Saving Private Ryan
Plot
During WW2, the discovery that three out of four sons of one woman have been killed in battle, sees top General, ordering Capt John Miller to lead a team to find the fourth son; James Ryan.
Along their journey the eight men team must deal with the dangers of the war – and insert themselves into additional fights they were not meant to fight.
Will they find Private Ryan alive, and will they get him to safety?
Direction
Directed by legendary Steven Spielberg, it is one of the most graphic depiction of the horrors of war put to screen, with both the opening half hour storming of Normandy, and the final half hour protecting the bridge sequence. They are brutal, graphic and heart wrenching. The camera work is ass chaotic ass the action shown.
There is strong use of gritty and dull colours – with an almost sepia lke finish. There is also strong use of flash glare at times.
Cast/Characters
Like its sister WW2 1998 war film that was reviewed earlier this month, this has a massive cast list.
Tom Hanks plays John Miller, the leader of the group led to find Ryan.
The remaining seven are; Tom Sizemore as Lt Mike Horvath, Barry Pepper as Jackson, the team sniper, Giovanni Ribisi as Wade, the team medic, Vin Diesel as Carpazo, Adam Goldberg as “Fish” Mellish, Jeremy Davies as Upham the team interpreter who has never seen combat and Ed Burns as Reiben – who questions why they are on the task to find Ryan.
Finally Matt Damon plays Pvt Ryan, who is introduced in the back end of the film.
Breakdown
At 160m it flows easily, with not too much ‘down time’ between action sequences
Starting with “now” it depicts an elderly man who reminiscences on his time in the war, and dissolves directly into the protagonist of the movie, John Miller. Following the successful raid on Omaha beach, he is ordered to search for Pv James Ryan – following the death of Ryan’s three brothers.
My only gripe wit the film is this narrative, and how unrealistic that it was (the characters complaints are valid, they wouldn’t be actually sent on such a mission). It is however partially based on the true story of Frederic Nyland.
Once on foot to go to find them the film adopts the “one by one they die” trope – with some being killed off before they reach the private.
Each of the men have their own quirks, and they are quite relatable. There is also hidden issues with some of them, like Hanks Miller’s hand shakes that are not nerves, Sizemore’s Mike who collects dirt among others.
There is also some heartbreaking truths told in the long nights on the road such as Ribisi who tells the story of his mother from his youth. This makes their deaths even ore heartbreaking because we’ve come to get to know them over the course of the film.
There are also some comedic moments in the film, with how the characters banter with each other, and the ongoing joke of what Hank’s Miller did for work. It’s hinted early on in his discussions with the translator Upham earlier in the film.
The fragility of war here is depicted flawlessly, with moments of breaking post battle, and freezing up under pressure depicted – even when friends lives are on the line. The eventual finding of Ryan, who refuses to leave his post due to low man power, shows the length one goes to in these situations to fulfil ones duty.
Like the other war film of 1998, this too is filled with big names, such as Bryan Cranston, Dennis Farina, Paul Giammati, Ted Danson, Nathan Fillion and Leland Orser
The score by the legendary John Williams is simply brilliant as always with him.
This film is part of the greatest blasphemy in Oscars history not winning best picture, with effing Shakespeare in Love winning in its place. Eff you Harvey Weinstein!
Overall
A brilliant film, a true testament to Spielberg’s talent behind the screen, and the casts talent in front.
A near perfect film
4.5/5
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