Saving Private Ryan
Cast
Tom Hanks .... Capt. John Miller
Edward Burns .... Pvt. Richard Reiben
Tom Sizemore .... Sgt. Michael Horvath
Matt Damon .... Pvt. James Ryan
Jeremy Davies .... Cpl. Timothy E. Upham, Interpreter
Directed by
Steven Spielberg
Rater #2 has description and review.
Rater #1
Has Not Seen Movie
Rater #2
7/10. It's tough being a teenager now. You have to catch up on all types of
movies. Classics, older movies, and newer movies you may have missed.
When Saving Private Ryan opened in 1998, I, of course, wasn't allowed
to see it, nor would I have been interested in seeing it. But now,
everyone at school's buzzing about that movie, saying how great it
is. I finally gave into peer pressure and rented it, and it's quite a
good movie. It's just not the extraordinary classic that it's made
out to be.
The time is World War II. Captain John Miller (Tom Hanks) is sent to
fetch the title character, hence saving him and making the title make
sense. Why send out eight people to rescue just one private? His
three brothers, who were also in the war, were killed, so basically
eight men are sent out to ease Mrs. Ryan. Obviously, when they
finally reach him, there is resentment.
The movie opens with a flashback to the war, as every single war
movie seems to do! Why is this always necessary? That means we know
that some people survive, taking some tension out. At least we
usually can't figure out who yet. Then it goes in with a bang, at a
loud, exciting war scene that doesn't really have much to do with the
rest of the plot, but it's very exciting. The only problem is that it
pads out the movie to an obnoxiously long 170 minutes and since it
isn't necessary, it didn't HAVE to be in the movie.
While the movie is quite long, it's never boring, not at all, but
some parts aren't very interesting. Also, since it's a Spielberg
investment, every single character has to have a backstory, meaning
that smack dab in the middle of the movie, everyone must reminisce
about what their life was, even those whose names we don't know,
meaning that right when it's getting good, it goes off to left field.
The war scenes were incredibly realistic, as far as I can tell.
Although graphic at times, it's obvious how painstakingly hard they
worked to make it seem like you were actually there, no matter where
you were, including watching it on a 5" screen. Also, I think
something else that added to the realism is that Spielberg kept the
camera to a 1.85:1 aspect ratio. Therefore, he was centralizing in on
the action, what needed to be shown, and what doesn't need to be
shown.
Saving Private Ryan ebbs and flows. At times there's heartpounding
action, at others it's just watchable so you can continue on with the
plot. But however you feel about this movie, you have to admit that
it's one of the most realistic war films ever made.
Rated R for war violence and language.
Running time: 170 minutes
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