Saving Private Ryan
DreamWorks Distribution | Release Date: July 24, 1998
8.8
USER SCORE
Universal acclaim based on 1306 Ratings
USER RATING DISTRIBUTION
Positive:
1,214
Mixed:
42
Negative:
50
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User Reviews

User scoreBy dateMost helpful
1
NickTheCritickApr 6, 2022
Ok, the opening scene of the Normandy landings is a masterpiece of directing. One of the best scenes ever shot. But from that moment till the end, the film becomes a sponge full of clichés, hateful rhetoric and pure exaggeration that make theOk, the opening scene of the Normandy landings is a masterpiece of directing. One of the best scenes ever shot. But from that moment till the end, the film becomes a sponge full of clichés, hateful rhetoric and pure exaggeration that make the desire to see it pass. Never want to watch it again.… Expand
0 of 1 users found this helpful01
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10
JamesJ.Jul 16, 2006
My father, who died last year ( 2006 ), landed at Utah Beach on D-Day plus 3. He never really talked about the W W 2. One day I asked him why he did not talk about it and he said, "You wouldn't understand." After seeing "Saving Private My father, who died last year ( 2006 ), landed at Utah Beach on D-Day plus 3. He never really talked about the W W 2. One day I asked him why he did not talk about it and he said, "You wouldn't understand." After seeing "Saving Private Ryan", now I understand why he said I wouldn't understand. I also have a lot more admiration to the fighting men of our country.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful
10
MickG.Aug 1, 2006
The best effects and plot for a war movie.
0 of 0 users found this helpful
10
BobKApr 19, 2009
I love how all the people that don't like this movie say "This movie is disgusting and sucks". That's all they can say, and Germans do not look like the bad guys all that much. In the beginning American Soldiers kill two Germans I love how all the people that don't like this movie say "This movie is disgusting and sucks". That's all they can say, and Germans do not look like the bad guys all that much. In the beginning American Soldiers kill two Germans for no reason and the sniper shows mercy by not taking off Carpazo's head. They were about to kill the German guy who had no weapons or anything.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful
10
TomL.Nov 8, 2005
It ROCKS!!!!!!!
0 of 0 users found this helpful
10
AlexanderC.Aug 27, 2005
I think this movie is just incredible, Mr Spielberg and Mr Hanks are just masters fo the film business.
0 of 0 users found this helpful
10
LanceB.Nov 30, 2006
I thought Spielberg did an awesome job at portraying the harsh realities that men face during war. And I am tired of hearing all of these people bashing the movie for being to graphic. Well you know what, thats what war is really like, I thought Spielberg did an awesome job at portraying the harsh realities that men face during war. And I am tired of hearing all of these people bashing the movie for being to graphic. Well you know what, thats what war is really like, believe it or not. If you dont like it then dont watch the movie.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful
10
RodG.Feb 21, 2007
Definitely in my top 5 all time favorite movies. Action, drama, comedy and everything in between.
0 of 0 users found this helpful
10
K.E.Jul 11, 2008
Anyone who gives this a 0 and is a fuckin hypocrite. Go fuck yourselves in the ass. No offense
0 of 0 users found this helpful
10
HarrySep 20, 2008
Looking at the top rated list because im broed and scroll down a little and what do i see, Saving Private Ryan. I love this movie and have seen it few times, the epic fight scenes in quest to get a man back home to his Mother after the loss Looking at the top rated list because im broed and scroll down a little and what do i see, Saving Private Ryan. I love this movie and have seen it few times, the epic fight scenes in quest to get a man back home to his Mother after the loss of his brothers. The most epic of any scenes in any movie in my opinion is when the sniper in the tower gets his eye shot out through the scope, that seen in entirety was intense.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful
10
TomHMar 1, 2009
This is one of the very few films that I would rate 10. No, it's not about limbs flying off, and no, it's not all about death. This movie mixes a high-tide of powerful anti-war emotions, and sadness that still keeps you excited and This is one of the very few films that I would rate 10. No, it's not about limbs flying off, and no, it's not all about death. This movie mixes a high-tide of powerful anti-war emotions, and sadness that still keeps you excited and has you gripped.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful
8
JackBOct 4, 2005
A teriffic movie which saw another vintage Hanks performance, yet somehow i did not consider it an "epic." Although it had all the elements i felt it possibly a little too gritty for this status.
0 of 0 users found this helpful
8
JeremyE.Apr 18, 2006
you know what, i am Sick and Tired of seeing war films that are so realistic. It's really disgusting and unessecary to see someone's face getting blown out. rest of the film's great though.
0 of 0 users found this helpful
10
BlakeP.May 29, 2006
One of spielbergs best works. An amazing re-inactment of WWII. D-Day is portrayed magnificently. Don't be disgusted that the blood and gore is so realistic. That's war. It happened get over it. Over all this is an amazing movie. One of spielbergs best works. An amazing re-inactment of WWII. D-Day is portrayed magnificently. Don't be disgusted that the blood and gore is so realistic. That's war. It happened get over it. Over all this is an amazing movie. And I reccomend it to any World War II fanatics.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful
10
AndrewH.Jun 23, 2006
Spielberg's best film in my opinion. One of my top ten favorite movies of all time.
0 of 0 users found this helpful
10
fgSep 28, 2006
It is good sad and horrible.
0 of 0 users found this helpful
10
JaredC.Aug 16, 2007
It takes courage and a well crafted script to pass a movie. But this is something that takes war movies to another level. And I hope to see an amount of continuess war film's exeptionally after this.
0 of 0 users found this helpful
10
JackS.Nov 22, 2008
What can I say? This has been one of the BEST war movies ever! The fighting is realistic, peoples limbs were really blown off like that. It had some great and epic battle scenes.
0 of 0 users found this helpful
10
DuaneF.Oct 27, 2008
This is an awesome movie and again if anyone rates this movie with a 0 or less is a complete f*cking idiot. For anyone who doesn't get why this movie is great (especially Americans) I just have to say you have never been to war and you This is an awesome movie and again if anyone rates this movie with a 0 or less is a complete f*cking idiot. For anyone who doesn't get why this movie is great (especially Americans) I just have to say you have never been to war and you probably don't deserve the freedoms that your country allows you. I just returned from a 3 year tour in Iraq. It's too bad the government doesn't allow the army to scout out ungrateful bastards that use their freedom to demean our country and spit on our flag and blow these useless f*ckers away.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful
10
JagFeb 21, 2008
Rarely do I give anything a ten but this movie was simply outstanding. the character development was perfect for everyone. I hate it when people dog this movie because they didn't pay attention to what was important. I also hate it when Rarely do I give anything a ten but this movie was simply outstanding. the character development was perfect for everyone. I hate it when people dog this movie because they didn't pay attention to what was important. I also hate it when people put this movie down because they think it is to Hollywood like.This movie is not like the others they didn't make it silly they got it right. This shows you how terrible war can be and you forget those men that sacrificed everything for us and their buddies any time soon after seeing this movie. A lot of good men die and tell it how it was. I do admit that there was some stuff thrown in there that I wish that they wouldn't have but that probably won't bug many others. This movie can be watched over and over and you'll always find something new to think about. This movie is good even if you don't like war movies. This movie is one that every American should see.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful
10
TomP.Apr 24, 2008
I don't know whether Tim S. and the Anonymouse reviewer have watched the same movie as I have. I love how they say it is inaccurate, but give no examples of this outside of the fact that Americans look like good guys and Germans look I don't know whether Tim S. and the Anonymouse reviewer have watched the same movie as I have. I love how they say it is inaccurate, but give no examples of this outside of the fact that Americans look like good guys and Germans look evil and lose. I don't know if you realize that by the time Normady was invaded, the Allies were winning the war, and that Germany had (thanks to Hitler) not prepared properly for a large assault on Normandy, and were fooled by an unreal diversion army, so I'm sorry if they did not completely expect the American attack and didn't kill as many allied forces as you would have liked, but that's history, so deal with it. Also, one thing that really stood out to me was how many of the Americans did NOT all seem that good. You saw Americans shooting surrendering Germans, attempting to kill the unarmed soldier who (contrary to Tim's veiw that they were unskilled) later killed one of the American soldiers in the party in hand to hand combat. (And in returning the favor, spares the American soldier's life) Hell, the only surviving main characters at the end are the Brooklyn guy and Ryan.Oh, and I love how the anonymous review says the beginning is spot on, like he was there and really knows...just seems sorta lame...and of course it's going to show the Americans joking around and not Germans, seeing as they're the main characters who the story fixes on, and not the Germans. If you would like to see a random ass clip of Germans walking around laughing with each other in a movie depicting American soldiers, go ahead and write up your own script. Oh, though Mythbusters did prove that you can't shoot through a sniper scope like the movie showed, way to spoil the cool, oh well. Great, great movie.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful
6
AndrewR.Jul 18, 2008
Good movie, but I don't see what the big deal is.
0 of 0 users found this helpful
10
JakeRApr 5, 2009
The greatest war movie ever made! Period. This is also another great Tom Hanks and Steven Spielburg film that is destined to become a classic. This movie is not for the weak stomached or the faint. This sucker is rough and doesn't stop The greatest war movie ever made! Period. This is also another great Tom Hanks and Steven Spielburg film that is destined to become a classic. This movie is not for the weak stomached or the faint. This sucker is rough and doesn't stop for the whole 3 hours of shooting, disemberment and gore.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful
10
NicolletteM.Nov 24, 2005
I had to watch Saving Private Ryan for a movie review for school and I'm glad I did it on this movie cause not only are they over fighting for our freedom but they are putting their lifes on the line to save their war brothers. So when I had to watch Saving Private Ryan for a movie review for school and I'm glad I did it on this movie cause not only are they over fighting for our freedom but they are putting their lifes on the line to save their war brothers. So when i saw this movie it gave me a better look on what we are doing in this world today. And why our country is such a great country. What makes the movie so great is that it looks so realistic and Steven Spielberg is such a great movie director. I'm happy to say that I got to do a movie report on Saving Private Ryan cause I have a better look on things. And i dont care if I'm just a teen this is one of the best war movies of all time. And yes I'm a girl.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful
10
RalphW.Nov 29, 2005
I think Steven Spillberg is the best director films of the world. i`m write a novel that speak about D-Day, i would like that Steven Know my novel.
0 of 0 users found this helpful
8
JohnC.Mar 17, 2006
Pretty damm good movie. The cinemetography was effin amazing. Tom Hanks gives a solid performance. Good script, well directed, brutal and real. It drags in areas, but other than that, a real worthwhile film.
0 of 0 users found this helpful
10
JohanM.Apr 11, 2006
Deliciously chosen cinematic angles, superb hi-fi audio and a world-class bunch of actors. Mix that together and u have one of the greates war-movies of all time.
0 of 0 users found this helpful
10
LWMay 24, 2007
I'm not much for war movies, I tend to be squeamish, and I'm easily put off by the rah rah glory scenes, but this movie was amazing. Real, raw, and an absolute masterpiece.
0 of 0 users found this helpful
10
GerrickC.Jun 12, 2007
Few movies can capture the terrors and carnage or war. Few movies can convey what exactly our men went through during these times. Saving Private Ryan is not only one of those few movies, but perhaps the only war movie that captures the Few movies can capture the terrors and carnage or war. Few movies can convey what exactly our men went through during these times. Saving Private Ryan is not only one of those few movies, but perhaps the only war movie that captures the intensity and brutality of war. This is a must-see for any war or war movie buff, and anyone in between must see it also.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful
10
R.LopezJan 16, 2009
Astounding!! Saving Private Ryan is one of those rarities, it's a war film with heart. This amazing WWII film stars Tom Hanks as Capt. John Miller a solider who' seen too much and who is done with war, during D-Day him and his unit Astounding!! Saving Private Ryan is one of those rarities, it's a war film with heart. This amazing WWII film stars Tom Hanks as Capt. John Miller a solider who' seen too much and who is done with war, during D-Day him and his unit are ordered to find a single solider by the name of John Francis Ryan a private in the airborne division who just recently lost all three of his brothers in combat, now Miller and his men have to bring Ryan back alive while out running the Nazis and there conscious. Saving Private Ryan is a dedication to the men who died to protect there nation and there freedom they were soldiers who battled against oppression and evil. they fought for what they believed was right and conquered and this film shows that one man is just as important as the rest. I very highly recommend this astounding Motion picture.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful
10
JUANPANBSep 2, 2013
Simplemente este Film se podría definir en miles de grandiosas palabras, pero se define según mi criterio en una sola, IMPRESIONANTE. Spielberg, por supuesto el mejor director del mundo y me atrevo a decir que en mucho tiempo no habrá nadieSimplemente este Film se podría definir en miles de grandiosas palabras, pero se define según mi criterio en una sola, IMPRESIONANTE. Spielberg, por supuesto el mejor director del mundo y me atrevo a decir que en mucho tiempo no habrá nadie igual a el; nos muestra una pequeña muestra de lo bueno que puede ser un largometraje bien hecho sin fallos.… Expand
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10
Jspotter89Nov 7, 2014
This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Saving Private Ryan is nothing short of the greatest war movie ever made (to this point). The only other media that comes close is Band of Brothers (also involving Hanks and Spielberg), but as a miniseries it's in another category.

When this movie came out, we all knew that the opening battle sequence changed war films forever. There simply had never and hasn't since been such a visceral, overwhelming, intense depiction of warfare anywhere else. Movies and video games since have tried to imitate it and don't come close.

If The Thin Red Line and Life Is Beautiful hadn't come out in the same year, I don't think there's any way this film would not have taken Best Picture. I never have seen Shakespeare in Love, so I won't criticize it as if I had, but it must have been remarkable to beat this genre-redefining movie. If it wasn't remarkable, then this might be the biggest snub in Oscar history.

Tom Hanks is at his best in SPR. I don't think he was better in either Philadelphia or The Green Mile. It's not just Hanks, though. All of the supporting actors, even Vin Diesel and Tom Sizemore, are impeccable.

The scene at the end of the movie when Hanks dies is one I still can't watch 16 years later without tearing up. When he looks at Ryan (and the camera is just over his should, so he is basically looking right at the camera) and says "Earn this," he is saying that to all of us. Earn the sacrifice that a whole generation paid in blood for all of us. That's what turns this movie into something far more profound and important than any myriad of other WWII and war films in general.… Expand
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7
TheApplegnomeJan 12, 2016
One of Spielberg’s longest and finest, and that first part might be its major disadvantage. ’Saving Private Ryan’ captures the realistic darkness of humanity and its struggle against the basic morality of right and wrong. Spielberg portrayalsOne of Spielberg’s longest and finest, and that first part might be its major disadvantage. ’Saving Private Ryan’ captures the realistic darkness of humanity and its struggle against the basic morality of right and wrong. Spielberg portrayals death through his smart directing, and never stops to seize the audience through these never ending up-growing characters, due to the fact that we barely understand what they’re going through, but somehow never stop to relate to them. It definitely is Oscar-worthy, but it got much more to tell about the dark side of humanity rather than on the war itself; so don’t expect a Michael Bay flick, and it sure isn’t flawless. The motivation why to save Ryan isn't perfect, and the vast amount of characters drags the depth of the main & excellent ones down. But it’s both a major technical & moral achievement.

Personal rating: 74/100
Critical rating: 92/100… Expand
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7
AndremaxOct 30, 2018
Despite the spectacular cast, about movie can't be told the same. I don't know the reason why movie is so overrated. Saving Private Ryan is a good movie, but not full-time. Movie variate in raw and necessary brutality for a war movie andDespite the spectacular cast, about movie can't be told the same. I don't know the reason why movie is so overrated. Saving Private Ryan is a good movie, but not full-time. Movie variate in raw and necessary brutality for a war movie and excess of melodrama not too necessary.… Expand
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10
BatFat09Feb 21, 2014
Best movie ever, literally... Of all the movies I have ever seen, this one gets me the most. This action packed film is thrilling, well acted, and overall amazeballs.
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8
UnurautareMay 4, 2014
The movie has some cool battle scenes but it starts off a ridiculous premise that people would stop in the middle of a World War and send men in danger to "save a private" that they don't even know if he's alive or dead, just because hisThe movie has some cool battle scenes but it starts off a ridiculous premise that people would stop in the middle of a World War and send men in danger to "save a private" that they don't even know if he's alive or dead, just because his brothers died in the war(which was a very common thing back then). It also has the stereotypical stupid American that becomes a brave (stupid) American at the end and takes out the "bad guy"(and lets the other go free). Despite the constant logic fails with the story, the battles are very realistic and the movie is worth watching.… Expand
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10
HaithamBAug 24, 2014
I am one of the greatest fans of Steven Spielberg and Saving Private Ryan does not have that perfect 3hrs runtime. But for sure, it is an authentic representation of war which makes me show a lot of respect for this motion picture.
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10
ChewbaccalypseAug 8, 2022
I won't bother analyzing the movie or picking it apart. I'll simply say; there's before Saving Private Ryan and After Saving Private Ryan.

To see the impact of this movie try to think of a war movie afterwards that does not steal significantI won't bother analyzing the movie or picking it apart. I'll simply say; there's before Saving Private Ryan and After Saving Private Ryan.

To see the impact of this movie try to think of a war movie afterwards that does not steal significant portions of Spielberg and Co's bag f tricks. Washed-out pallet, shaky cam, realistic gore and chaotic sound design have become staples of the genre now.… Expand
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10
homer4presidentMar 11, 2015
Tom Hanks is phenomenal in his depiction as Captain Miller in this sobering and emotional film. The action is raw, riveting, abd at times may be unbearably graphic for the squeamish. Contains enough historical inspiration and basis to appeaseTom Hanks is phenomenal in his depiction as Captain Miller in this sobering and emotional film. The action is raw, riveting, abd at times may be unbearably graphic for the squeamish. Contains enough historical inspiration and basis to appease WWII buffs, but overall, this movie is about the men who fought WWII and its lasting effects. A must see.… Expand
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10
GentM2015Sep 28, 2015
Saving Private Ryan is the best war movie ever made and one of the best in general in the movie history.
This movie is very realistic and shows how the war is very ugly and there's nothing heroic about it.It shows the sufferings of theSaving Private Ryan is the best war movie ever made and one of the best in general in the movie history.
This movie is very realistic and shows how the war is very ugly and there's nothing heroic about it.It shows the sufferings of the characters and the way they deal with certain real situations.It is also perfectly shot and directed,as Spielberg did an incredible job here.Even the hand held camera work is believable and it takes it to a whole new level of realism.It truly gets ugly,with deaths all over the place and by the end you are very invested on some of the characters,especially the main one played by the awesome Tom Hanks,Captain Miller.This characters is so well developed and interesting that it makes you root for him all the way through,and that is a great thing.
The effects are really good and realistic,as everything else in the movie,and also the movie does change directions a couple of times,but each time is a smart change and an interesting one.
The actors do an amazing job here,besides Tom Hanks,there's also Tom Sizemore who impressed me so much,and I loved him on the role.Matt Damon is also very good,and so is every single one else.
This movie succeeds at every level and everything it was going for,it is a near perfect movie with realistic portrayal of the war and its ugliness.I really love this movie,it is one of my all time favorites.… Expand
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10
EddyGregsApr 20, 2015
Based on the story of Frederic Niland, who was pulled out of frontline duty after his mother had received three MIA telegrams on the same day regarding his brothers, this is based on that mission - to find and rescue Private Ryan in the midstBased on the story of Frederic Niland, who was pulled out of frontline duty after his mother had received three MIA telegrams on the same day regarding his brothers, this is based on that mission - to find and rescue Private Ryan in the midst of the French landings.

Bookended by the most shocking, searing battle sequences in film history, Saving Private Ryan is as powerful, devastating, memorable and moving as movies get. Steven Spielberg's riveting infantryman's-eye-view of World War II will change the way war movies are perceived. Hymns to brazen heroism and gung ho guts'n'glory will be impossible, impertinent even, in its wake. Going far beyond simplistic War Is Hell platitudes, never before has the fear and flux of fighting been so vividly realised on celluloid.

Yet, for all the bravura cinematic virtuosity, this is by no means an exhilarating spectacle - subsumed by the sickening minutiae of combat, the overriding effect is exhausting, numbing visual viscera that leaves you shaken to your very core.

n route, there are minor quibbles - the middle section could be pruned, a closing coda distils the complexity all too neatly - but such nit-picking pales in the face of the ambition and achievement on offer. Indeed, just as the blitzkrieg on the senses appears to have petered out, Spielberg unleashes a near hour-long battle as the rescue outfit teams up with Ryan's own to hold a bridge against four German tanks; the manipulation of suspense - offscreen Panzers approach with the malevolent rumble of marauding dinos - the lucidity of the furious imagery and a heartstopping finale is evidence of a filmmaker approaching the top of his game. A modern masterpiece.

Uncompromising, powerful war movie that does not pull any punches. Perfectly balances the inhumanity of war and the humanity of its protagonists. Devastating and essential viewing.

To put this film into a single word: Masterpiece.… Expand
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8
russiangamerMay 9, 2017
Не являюсь супер патриотом своей страны - России, что даёт мне здраво оценивать зарубежные работы, будь они о повседневной жизни или о войне.
Фильм хороший, красивый, мясной, местами душевный... но скучный. Диалогам не хватает какой-тоНе являюсь супер патриотом своей страны - России, что даёт мне здраво оценивать зарубежные работы, будь они о повседневной жизни или о войне.
Фильм хороший, красивый, мясной, местами душевный... но скучный. Диалогам не хватает какой-то весёлой задоринки что-ли, да, война, но в тех же сериалах "Братья по оружию" и "Тихий океан" местами проскакивали очень смешные диалоги, которые не давали заскучать и разбавляли всю серьезность.
Итог: Американцам точно понравится абсолютно всё в этом фильме, мне, русскому человеку, фильм в целом понравился, но, к сожалению, не так уж и сильно.… Expand
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10
MovieManiac83Apr 24, 2015
Devastating. If, for some reason, I was asked to write a one-word review of Saving Private Ryan, that would be the term I would use. As was true of director Steven Spielberg's other masterpiece, Schindler's List, the impact of this motionDevastating. If, for some reason, I was asked to write a one-word review of Saving Private Ryan, that would be the term I would use. As was true of director Steven Spielberg's other masterpiece, Schindler's List, the impact of this motion picture must be experienced; it cannot be adequately described. No film since last year's The Sweet Hereafter has left such a searing and indelible imprint on my mind and soul. This movie did not need to be released at the end of the year to be considered for a flood of Oscar nominations; it's so forceful that no one who sees it will be able to forget it -- not even Academy members with two-month memory spans.

Saving Private Ryan opens with a 30-minute cinematic tour de force that is without a doubt one of the finest half-hours ever committed to film. This sequence, a soldier's-eye view of the D-Day invasion of Normandy, is brilliant not only in terms of technique but in the depth of viewer reaction it generates. It is certainly the most violent, gory, visceral depiction of war that I have ever witnessed on screen. Spielberg spares the viewer nothing of the horrors of battle, using every tactic at his disposal to convey the chaos and senseless waste that lies at the core of any engagement. We are presented with unforgettable, bloody images of bodies being cut to pieces by bullets, limbs blown off, entrails spilling out, and a variety of other assorted examples of carnage. And, when the tide comes in with the waves breaking on the body-strewn beach, the water is crimson. Those who are at all squeamish will find the opening of Saving Private Ryan unbearable. This aspect of the film almost earned it an NC-17 rating; only the fact that Spielberg rigorously avoids even a hint of exploitation convinced the MPAA to award an R.

In addition to showing what happens when projectiles rip into the soft flesh of the human body, the director employs other methods to capture the essence of battle - hand-held cameras, a slight speeding up of the images, muted colors, and several different kinds of film stock. Put it all together, and it adds up to a dizzying, exhausting assault on the senses. As good as the rest of Saving Private Ryan is, and it's very good, the D-Day attack on Omaha Beach is the sequence that everyone will remember most clearly.

Most World War II movies fall into one of two categories: heroic tales of glory and valor or biopics (my all-time favorite film, Patton, falls in the latter camp). Saving Private Ryan is neither. Instead, it's a condemnation of war wrapped in a tale of human courage and sacrifice. In many ways, the picture painted by this movie is more grim than the one Oliver Stone presented in Platoon, which has often been cited as the most daring anti-war film to come out of Hollywood. Saving Private Ryan quickly and brutally dispels the notion that war is anything but vicious, demoralizing violence that makes a cruel joke out of the human body and spirit. Although the film is only loosely based on a true incident, it's hard not to accept these characters and events as real.

There's nothing especially complex about the structure of Saving Private Ryan. The film, which runs nearly three hours, is bookended by two major battle scenes. In between, smaller fights alternate with quiet, character-building moments that flesh out the soldiers, allowing them to escape the threat of stereotyping. Spielberg, along with writer Robert Rodat and the actors, ensures that everyone in the movie is developed into a multi-dimensional individual for whom we can grieve if and when they die. They are "citizen soldiers" -- ordinary men caught in the teeth of extraordinary circumstances. With the exception of a little manipulation at the end (when tears are actually a welcome source of relief from the film's intensity), Saving Private Ryan rigorously avoids toying with our emotions.

With Saving Private Ryan set alongside Schindler's List, Steven Spielberg, once known as a purveyor of well-crafted-but-lightweight feel-good fare, has given us two of the decade's most gripping, disturbing, and powerful motion pictures. I consider Schindler's List to be one of the most amazing movies I have ever experienced, and, in many ways, Saving Private Ryan is its equal. Although both films take place during the same time period, they focus on different ideas. Schindler's List personifies good (Schindler) and evil (Amon Goeth), and plays out the struggle against a tragic backdrop. In Saving Private Ryan, there are no human villains, and the enemy isn't so much the Germans as it is the implacable, destructive specter of war. The film's central question (When is one life more important than another?) is never really answered. For those who are willing to brave the movie's shocking and unforgettable images, Saving Private Ryan offers a singular motion picture experience. I will be surprised if another film tops it for the best of 1998.… Expand
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7
deepfocusreviewMay 4, 2015
This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Throughout film history, there’s been a constant fascination with war. As new documentaries on the two great World Wars appear every year, so do films on similar events. From All Quiet on the Western Front (1930) to the recently released Fury (2014), Hollywood’s interest in depicting war shows no signs of slowing down. Spielberg’s 1998 epic Saving Private Ryan fits in a long line of war epics attempting to depict the horrors of war in a realistic manner. SPR does this exceptionally well…for the duration of roughly 20 minutes.

The film starts with an old man visiting the Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial with his family. He stops at a specific gravestone and collapses in tears. The camera focuses on his eyes and the film flashes back to D-Day with a depiction of the Omaha Beach landing that has to be seen to be believed. This prolonged sequence is the film’s and Spielberg’s crowning achievement. After the allied forces break through, the film cuts back to events on American soil. At the War Department of the United States it becomes apparent that three of four sons of the Ryan family have been killed. The mother is about to receive this tragic news in the form of three letters being sent simultaneously. A General has this brought to his attention and – remembering how Abraham Lincoln offered his heartfelt condolences to a mother in similar circumstances – orders his officers to find the remaining son (Matt Damon), who’s somewhere in Normandy, and bring him home. Enter Captain Miller (Tom Hanks) who, having just survived the beach landing, is given the mission, gathers a small group of soldiers and – with some reservations about the importance of the mission when juxtaposed with the big picture – they all head further into Normandy in search of a single soldier.

As I suggested in the beginning, the extensive Omaha Beach sequence is (unsurprisingly) the reason why we're still talking about this film. The amount of planning required for this scene must have been incredible and yet the entire scene still feels ‘unplanned’ and appropriately chaotic. It wouldn’t be a stretch to name this sequence the reason the film’s been showered with Academy Awards. Other aspects like acting and especially the cinematography and production design are also praiseworthy, but that’s pretty much where it ends for me.

I find the rest of the film to be something of a mixed bag. It chronicles Miller and co’s search for Private Ryan and all the hardships they endure along the way. The main problem I have with the rest of the film is that it feels contrived. The Omaha Beach sequence is at once the film’s saving grace and the reason the rest of the film pales by comparison. Not that the rest of the film has nothing to offer dramatically, it does, but it all feels too calculated, too contrived and convenient as opposed to the radical and chaotic opening scene. For instance, you expect the soldiers to bond over the course of their journey before some of them die and how this is all supposed to elicit our sympathy. You see this coming long before it happens and it’s thus not as impactful as it should be. And what about the oh-so dramatic pause right before the sniper in the tower is shot by a tank’s cannon, designed so that we can symbolically say goodbye; Miller’s clichéd reference to his wife gardening with his gloves (all that’s missing are the images of white-picket fences); Ryan’s two-minute monologue – supposed to elicit our sympathy – which comes across as incredibly awkward; the fact that Miller is shot by the same German whom he showed mercy to several scenes ago and that it’s the bookish Upham (of all people) who ‘earns his stripes’ by conveniently killing him; old Ryan saluting Miller’s grave while trumpets hum patriotically in the background; the fact that the filmmakers did the oh-so (for lack of a better word) ‘American’ thing by bookending the film with shots of the American flag softly lit by the afternoon sun, etc, etc. All these scenes and more reveal a script purposefully crafted to the point of dramatic perfection…and that’s not a compliment. Why does the Omaha Beach sequence still amaze after all these years? Because it represents the horrors of war in purely visual terms. There is no dramatic logic, only chaos; bodies and limbs flying everywhere, soldiers whimpering and screaming. There are no allied soldiers and Nazis, just people trying to survive. The rest of the film with all its carefully calculated drama doesn’t come within a country mile of effectively conveying the same sense of horror.

Lucas Versantvoort
http://deepfocusreviews.blogspot.nl… Expand
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10
MattchewHawkSep 7, 2022
This movie is just stunning. The story, the effect, the atmosphere and the performances are just perfect. The pacing and action sequences are done so well. I watch this movie at least once a year and I see it as a tradition that will keep upThis movie is just stunning. The story, the effect, the atmosphere and the performances are just perfect. The pacing and action sequences are done so well. I watch this movie at least once a year and I see it as a tradition that will keep up for some time.… Expand
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10
kelvinmendezDec 28, 2016
This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. In my opinion, this is the best war film ever made, the opening scene .... my god the most realistic war battle I've ever seen. IMO Spielberg's best work… Expand
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10
smiyamotNov 29, 2015
An anti-war movie showing the needless deaths of a squad of soldiers trying to save one soldier whose other brothers have all been killed. I didn't know things like this happened during WW2. We see a humanitarian gesture repaid by death.An anti-war movie showing the needless deaths of a squad of soldiers trying to save one soldier whose other brothers have all been killed. I didn't know things like this happened during WW2. We see a humanitarian gesture repaid by death. Who said "War is Hell"? I don't have many DVDs but this one is in my collection.… Expand
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10
RavenoiPLNov 30, 2015
BEST.FILM./MOVIE.EVER.

Seriously. It's like you need great example of 11/10 film. And, of course II World War was one of my favorite topics in school. You will love moments, when from Idyllic calm action goes to shooting. In my opinion itBEST.FILM./MOVIE.EVER.

Seriously. It's like you need great example of 11/10 film. And, of course II World War was one of my favorite topics in school. You will love moments, when from Idyllic calm action goes to shooting. In my opinion it is great.… Expand
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9
EpicLadySpongeJan 19, 2016
It doesn't take completely like almost hours for the movie to finish up without hating on it or being bored of it. Likely, Saving Private Ryan is a success that lives up the name of war.
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10
RatedRexAug 30, 2023
Besides a couple of implausible situations midway through the film, "Saving Private Ryan" is a masterpiece of storytelling, set productions, and directing. It's my second-greatest war movie of all time.
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9
MovieManiac1994Jan 4, 2016
Despite receiving universal critical praise in the US, Saving Private Ryan is not as perfect as everyone's claiming. Yet Spielberg's fourth foray into World War Two does deserve much of the hype, as it contains the most believably shockingDespite receiving universal critical praise in the US, Saving Private Ryan is not as perfect as everyone's claiming. Yet Spielberg's fourth foray into World War Two does deserve much of the hype, as it contains the most believably shocking combat sequences ever seen. It's also the kind of movie that attracts review quotes which pant: "Powerful, honest, moving..." But is this description accurate?

Without doubt, the intensity, attention to detail and sheer volume of combat footage make it a powerful and disturbing experience. The opening 25-minute Omaha Beach battle may be the largest in scale, but it's a blip compared with the closing conflict, which rages for 50 minutes. Around half the total running-time is combat.

And what combat it is, with the visceral madness of warfare highlighted by a jittery hand-held documentary style. Shots of wildly differing exposures are cut together as the viewpoint trips and stumbles across the battlefield without pause to wipe mud, blood and water off the lens. The way each dismemberment and explosion is almost missed gives the impression that Spielberg is capturing only a fraction of the carnage.

Omaha Beach is a shambolic strip of misery bordered on one side by barbed wire and on the other by red waves and dead fish. Soldiers are burned up or chopped into meaty slabs rather than being punched by neat Hollywood holes. Ryan's war is relentless and breathtaking, its battle scenes an exemplary example of faultless movie-making.

But whether or not this is an honest account of World War Two is some-thing the glowing American reviews have ignored. And although the combat realism and period authenticity can't be questioned, other things will stick in the throats of non-American audiences.

Take the no-show of any Allies. While this is forgivable for Omaha Beach (a uniquely American cock-up), it's harder to explain as Captain Miller's eight-man unit move inland. Where are the British, the French, the Polish or the Canadians?

German audiences will likewise be weary at the continuing portrayal of the `master race'. The Americans are a likable blend of doe-eyed teenagers, corn-fed midwesterners and Deep South good ol' boys. When they're killed it's tragic, when they're wounded they cry out for water, morphine or their mothers. But when a German's killed, it's just another dead Nazi, shot down despite his shaven-head, jutting square jaw and piercing, blue eyes. An unbiased historical document? Yeah, right.

Is Saving Private Ryan moving? Unaccountably, no. Beyond the horror of the visuals, the intervening hours fail to tug the heart strings. We're given a single defined sympathetic character, Hanks' Captain Miller. His inner torment is etched on Hanks' face in what must be another Oscar nominee role. But his unit are presented as a sketchy band of combat clichés: a cocky New Yorker, the dependable Sarge, a whining Jewish kid and a cowardly translator. As Ryan, Damon has barely a scene to act before he's plunged into the fighting.

The 'plot' is nothing more than a sequence of events glued together. Between the opening and closing mini-apocalypses, there's a slow-paced, occasionally dull and average meander that pales in comparison with many older war movies. That Edward Zwick's brilliant Glory packs a dozen rounded characters, three massive battles and heart-swelling scenes of horror, courage and sacrifice into two hours really does expose Saving Private Ryan as a bloated and frequently empty experience.

The end result is frustratingly patchy, equally brilliant and lacklustre, and delivers a profoundly mixed message. Are we meant to think that war is an impersonal meat-grinder as in the opening battle, or that a few good men can make a difference, as in the climax? Spielberg set out to make the definitive war movie. He ended up making a grown-up Indiana Jones film with several must-see combat scenes.

Spielberg's triumph is to confront a blood-lust audience and make them flinch at the horror of non-Hollywood reality. But this is no Schindler's List. Technically, it may be the best-made war movie yet, but dramatically, it barely delivers.… Expand
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9
PachekoviskMar 16, 2016
EXCELLENT
The Best World War II movie I've seen yet and one of Spielberg's best.
It' just a great and realistic war epic that will be remembered forever.
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9
MovieMasterEdMar 22, 2016
You can forget both the creepy "The Last Great Invasion Of The Last Great War" tagline and the slow-motion, feel-good trailers created for Steven Spielberg's Saving Private Ryan. They're advertising a different movie. Saving Private Ryan is aYou can forget both the creepy "The Last Great Invasion Of The Last Great War" tagline and the slow-motion, feel-good trailers created for Steven Spielberg's Saving Private Ryan. They're advertising a different movie. Saving Private Ryan is a brutal film, free of the gooey-eyed romanticism suggested by its promotional campaign. In fact, large portions of Saving Private Ryan are given to calling into question the attitudes played upon by its ads. Tom Hanks plays an American army captain who, after taking part in the invasion of Normandy—portrayed here in what are likely some of the most viscerally affecting scenes ever put to film—is ordered to find the titular Private Ryan (Matt Damon), a paratrooper whose whereabouts are unknown, and whose three brothers have died in the war. As they travel deeper into the war zone, the soldiers Hanks leads on the mission (Edward Burns, Tom Sizemore, Adam Goldberg, Jeremy Davies, and others) question their public-relations-oriented task. Packed with about as many moral ambiguities as a Spielberg movie can handle, Saving Private Ryan provides a startling grunt's-eye view of war, refusing to subscribe to simplistic, blindly patriotic notions of honor and duty while working toward an understanding of what those words really mean. Of the many fine supporting performances, Davies (Spanking The Monkey, Going All The Way) is particularly notable as a dangerously innocent translator. By the time Saving Private Ryan wins the Best Picture Oscar next year, it will probably be smothered in the sort of overstated, reverent praise that can obscure any movie, no matter how good. Calling it the greatest war movie ever made does a disservice to other, equally worthwhile, lower-profile films (Sam Fuller's The Big Red One, for instance). But it's still an excellent movie, as effective in battle scenes as it is in that of soldiers ruminating on an Edith Piaf song. It should be seen for what it is while it still can be.… Expand
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9
ThatGoonerMar 31, 2016
What a stunning piece of film by Spielberg who pulled yet another show-stopper with this one, and although I'm very much late to the crowd, that matter certainly did not take away from how breathtaking this film really is. From the openingWhat a stunning piece of film by Spielberg who pulled yet another show-stopper with this one, and although I'm very much late to the crowd, that matter certainly did not take away from how breathtaking this film really is. From the opening scenes to the final scenes, from start to finish you're enthralled in this battlefield full of non-stop action and guns and despite the continuous carnage, you remain engaged and that comes down to the phenomenal cast list, which features the talents of Hanks, Damon, Cranston, Vin Diesel and many, many more that tie together to form such a chemistry that you feel a connection, a sense of empowerment and togetherness about it all. Not only this, but you have the dynamic techniques used in the way that this is film and the epanalepsis of this blurred vision for Miller when it seems as though all is lost. It's a film that really has you on the edge of your seat and despite it all being for one mere soldier, who's family have looked death right in the eye, it keeps you going and wanting to know how this will all unravel. There's only so much I can say, and that certainly doesn't imply that that is a bad thing because this movie has quickly become one of my favourites of all time.

So, if you're a late viewer like me and your yet to watch this marvel of film by Spielberg then be sure to free a night and sit back and enjoy a masterclass in film-making because it is something to behold, that's for sure.… Expand
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9
FilmClubMar 27, 2016
Saving Private Ryan” relates the kind of wartime stories that fathers never tell their families. A searingly visceral combat picture, Steven Spielberg’s third World War II drama is arguably second to none as a vivid, realistic and bloodySaving Private Ryan” relates the kind of wartime stories that fathers never tell their families. A searingly visceral combat picture, Steven Spielberg’s third World War II drama is arguably second to none as a vivid, realistic and bloody portrait of armed conflict, as well as a generally effective intimate drama about a handful of men on a mission of debatable value in the middle of the war’s decisive action.

Plunging the viewer headlong into battle in a manner akin to some of the more intense Vietnam films, such as “Platoon,” “Full Metal Jacket” and “Hamburger Hill,” but quite rare for a World War II drama, Spielberg wrenchingly presents combat from the grunt’s p.o.v. as it is fought inch by inch, bullet by bullet, in all its arbitrariness and surreality. Whatever else there is to say about the picture, what remains in the mind is the transforming fear, the sound of ammunition ripping into flesh and metal, the sight of bodies being blown apart, the relentlessness of the pressure and tension, the immense suffering, the feeling of always being on the brink. In retrospect, qualities such as heroism and bravery can be ascribed to the actions of soldiers, the film suggests, but in the moment there is only necessity.

After a brief prologue featuring an older man silently leading his family into the vast military cemetery at Omaha Beach in Normandy, pic drops the audience onto a U.S. landing craft getting ready to unload the first GIs to hit the beach on June 6, 1944. From the opening moments, the anxiety and fiercely discomforting conditions are underlined, and as soon as the gate opens, the German artillery comes raining down.

Many men are mowed down before they can take three steps, but Capt. John Miller (Tom Hanks) and his squad — Sgt. Horvath (Tom Sizemore), Pvts. Reiben (Edward Burns), Jackson (Barry Pepper), Mellish (Adam Goldberg) and Caparzo (Vin Diesel) and Medic Wade (Giovanni Ribisi) — painstakingly make it past the many obstacles and are finally able to take one of the enemy’s concrete pillboxes on top of the bluff. Nonstop action lasts 24 minutes, and every one of them is infinitely more intense than anything in the standard work on D-Day, “The Longest Day.”

Robert Rodat’s original screenplay thus transforms to a mission format. Taking on a skinny, timid translator, Cpl. Upham (Jeremy Davies), who has never seen combat, the group, which has previously seen action in North Africa and Italy, treads gingerly through territory that is still riddled with Nazis, as they discover when they come upon a bombed-out village and the first of them is killed.

Such tentative attempts at philosophizing and stabs at profundity succeed in raising some issues that aren’t often considered these days, but they still don’t begin to lend the film the kind of weight in the intellectual arena that would match the action of its purely physical sequences.

Unquestionably, the picture strives to delineate a morality of decency and righteousness in a context defined by hate and inhumanity, but the speechifying here can’t compare in power to the brute force of warfare, which is sufficient commentary by itself.

Finally, nearly two hours in, the squad locates Pvt. Ryan (Matt Damon), who complicates the mission even further by refusing to return, insisting that he has orders of his own to continue fighting. As it happens, a devastated village nearby contains a bridge that must be held, and Miller orders Ryan to stay by him as they try to prevent the Nazis from taking it. What follows is yet another ferocious and protracted battle sequence, small in scale and numbers but gripping in its details, surprises and the way the chaos of fighting is strikingly conveyed. Epilogue connects once again to the personal tribute being paid by the contemporary visitor to Normandy.

Using his technical virtuosity to the utmost, Spielberg is pushing here to claim new ground for himself and for a revival of the World War II film, and scores strongly on both counts. Opting out of the black-and-white of “Schindler’s List” and the longstanding images of the war, Spielberg and cinematographer Janusz Kaminski have desaturated the color in a way that strikingly emphasizes the pale greens of the uniforms and landscapes, blue-grays of the water and skies, and flesh tones; in this context, the red of the blood always jumps out. Frequent hand-held shots add to the intimacy and impact, while a shuttering device makes some of the action appear a bit jumpy, even pixilated, creating an effect that is both ultra-vivid and somewhat jarring.

John Williams’ score is sparing, with music avoided entirely for long stretches but coming into its own elsewhere, notably over the final credits.

Essentially, Spielberg has made an amazing piece of pure, visceral cinema, akin to a great silent film, in which the words are basically superfluous. No further commentary is needed when the raw brutality of combat is presented as indelibly as it is here.… Expand
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9
MovieMasterEddyApr 4, 2016
'Saving Private Ryan': A Soberly Magnificent New War Film.

When soldiers are killed in "Saving Private Ryan," their comrades carefully preserve any message he left behind. Removed from the corpses of the newly dead, sometimes copied over'Saving Private Ryan': A Soberly Magnificent New War Film.

When soldiers are killed in "Saving Private Ryan," their comrades carefully preserve any message he left behind. Removed from the corpses of the newly dead, sometimes copied over to hide bloodstains, these writings surely describe some of the fury of combat, the essence of spontaneous courage, the craving for solace, the bizarre routines of wartime existence, the deep loneliness of life on the brink.

Steven Spielberg's soberly magnificent new war film, the second such pinnacle in a career of magical versatility, has been made in the same spirit of urgent communication. It is the ultimate devastating letter home.

Since the end of World War II and the virtual death of the western, the combat film has disintegrated into a showcase for swagger, cynicism, obscenely overblown violence and hollow, self-serving victories. Now, with stunning efficacy, Spielberg turns back the clock. He restores passion and meaning to the genre with such whirlwind force that he seems to reimagine it entirely, dazzling with the breadth and intensity of that imagination. No received notions, dramatic or ideological, intrude on this achievement. This film simply looks at war as if war had not been looked at before.

Though the experience it recounts is grueling, the viscerally enthralling "Saving Private Ryan" is anything but. As he did in "Schindler's List," Spielberg uses his preternatural storytelling gifts to personalize the unimaginable, to create instantly empathetic characters and to hold an audience spellbound from the moment the action starts. Though the film essentially begins and ends with staggering, phenomenally agile battle sequences and contains isolated violent tragedies in between, its vision of combat is never allowed to grow numbing. Like the soldiers, viewers are made furiously alive to each new crisis and never free to rest.

The film's immense dignity is its signal characteristic, and some of it is achieved though deliberate elision. We don't know anything about these men as they prepare to land at Omaha Beach on D-Day, which might make them featureless in the hands of a less intuitive filmmaker. Here, it means that any filter between audience and cataclysm has effectively been taken away.

The one glimmer of auxiliary information is the image of an elderly visitor at a military cemetery, which opens and closes the film (though these brief sequences lack the film's otherwise shattering verisimilitude). Whoever the man is, he sees the gravestones and drifts into D-Day memories. On the evidence of what follows, he can hardly have gone to sleep since June 6, 1944, without reliving these horrors in his dreams.

Though "Saving Private Ryan" is liable to be described as extremely violent for its battle re-enactments, that is not quite the case. The battle scenes avoid conventional suspense and sensationalism; they disturb not by being manipulative but by being hellishly frank. Imagine Hieronymus Bosch with a Steadicam (instead of the immensely talented Janusz Kaminski), and you have some idea of the tableaux to emerge here, as the film explodes into panoramic yet intimate visions of bloodshed.

What's unusual about this, in both the D-Day sequence and the closing struggle, is its terrifying reportorial candor. These scenes have a sensory fullness (the soundtrack is boomingly chaotic yet astonishingly detailed), a realistic yet breakneck pace, a ceaseless momentum and a vast visual scope. Artful, tumultuous warfare choreography heightens the intensity. So do editing decisions that balance the ordeal of the individual with the mass attack under way.

In another beautifully choreographed sequence, shot with obvious freshness and alacrity, the soldiers talk while marching though the French countryside. On the way, they establish strong individual identities and raise the film's underlying questions about the meaning of sacrifice. Spielberg and screenwriter Robert Rodat have a way of taking these standard-issue characters and making them unaccountably compelling.

The sparing use of John Williams' music sustains the tension in scenes, like these, that need no extra emphasis. But "Saving Private Ryan" does have a very few false notes. Like the cemetery scenes, the capture of a German soldier takes a turn for the artificial, especially when the man expresses his desperation through broad clowning. But in context, such a jarring touch is actually a relief. It's a reminder that, after all, "Saving Private Ryan" is only a movie. Only the finest war movie of our time.… Expand
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10
MasterRileyJul 28, 2016
Saving Private Ryan does an incredible job at depicting what WW2 was like and the effects it had. The movie beautifully immerses you into each battle through its cinematography, great performances, practical sets and effects, and productionSaving Private Ryan does an incredible job at depicting what WW2 was like and the effects it had. The movie beautifully immerses you into each battle through its cinematography, great performances, practical sets and effects, and production design. The direction, writing, and music are all top notch as well. This is a must see movie for all.… Expand
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10
alejandro970Jul 3, 2020
The battle of June the 6, in Normandy, told with elements of fiction about the search for a lost soldier in action. Everything is narrated without deviating from the historical text, with dramatic and combat sequences that never lose stamina.The battle of June the 6, in Normandy, told with elements of fiction about the search for a lost soldier in action. Everything is narrated without deviating from the historical text, with dramatic and combat sequences that never lose stamina. Some of the best from Spielberg.… Expand
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10
eva3si0nJun 29, 2018
The best movie about war on the western front of World War II. A standard by which any military movie of Hollywood has to be guided. One of the best roles of Tom Hanks. D-Day in the movie is presented as the greatest battle of World War II.The best movie about war on the western front of World War II. A standard by which any military movie of Hollywood has to be guided. One of the best roles of Tom Hanks. D-Day in the movie is presented as the greatest battle of World War II. Even it is terrible to present what would be if Spielberg picturized the Stalingrad or Kursk battle. And still giving of such events is more successful for series, Band of Brothers to that the proof. 3 hours aren't enough to become attached to characters and to few screenwriter to work out key characters.… Expand
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10
CoralGrimesDec 10, 2016
Absolutely amazing, there is nothing else to say, their absolutely nothing wrong with this movie. Left me speechless.A real tear jerker, shows that war really is hell.
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10
areslol1Feb 16, 2017
Absolutely. Amazing. Saving Private Ryan is perfect in every single way. Its effects are astoundingly realistic. The visuals are amazing and a star-studded cast with an interesting plot adds icing to the cake. Its amazing how thought-out,Absolutely. Amazing. Saving Private Ryan is perfect in every single way. Its effects are astoundingly realistic. The visuals are amazing and a star-studded cast with an interesting plot adds icing to the cake. Its amazing how thought-out, detailed, and historically accurate the movie is. One of the best war movies ever.… Expand
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10
JPKJul 8, 2019
One Of The Best War Movies Ever Made
Saving Private Ryan is definitely one of the top 5 best films directed by Spielberg.
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10
Dragonfly44Nov 27, 2017
This movie is brutally wonderful. It captures war perfectly and the great acting along with amazing visuals give this movie a great vibe despite the dark story.
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8
sooper_walrusAug 29, 2017
There is no doubt that Saving Private Ryan is a great film. The highlight of the film is most definitely the cast, which could quite literally not be better. The film is a terrifyingly real, visceral view into the lives of soldiers duringThere is no doubt that Saving Private Ryan is a great film. The highlight of the film is most definitely the cast, which could quite literally not be better. The film is a terrifyingly real, visceral view into the lives of soldiers during World War II, and you find yourself pulled into the action whether you want to be or not. It almost feels a little too real, at times. It's horrifying, but effective and fascinating. However, Saving Private Ryan's biggest flaw lies in its pacing. The film begins with the brilliant D-Day sequence, which is a masterpiece in itself. Unfortunately, that is the best, most exciting scene in the entire film. After that long action-packed scene, the movie quickly tapers off into a much more subdued take on the lives of soldiers. The action is spread out and underwhelming, and though the main characters are definitely well-rounded and multi-faceted, you can't help but feel disappointed that none of the rest of the film lives up to the first scene. Nevertheless, this movie is a must-see, and one of Spielberg's greatest works.… Expand
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10
KevinChau5Apr 18, 2018
Best War film! Loved the ensemble members of the cast, I would consider seeing it if you guys haven't seen it!
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10
BlinkerNov 29, 2017
I had always been studying and learning about World War 2, to the point I have finally become a World War 2 buff, and whenever I hear about a ‘Good World War 2 movie’, this movie has always been called ‘the World War 2 movie’. So I decided toI had always been studying and learning about World War 2, to the point I have finally become a World War 2 buff, and whenever I hear about a ‘Good World War 2 movie’, this movie has always been called ‘the World War 2 movie’. So I decided to check it out...

After watching this movie, I am exceptionally astounded by it! First, the story. The story provides the audience a feeling pf comradery with the characters, I always feel on edge when I see a main character in danger. Second, the visuals. The Visuals were always in their high point in the combat moments, especially D-Day, I felt the horrors of war and the effects of war in the eyes of a soldier in this movie.

I wish I can lost down more things about this movie, but I believe that it truly deserves 10/10 from me.… Expand
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10
TheRussianatorDec 18, 2017
A dark, realistic, and very inspirational, Steven Spielberg's Saving Private Ryan is a masterpiece of cinema and another example of Spielberg's ability to create a classic, which will always be considered one of the best movies ever made.
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9
Popcorn55Jun 8, 2019
Groundbreaking must-see war film, which in parts crosses the line from entertainment to immersive simulation -- enough so that several combat sequences, when seen for the first time in a theater, actually begin to induce subliminal panic andGroundbreaking must-see war film, which in parts crosses the line from entertainment to immersive simulation -- enough so that several combat sequences, when seen for the first time in a theater, actually begin to induce subliminal panic and distress for the fully-engaged audience.

At the time it was released, people in the theater expected a typical glorified war epic. So for many, the raw carnage of the opening sequence was a shock, outside the bounds of what they'd seen on screen before. Yet this is not the end of the terrors of this film. Much later on, when the squad is resting at last in the ruined town having accomplished their primary mission, we think (somewhat gratefully) that it's over and credits are about to roll.

Then we hear the TANKS.

Clanking in the distance, getting louder as they approach. German tanks. And then, for the exhausted viewer, begins another relentless, nonstop, seemingly endless combat sequence every bit as brutal as the opening scenes. By the time it was finally over, when I first saw this, there were people crying in the audience, not from sentimentality but from nervous reaction.

Of course times and expectations have changed, so this won't have the impact on DVD in your living room that it did at the time of release on the big screen with a big sound system.

Some of the secondary characters and minor sub-plots feel unnecessary and should have been trimmed; they bring a slight corniness to some of the middle of this story. And, the present-era intro and outro scenes tend to distance and defuse the otherwise overwhelming experience. But these are small flaws in a great film.… Expand
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10
hardcorekiddJun 22, 2018
Captain John Miller (Tom Hanks) takes his men behind enemy lines to find Private James Ryan, whose three brothers have been killed in combat. Surrounded by the brutal realties of war, while searching for Ryan, each man embarks upon a personalCaptain John Miller (Tom Hanks) takes his men behind enemy lines to find Private James Ryan, whose three brothers have been killed in combat. Surrounded by the brutal realties of war, while searching for Ryan, each man embarks upon a personal journey and discovers their own strength to triumph over an uncertain future with honor, decency and courage. Anchored by another winning performance from Tom Hanks, Steven Spielberg's unflinchingly realistic war film virtually redefines the genre. Final Grade is an A+.… Expand
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9
FilipeNetoDec 1, 2019
A solid film, very well made, but with some weaknesses.

This film is located in Northern France during the Allied landing in Normandy and the weeks following it. According to the script, after the death of three brothers in combat (two inA solid film, very well made, but with some weaknesses.

This film is located in Northern France during the Allied landing in Normandy and the weeks following it. According to the script, after the death of three brothers in combat (two in Normandy and one in the Pacific), the US Army decides to send a detachment with the mission of finding the last brother, who was launched with an infantry company. Skydiver somewhere in northern France. Only recently, after some research, did I discover that the film was based, very slightly, on a real event. The script is good, full of action scenes and will surely delight the lovers of war movies and WWII movies. Personally, I highlight the opening scenes, in which "D-Day" was recreated in all its raw glory, and the final part, where it all comes together in an almost perfect climax of action.

The director's chair was taken by iconic Steven Spielberg, who is spotless once again. He is one of those directors who no longer has to prove anything. More than established, he was already one of the best directors of our time when he directed this movie. Even so, he did not cease to strive and to provide us with careful, attentive and thoughtful direction. At his side, in the starring role, Tom Hanks in one of the films that marked his career. Hanks is a renowned actor. Attentive to detail and emotional when it has to be, she shone once more, earning another Oscar nomination for Best Actor (though attributed to the equally remarkable Roberto Benigni, in one of the most hilarious and emotional moments the Academy ceremony has ever seen. in many decades). The supporting cast is equally good, containing names like Tom Sizemore, Edward Burns, Vin Diesel, Giovanni Ribisi, Matt Damon, Paul Giamatti, etc. Actors who, as we can see, are established and generally have solid careers today.

The film shone equally on the technical details. It's a Spielberg movie, and we couldn't expect anything else. Let's look at the careful way in which the historical details were mostly recreated. The uniforms, military equipment, combat tactics were all carefully studied, and despite some flaws (such as the predominance of the Americans and the absence of other allies in the theater of war), all went well. I especially liked that they used the German language for the German soldiers. I also highlight the excellent photography, with breathtaking scenes and original camera angles (one moment we are looking through a sniper sight, and the next moment a bullet crosses that same sight towards us, to name but a few). an example), as well as the sound effects, with all those absolutely realistic bullet sounds and shots. The characterization, the special effects, the soundtrack ... all meticulously well done.

Personally, I liked this movie a lot. It's one of those movies that I like to see again after a few years, but which has disappeared without a trace of the television circuit, perhaps because of its length and the fact that it is no longer a new movie. It also has some minor flaws, such as some concessions to sentimental lamechas and scenes of strong emotional appeal, but I confess that I handled it very well. The scene that seemed to me the most out of context was, in fact, a passage involving a French family with their young children. Another problem with this movie is that, with the exception of the character of Hanks, most of the characters have been underdeveloped and the actors have little to work with, just playing wars.

This movie has garnered several awards. Of all, I highlight his good performance at this year's Oscars, with five statuettes collected in the technical categories (Best Director, Best Cinematography, Best Edition, Best Sound and Best Sound Effects). He also won the Golden Globe for Best Dramatic Film.… Expand
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9
merijnjFeb 21, 2018
(95/100)
A very realistic and strong story about friendship doubt of authority and leadership.
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10
AnnyunOct 25, 2018
This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Amazing movie. The opening Omaha beach scene's filming felt so realistic. The lighting in the movie was perfect and the acting was just amazingly amazing. Every battle scene is well choreographed. It's definitely a must see… Expand
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9
Cristofer21Aug 1, 2018
Saving Private Ryan is the best War movie in the history (Sorry Apocalypse Now).
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9
MartyMcFlyOct 2, 2018
My score 99
Metascore / User score 90 / 89
Tomatometer / Audience score 93 / 95
IMDB 86
(92)
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10
FragBaixoOct 7, 2018
excelente filme sobre a segunda guerra mundial,música,elenco,enredo,história, tudo muito bom.
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9
quadartDec 8, 2018
2nd best movie ever made only surpassed by Stanley kubricks masterpeace eyes wide shut. awesome movie because it shows the awesome shooting and fighting and explosions. the only downside is it does not contain female nudity and/or shapely2nd best movie ever made only surpassed by Stanley kubricks masterpeace eyes wide shut. awesome movie because it shows the awesome shooting and fighting and explosions. the only downside is it does not contain female nudity and/or shapely rear ends. overall I give this a 9.5 out of 10 because it is awesome… Expand
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9
zNeverSleepingJan 22, 2020
Direção e cinematografia bem estruturados; fotografia linda; cast interessante; atuações variam, sendo umas boas e outras... nem tanto; Personagens carismáticos, principalmente o Cap John Miller, que foi bem construído; Cenários e figurinosDireção e cinematografia bem estruturados; fotografia linda; cast interessante; atuações variam, sendo umas boas e outras... nem tanto; Personagens carismáticos, principalmente o Cap John Miller, que foi bem construído; Cenários e figurinos são excelentes; Os momentos de alivio cômico são hilários e o realismo que foi bem retratado quanto a crueldade da guerra, apesar de não ser o foco.
9/10… Expand
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10
mamad96Aug 3, 2019
that really impressed me. no matter how impassive you are, you'll cry with the movie. if i have to chose only three words to describe it, that would be EPIC, BRILLIANT EMOTIONAL, and that's it!
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10
BradMorganMay 1, 2020
Unbelievable what one endured during this terrible time. This film is a pearl within the genre. A realistic look at the suffering and brotherhood that culminates in an incredibly emotional ending. 22 years after its release, I decided toUnbelievable what one endured during this terrible time. This film is a pearl within the genre. A realistic look at the suffering and brotherhood that culminates in an incredibly emotional ending. 22 years after its release, I decided to watch this movie and it was amazing. a must-see!… Expand
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10
RobwinzJul 28, 2020
The most horrific, bloody and gory war movie going and I'd honestly say it's probably one of the best war movies I've ever seen.
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10
Onlyclassicvg1Sep 21, 2022
olid Snake returns in Metal Gear Solid 2: Substance, the expanded edition of Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty with all-new game modes, hidden characters and storylines. Top-secret weapons technology is being mysteriously transported underolid Snake returns in Metal Gear Solid 2: Substance, the expanded edition of Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty with all-new game modes, hidden characters and storylines. Top-secret weapons technology is being mysteriously transported under cover of an oil tanker to an unknown destinatio… Expand
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10
Toasty87Jul 12, 2020
This is the film that shows the world Mr Hanks can be a serious actor brilliant from start to finish.
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7
Ryousei29Aug 20, 2020
Ignore this, i just wrote this in all my reviews to have in somewhere a list of all cottent thats i've saw or played in my life. Just that, sorry if you see this and you are looking for something seious.
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8
MrPajamasJun 28, 2023
I enjoy war movies, so this was an obvious choice. Finally, the classics are behind me. It was absolutely brilliant. Long, but it didn't bore me. It changed pace. One minute of action. One minute it's quiet. It would alternate like that andI enjoy war movies, so this was an obvious choice. Finally, the classics are behind me. It was absolutely brilliant. Long, but it didn't bore me. It changed pace. One minute of action. One minute it's quiet. It would alternate like that and then suddenly it would be over and I really enjoyed these almost 3 hours, especially the action sequences, which I really enjoyed and I thought were very well done. That's what won me over. With its excellent action, which stopped for a while, but then always came back in full force. Story-wise I wasn't particularly impressed, although I liked very much that it wasn't a fairy tale and that it was grittier. The main draw for me was the aforementioned action, of which there was plenty. A great film that I can recommend to fans of war themes.… Expand
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7
AJ_13Jul 10, 2021
It depicts greatly the rawness and violence of wars, even though being a bit long and too melodramatic at times.
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10
kartik1Nov 10, 2021
amazing movie.
visuals were great.
acting was superb of every actor.
it makes me think about what happened in WW 1 AND 2
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8
JJ2FAS4UDec 29, 2021
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8
AgentLviJul 5, 2023
Great movie. The story is decent. The scoring is great, visual is really amazing, the voice & sound is also amazing
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10
liamexeAug 8, 2022
This is unquestionably the greatest war film I have ever seen! Every time I watch it, I can't help but cry, and just thinking about it gives me goosebumps. What makes it so exceptional is that "Private Ryan" seems to have understood the valueThis is unquestionably the greatest war film I have ever seen! Every time I watch it, I can't help but cry, and just thinking about it gives me goosebumps. What makes it so exceptional is that "Private Ryan" seems to have understood the value of "EARN THIS!" and appears to have truly respected a dying man's request. Regarding the movie sequences All due respect to Steven Spielberg, whose talent makes it seem as though he was present.… Expand
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9
HappyliveMay 7, 2022
savaş filmlerinin piri gerçekçi gerilim dolu sahneleri ile savaşın acımasız yanları bir bir anlatan destansı filmdir.
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10
MaveriicJul 16, 2022
It's a masterpiece. The gruesome scenes that accurately depict the horrors of war do make you realise how devastating a war is not just at national level but at personal level as well. The actors were splendid and I couldn't keep my eyes offIt's a masterpiece. The gruesome scenes that accurately depict the horrors of war do make you realise how devastating a war is not just at national level but at personal level as well. The actors were splendid and I couldn't keep my eyes off the screen.… Expand
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9
Richard552Aug 10, 2022
No need to say about film scenes, you live together with this film.
$1 to buy a Netflix account, Google search: vtvshare
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10
AmadouIraklidisNov 10, 2022
Really good movie. Incredibly good action, compelling story, good characters, compacted plot. Incredible, iconic scenes.
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10
AravghostthisedMay 14, 2023
I just rewatched this film, well... it is a masterpiece of a film. I love how the ope. scene of Norman beach so good
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9
RockvalevolMay 12, 2023
Probably the most realistic war movies of all time. My grandfather fought in WW2 and never talked about it. But when he watched this movie. He broke down and started talking about it. If that doesn't say something. I don't know what does.
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9
Rockvalevol1May 17, 2023
One of the best war movies of all time. Veterans beware. This movie made my grandfather bring back memories of WW2. He never talked about it until watching this movie.
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8
nikos3194Jul 24, 2023
One of the best war movies ever made in the movie history, since is very realistic and shows how the war is very ugly and there’s nothing heroic about it.
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10
anddiazSep 2, 2023
The battle for Normandy is one of the most realistic ones in movies, a must-see for the people that like world war 2 stuffs.
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