Saving Private Ryan is a film both unforgettable and yet marvelous, in how it shows us how our fellow Americans fought for our country despite all odds and obstacles. Really we must give our fellow veterans our respect for putting their lives on the line for our country.
Saving Private Ryan is by far one of the most best looking war films in history, not only did Spielberg to go such lengths to make it as realistic as possible. One Example is when he sent the main cast to go to Boot Camp to prepare for the film. He re-creates the Omama Beach Landing, on June 1944, here the first 25 or so minutes, are simply breathtaking. Spielberg shows us no mercy in realizing the Harsh realities of war, seeing our own men being attacked. Those who have a weak stomach will find the first minutes of the movie to be unbearable.
Everything in the movie such as weapons and soldiers praying for life is believable, even at the beginning of the Beach Attack, you can feel the fear of the men as they know what awaits them. The Story centers around Captain John. H Miller played by Tom Hanks and his men. Sergeant Mike Horvath (Tom Sizemore), Private Richard Reiban (Edward Burns), Private Jackson (Barry Pepper), Private Mellish (Adam Goldberg), Private Adrian Caparzo (Vin Diesel), Medic Irwin Wade (Giovanni Ribisi), and Corporal Timothy E. Upham (Jeremy Davies).
Must set out to find Private James Ryan (Matt Damon) after losing all of his brothers, we see Miller and his men go through the stages a squad of soldiers would. Miller's personal life is such a mystery to his men that they try to figure it out, after Wade's death at the hands of a German (credited as "Steamboat Willie") he reveals himself to be a school teacher in Pennsylvania teaching English Composition. In order to calm a dispute between Horvath and Reiban.
Miller excells in Leadership as he takes every situation calmy and controllably yet being very tactical, this aids him in the final battle of the film which took place in Ramelle where he had an estimated 15-25 troops, taking on 50 Germain Soldiers along with a few tanks.
However only 2 of the eight men survive, that being Upham and Reiben. Miller, Jackson, Mellish, Caparzo, Horvath, and Wade perish in combat but manage to fullfill their duty. The acting in the film is superb, mainly in Hanks', Sizemore's, Burns' and Ribisi's character as they portray excellent emotions when they fight or when they are sad.
The Music composed by John Williams is a masterpiece, the film's main theme "Hymn to the Fallen" is a beautiful collaboration of Trumpets, Chorus, and Drums as it makes us feel the nobility of the men who fought in the last great war.
All I can say is, if you wish to see a War Film that actually shows you what our men had to face and die for our country then this film is for you.
