Saving Private Ryan

Saving Private Ryan is a historical fiction movie starring Tom Hanks as Captain John Miller of the 2^nd Ranger Battalion. Miller and seven others set out in search for Private First Class James Ryan (Matt Damon), whose three brothers had all died within a few days of each other. You should not expect historical accuracy in this movie, but you will see a fantastic story and heavy action.  

Saving Private Ryan is most well known, and rightfully so, for the Omaha Beach scene. It is the most realistic battle scene to be in a movie. The soldiers who were shown with missing limbs were actually amputees. Over 40 gallons of fake blood was used in the battle scene, which dyed the water blood red, as real blood did in the actual battle. Empire magazine ranked the Omaha Beach scene the greatest battle scene in movie history.   

Village Fight

The movie won five Academy Awards: Best Director (Steven Spielberg), Best Cinematography (Janusz Kamiński), Best Film Editing (Michael Kahn), Best Sound Editing, and Best Sound. It was nominated for six others: Best Picture, Best Actor (Tom Hanks), Best Original Screenplay (Robert Rodat), Best Art Direction, Best Makeup, and Best Original Score (John Williams).

Saving Private Ryan served as a breakthrough role for Barry Pepper (Private Daniel Jackson). He later appeared in films such as The Green Mile, We Were Soldiers, Flags of Our Fathers, and True Grit.

The movie also served as a breakthrough role for Vin Diesel (Private First Class Adrian Caparzo), who is most known for his role in the Fast and Furious series.

Omaha Beach

Never have I seen a war movie with such amazing special effects in a war movie. Saving Private Ryan is so realistic that veterans that had a history of post-traumatic stress disorder were advised not to go see it because of the Omaha Beach scene. I nearly cried while watching it. Hearing the soldiers screaming and seeing body parts coming out was very gruesome.

Upham

Technician Fifth Grade Timothy Upham (Jeremy Davies) is not the most likable character, but he is real. Like some real soldiers, Upham cannot take the horrors of war. He is too afraid to fire his weapon, and hides during battle. Upham’s cowardice may annoy some, but he is one of the realest characters I’ve seen in a war movie. Most war movies show all soldiers as fearless, which is far from the truth. Saving Private Ryan captures the fear soldiers have of war.

There are several inaccuracies in the movie, but nothing major. The Springfield sniper rifle used by the Americans in World War II held five bullets. The one used in the movie by Private Jackson holds ten bullets. Another is that Private Stanley Mellish (Adam Goldberg) is able to fire a bullet after his gun jams.

Private Ryan

Saving Private Ryan shows the camaraderie between the soldiers, such as when Private Ryan refuses to leave his unit. When the group finds Ryan and tells him he is going home, he tells them it isn’t fair to his fellow soldiers. Why can’t they go home? He tells Miller to tell his mother "when you found me I was here, and I was with the only brothers I have left."

Saving Private Ryan is simply the greatest war movie ever. It shows the camaraderie of soldiers and that soldiers feel fear. The Omaha Beach scene is the greatest battle scene because it is unbelievably realistic. Saving Private Ryan is a must-see movie for anyone who enjoys action movies.