Saving Private Ryan [1998]

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Editorial reviews

Amazon.co.uk Review
Since its release in 1998, Steven Spielberg's D-Day drama Saving Private Ryan has become hugely influential: everything from the opening sequence of Gladiator ("Saving Marcus Aurelius") to the marvellous 10-hour TV series Band of Brothers has been made in its shadow. There have been many previous attempts to recreate the D-Day landings on screen (notably, the epic The Longest Day), but thanks to Spielberg's freewheeling hand-held camerawork, Ryan was the first time an audience really felt like they were there, storming up Omaha Beach in the face of withering enemy fire.

After the indelible opening sequence, however, the film is not without problems. The story, though based on an American Civil War incident, feels like it was concocted simply to fuel Spielberg's sentimental streak. In standard Hollywood fashion the Germans remain a faceless foe (with the exception of one charmless character who turns out to be both a coward and a turncoat); and the platoon, led by Tom Hanks, consists of far too many stereotypes: the doughty sergeant; the thick-necked private; the southern-man religious sniper; the cowardly corporal. Matt Damon seems improbably clean cut as the titular private in need of rescue (though that may well be the point); and why do they all run straight up that hill towards an enemy machine-gun post anyway?

Some non-US critics have complained that Ryan portrays only the American D-Day experience, but it is an American film made and financed by Americans after all. Accepting both its relatively narrow remit and its lachrymose inclinations, Saving Private Ryan deserves its place in the pantheon of great war pictures.

On the DVD: This DTS edition of Saving Private Ryan presents the movie with astonishingly vivid surround sound that is audibly superior to the standard Dolby Digital version. With a wider dynamic range and a more spacious soundfield, the battles really do spill over into your living room. There are new animated menus but because the DTS data stream requires greater space on the disc, the 30-minute behind-the-scenes documentary included on the previous release is omitted. --Mark Walker

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Customer reviews

review by: movie maniac date: 2008-10-14 rating:
brutal beach landing
the first 20 minutes of this film is mind blowing with the d-day beach landings where the soldiers just run into artillery fire and bombs it's so realistic it's frightning.
but then the action slows down has we follow the rescue mission , the cast all perform brilliantly and the "master" mr spielberg keeps us entertained throughout the journey but after the start to the film any other action scene's will obviously dissapoint.this film is a must buy for all war film fans just for the brutal battle scene's alone.

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review by: date: 2008-09-13 rating:
SAVING Private Ryan
Whatever you think of the story, the fact that one man is seen as so important that a relatively dangerous rescue mission is undertaken , involving ultimate sacrifice, the giving of ones life, to achieve the result. Surely this ist he greatest story ever told, that of Aslan in Narnia too, and Jesus Christ dying on a cross that an individual, namely YOU, can be brought home to safety. Tom Hanks' character, Saptain Miller does this ultimately in the film, and others do so along the way.
But there is more! The concept of grace is also dealt with in the film. Amidst all the anonymous killing, there comes out of the German ranks a gunner who Millers small band decide to release, rather than kill him on the spot. They are too small a force to take prisoners, so grace, an undeserved free gift of merit, is granted to the man, and he is told to walk away from them across a field. The story doesn't end there, as in the final tank battle scene, the SAME man has joined a rag-tag German unit and is now ernestly killing men from the group who earlier granted him his lfe and freedom!
This German has perhaps fallen from grace, as he has denied the freedom granted him, and continued as before. This is the other side of grace; when we have experienced forgiveness and freedom, we are obliged to live differently, out of deep thankfullness. This man should have sought to be like the pascifistic soldier in Miller/Ryans band who in the end is the one who (ironically) finishes this grace spurning mans life
Another more obvious element of Christian belief in the film is that of the cross-kissing sniper in Millers unit who prays reciting Psalm 23 as he zeros in on his intended victim, asking God to guide his hand. He may appear to many a contradiction, though not as much as if he had recited blessed bet he peacemakers..." instead. He ist he most clearly Christian character in the film, and clearly a Chritan who believes in the just war theory, and perhaps also the Protestant Work Ethic (although he appears to be Catholic) judging by the huge tally he works at chalking up. His works appear, however, not to be condoned or rewarded by the Lord Jesus Christ, as he is blown to smthereens attempting to take out a self propelled gun crew from the top of a church steeple (appropriately).
Saving Private Ryan has become the benchmark against which all other war films are measured, a must for a DVD collection. For Spielberg, only Schindlers List tops it.

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review by: le_saracen date: 2008-09-01 rating:
Entertainment
Entertaining first 20 minutes, well, on the Big Screen anyway, as on a TV screen sins the surround sound its merely ok!
And viewing it again - YAWN!

Apart from that? your typical American Tosh! Uncle Sam kicks ass, uncle Sam saves the day! - but it's entertaining though - everything from the bible bashing Super Sniper, Vin Diesel, a small group of yanks taking a brigade of crack German Grenadiers and Tiger Tanks on, your Yank superiority - and a dose of Brit dissing.

Is this a classic? NO! Best war film ever? NO! Historically accurate? NO (apart from some good props and use of the Tiger Tank) Are there better war films out there? YES! Many!

If you want some decent action and a couple hours entertainment, then this is for you.

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review by: date: 2008-07-02 rating:
The ultimate well crafted flag waver
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 and the death struggle between the Jewish Ranger and 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 allies) and the airbrushing out of the Anglo/Canadian part in the operation. It remains a terrific testament to the GI's on Omaha beach and is a brilliant all action war film. But be warned, it has all the historical accuracy of First Knight and should by no means be treated as a documentary.


review by: date: 2008-05-11 rating:
amazing film.
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.

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