Saving Private Ryan (DVD, 1999, Special Limited Edition)

Director Steven Spielberg's World War II tour de force chronicles the journey of a GI squad on a dangerous mission behind enemy lines. Led by Captain John Miller (Tom Hanks), the unit is under orders to track down a soldier, Private Ryan (Matt Damon), so he might return home to his mother in America, where she is grieving the unimaginable loss of her three other sons to the war. The first unforgettable 20 minutes of SAVING PRIVATE RYAN realistically and horrifically depicts the Normandy invasion as Miller. his second-in-command, Sergeant Horvath (Tom Sizemore), and the others in the unit land at Omaha Beach. Before the film began shooting, Hanks and the actors in his squad went through a one-week boot camp in the woods. All the actors, except Hanks, wanted to quit, but Hanks rallied their spirits by reminding them of the incredible tribulations endured by the real veterans of World War II. Production designer Tom Sanders found a beach in Ireland that perfectly matched the landscape of Normandy’s. Spielberg gave great credit to the Irish army who helped re-create the Omaha Beach scenes.

On June 6th, 1944, The Marines stormed the beaches of Normandy for one reason, to take back the strongholds that the Germans had on the coastline. We had to stamp out this sore on land and we had to do it hard and fast. I couldn't even imagine that this had to be done then, as well as I didn't imagine 19 years before I was born that I might not have had that chance of being born, but I did.

My own grandfather served in the Army in the Alaskan chain of islands for a tour and was soon to be shipped out to fight for the battle of the bulge as well. My grandfather became ill with a kidney infection and just missed his company getting shipped out. Thusly, my mother had a father at home after the war ended, and I actually did get born.

Saving Private Ryan is a very powerful film depicting a true to life situation to save a young Private who has to bare the burden of perhaps returning from the war and make some sense out of why he survived and his brothers all died in the call of duty. Private Ryan (Matt Damon) is first unaware of his brother's demise, but soon learns of the news about them all.

Director Steven Spielberg depicts a larger than life size story about the means to an end to lead a squad of men into a dangerous zone behind enemy lines, just to rescue this Ryan and get him back to his home. Captain John Miller (Tom Hanks) leads the unit whose orders are to track down Private Ryan return home where his mother is grieving the unimaginable loss of her three other sons to different battles of the war. The first unforgettable 20 minutes of SAVING PRIVATE RYAN realistically and horrifically depicts the Normandy invasion as Miller. his second-in-command, Sergeant Horvath (Tom Sizemore), and the others in the unit land at Omaha Beach.

Casting was probably the easiest part for the pre-production team, yet making the movie appear realistic was a definite challenge. Spielberg would have it no other way than true-to-life. That's why the film won so many academy awards.

I'll give this a 5/5 or 100% for its valiant men who died at the orders of their superiors for such an important cause they all finally related to in the end.

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Some people advise others to close their eyes during the long opening scene of Spielberg's Saving Private Ryan. That would be a mistake. Yes, it's carnage, it's horrible, it's relentless, it's bloody, it's random death, it's a portrayal of fear and courage and raw coincidence. But it's also one of the most powerful pieces of cinematography ever filmed.
There are many other scenes that have stayed with me during the years since I last saw this unforgettable film, perhaps Spielberg's best ever. Perhaps the most poignant one that comes immediately to mind is the woman whose sons are all away at war. She's on a remote farm, washing dishes, and thru her window she sees the dust of approaching cars. She goes outside to meet the visitors, tenses as she sees military brass and a chaplain step from the cars, then crumples wordlessly to the worn boards of her front porch as she tries to take in the news: all her boys have been killed, except for one: Private Ryan.
Another related scene, the one that came just before this one, is equally gut-wrenching (and in both scenes, there is no dialogue, just heart-stabbing visuals that are more powerful than any words could have been) as a woman charged with sending out letters of the We Regret to Inform You variety realizes that she's seen three letters with the same address within the past few days, and she takes this terrible proof to her supervisor - and thus is born the search for the surviving son, to bring him home to his momma.
Tom Hanks, with his own persona of morality and honesty, is perfectly cast as the good Captain Miller, a soldier's soldier charged with this onerous task, and of course there is terrible cost.
Saving Private Ryan is the film Spielberg HAD to make. Outstanding, in every possible way. Well rounded film to add to your DVD collection.

Personal Rating - 9.5 VERY SOLID!! If your a fan of war films this will make a terrific addition.

Realistically and horrifically depicts the Normandy invasion as Miller. his second-in-command, Sergeant Horvath (Tom Sizemore), and the others in the unit land at Omaha Beach !! Yes -- very much so !! This is an excellent movie !! I recommend this to anyone and tom Hanks is of course wonderful !! A great story for anyone wnating to see the realistic war scenes !!

Although based on a true incident of World War II, SAVING PRIVATE RYAN must add some fictional dramatic touches - one of which, if thought about too much, throws the whole story into a cocked hat.
More, in spite of good technical advice, the rescue squad commits many errors: carrying on loud conversations behind enemy lines; skylining themselves on a ridge (though it does make for a dramatic visual).
Is it the best war movie ever? It is, in the first twenty minutes, probably the most realistic. And there is a good (for the most part) narrative and even a moral.
But two things have always bothered me: the cowardice of the pacifist clerk and equating the death of the Jewish soldier with making love.
Serious flaws, but still a darned good movie.
Best ever? No. By the standards of the day (no movie ratings, so everything had to be "G")I'd still have to pick THE LONGEST DAY.