Review of Saving Private Ryan (1998) by Barney O — 22 Mar 2017

WHAT I LIKED: 'Saving Private Ryan' really is one of the best war films out there, and that's because in the same gut-punching, tear-jerking breath, it's equally an attempt at an anti-war film. Yes, in another stroke of assurance, Spielberg manages to bring an experience that protrays the true, horrible evil that an event like this really posesses in a way that still packs emotional punch for the regular movie-goer. Sure, some rivals have plugged grittier, grosser overall narratives that put you in touch with the horrors far more, but it's the heart-felt human side of this story that allows all of that to hit closer to home than many might expect. This is thanks to great character development from Robert Rodat's script and Tom Hanks, as well as a plenty of breathing room, and in the end you'll not only leave with your eyes wide open, but also with a lump in your throat, and manier tear in your eye.

WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE: Structurally, the story does have a tendency to drag its boots a little in the second act where the heart takes over from the reality for just a little too long.

VERDICT: A gritty war movie with a genuine heart. That may sound contradictory, but for the most part, all that allows 'Saving Private Ryan' to hit very hard indeed.