Customer Reviews
brutal beach landing - By: Mr. D. Gough, 14 Oct 2008 
the first 20 minutes of this film is mind blowing with the d-day beach landings where the soldiers just run into artillery fire & bombs it's so realistic it's frightning.
but then the action slows down has we follow the rescue mission , the cast all perform brilliantly & the "master" mr spielberg keeps us entertained throughout the journey but after the start to the film any other action scene's will obviously dissapoint.this film is a must buy for all war film fans just for the brutal battle scene's alone.
SAVING Private Ryan - By: Andrew Moules, 13 Sep 2008 
Whatever you think of the story, the fact that one man is seen as so important that a relatively dangerous rescue mission is undertaken , involving ultimate sacrifice, the giving of ones life, to achieve the result. Surely this ist he greatest story ever told, that of Aslanin Narnia too, & Jesus Christ dying on a cross that an individual, namely YOU, can be brought home to safety. Tom Hanks' character, Saptain Miller does this ultimatelyin the film, & others do so along the way.
But there is more! The concept of grace is also dealt within the film. Amidst all the anonymous killing, there comes out of the German ranks a gunner who Millers small band decide to release, rather than kill him on the spot. They are too small a force to take prisoners, so grace, an undeserved free gift of merit, is granted to the man, & he is told to walk away from them across a field. The story doesn't end there, asin the final tank battle scene, the SAME man has joined a rag-tag German unit & is now ernestly killing men from the group who earlier granted him his lfe & freedom!
This German has perhaps fallen from grace, as he has denied the freedom granted him, & continued as before. This is the other side of grace; when we have experienced forgiveness & freedom, we are obliged to live differently, out of deep thankfullness. This man should have sought to be like the pascifistic soldierin Miller/Ryans band whoin the end is the one who (ironically) finishes this grace spurning mans life
Another more obvious element of Christian beliefin the film is that of the cross-kissing sniperin Millers unit who prays reciting Psalm 23 as he zerosin on his intended victim, asking God to guide his hand. He may appear to many a contradiction, though not as much as if he had recited blessed bet he peacemakers..." instead. He ist he most clearly Christian characterin the film, & clearly a Chritan who believesin the just war theory, & perhaps also the Protestant Work Ethic (although he appears to be Catholic) judging by the huge tally he works at chalking up. His works appear, however, not to be condoned or rewarded by the Lord Jesus Christ, as he is blown to smthereens attempting to take out a self propelled gun crew from the top of a church steeple (appropriately).
Saving Private Ryan has become the benchmark against which all other war films are measured, a must for a DVD collection. For Spielberg, only Schindlers List tops it.
Entertainment - By: Ibraar Hussain, 01 Sep 2008 
Entertaining first 20 minutes, well, on the Big Screen anyway, as on a TV screen sins the surround sound its merely ok!
And viewing it again - YAWN!
Apart from that? your typical American Tosh! Uncle Sam kicks ass, uncle Sam saves the day! - but it's entertaining though - everything from the bible bashing Super Sniper, Vin Diesel, a small group of yanks taking a brigade of crack German Grenadiers & Tiger Tanks on, your Yank superiority - & a dose of Brit dissing.
Is this a classic? NO! Best war film ever? NO! Historically accurate? NO (apart from some good props & use of the Tiger Tank) Are there better war films out there? YES! Many!
If you want some decent action & a couple hours entertainment, then this is for you.
The ultimate well crafted flag waver - By: Hood1941, 02 Jul 2008 
For a whole young generation this film is probably the most profound depiction of the second world war. The by now well known opening 20 minutes are a master class by Spielbergin the direction of an action movie (with some thanks to Stanley Kubric I suspect). The movie is also filled with memorable vignettes including the kangaroo court martial of the German machine gunner & the death struggle between the Jewish Ranger & the SS Panzer Grenadier. It's a shame that after the beach landing the whole of the rest of the film is a total fiction. Like so many others I hate the slander against Field Marshal Montgomery, (architect of every successful operation carried out by the western allies) & the airbrushing out of the Anglo/Canadian partin the operation. It remains a terrific testament to the GI's on Omaha beach & is a brilliant all action war film. But be warned, it has all the historical accuracy of First Knight & should by no means be treated as a documentary.
amazing film. - By: Sam Jones, 11 May 2008 i love this film but i cant help wondering how unrealistic it sounds. why would they go looking for ne man who is already belived to be dead? but never the less absolutly amazing must see movie.
