Well, what can I say? Graphic? Sentimental? This is the American war movie. I don't know how anyone could top it. There is graphic violence, a motley cross section of American society, a sentimental mission and a courageous "Alamo" of a last stand using good old American ingenuity.
We all know the plot, we all know the story, hell, we've all seen it five times. The problem is, this is a franchise. We saw this movie when we watched The Guns of Navarone, The Devil's Brigade, and others. The opening scenes are epic, but unlike A Bridge too Far, the movie is not epic. It turns the minor - a side show of a side show into an epic. Classic Hollywood!
The characters are none too heroic, they are just doing their job. In fact some are completely un-heroic. Of course, they come from all over the USA and they all long for the life back home.
The film turns into a giant allegory. The small platoon is out to risk their lives so that some other might live. It is a great sacrifice, and the band of brothers would not be doing it if the cause wasn't so great. Of course they are reluctant, but in the end they see the nobility of the cause.
One cannot escape the graphic opening scenes. They are so graphic that they are unreal. A friend of mine, who landed at Juno Beach, told me that he laughed at the opening scene. He said "bullets don't make a mess like that, they go through you, make holes and you fall down." These protests aside, the sense of violence, destruction and chaos is unequalled.
Putting this all together, it doesn't say too much about war that is not tivial or the self-congratulations of a Johnny come lately. Violence and noble sacrifice are very important parts of war. Saving Private Ryan just reinforces the obvious to such an undeniable extent.
Well filmed, good acting, and half decent characters. Not bad. The best of one genre of a genre.
On the official Chris' Choice scale Saving Private Ryan gets four stara.
****
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