Review of Saving Private Ryan (1998) by Martino D — 02 Apr 2017

Saving Private Ryan is by far in my opinion the best war movie ever made. The opening battle scene on Omaha beach during D-Day is the best war action scene I've seen. The plot of the movie is that Private Ryan's brothers are killed. One in New Guinea, another on Omaha beach, and the other on a different beach during D-Day. Because of this, Captain Miller (Tom Hanks) is sent out to find Private James Francis Ryan so that he can go home.

Now of course the plot of the movie may sound a little far fetch, but it in no way deters from the horrors of World War 2 in the European theater. I like how the movie doesn't try to villify the german soldiers. At least in the beginning of the movie, when the American soldiers are able to take the beach, two soldiers come across what appears to be a couple of nazis trying to surrender. They're saying it in their native tongue and the Americans are unable to understand them. Because of that they were shot and one of the soldiers replies to his buddy saying, "Look, I washed for supper." What the soldiers were actually saying was, "Please don't shoot me, I am not German, I am Czech, I didn't kill anyone." This cements that there's no real good side in war. Each side is in it for their own reasons whether that's for "fighting for freedom," or being forced to fight as the case here.

What I like about this movie is that all of the characters are likable and memorable. From the tough, hard-hitting Brooklyn Native Reiben, to the soft hearted Upham. My favorite being Jackson, the resilient sniper played by the awesome Barry Pepper.

I think this is the best performance by Matt Damon I've seen. At first he's unwilling to leave as he believes it's his duty to fight alongside his "new" family, the Airborne troops. And because of this, Captain Miller and his squad help the Airborne troops defend a town from the German army.

From the action sequences, to the small character moments, this movie has great performances, and what I feel is the best War movie ever made.