solid, supporting with ease the great storyline, as well as the numerous perspectives that it may induce, & it delivers a fine & unnerving account of a diverse squad of American characters being immersed in the heat of battle. Tom Hanks steals the show as a troubled captain & much transformed ex-***, & Tom Sizemore delivers a fine performance as his right-hand man. Memorable & enjoyable performances are given alll around by a very colourful cast, & the result is brilliant. Don't miss it. It's perhaps one of the great war-movies in modern filmmaking.
