Saving Private Ryan

«Sometimes I wonder if I've changed so much my wife is even going to recognize me, whenever it is that I get back to her. And how I'll ever be able to tell her about days like today. Ah, Ryan. I don't know anything about Ryan. I don't care. The man means nothing to me. It's just a name. But if... You know if going to Ramelle and finding him so that he can go home. If that earns me the right to get back to my wife, then that's my mission.»

June 6, 1944. Allied forces invaded the beaches of Normandy to face the Germans occupying France during World War II. It was a bloody massacre. Steven Spielberg's Saving Private Ryan opens with a scene of an old man walking through a military cemetery, stopping in front of a cross and remembering D-Day. It could have been romanced like it used to be in old John Ford films but Spielberg wanted a more realistic approach, something that would look like those old military documentary. It couldnt look more realistic than that, not talking in terms of procedural but rather in terms of the chaos that that day was. Its violent, horrific and powerful. Its an amazing cinematic achievement that looks sometimes too real and is hard to watch.

In that chaos that last about thirty cinematic minutes, Spielberg manages to introduce his main character and important supporting ones. They dont need to talk, their actions characterize them right away. Once hell is over, Captain Miller is being given a mission. Private James Ryan, the youngest of four brothers is somewhere in the country, and the only survivor of his family. He doesnt know that yet, but Miller and his men have to rescue him for the sake of his mother.

Saving Private Ryan was loosely based on a real-life case but was fictionalized to fit into a film, which is ultimately more than just about war. All the characters in the film, smaller or bigger part, look for the same thing. They try to find a meaning to all the violence, trying to figure their purpose in the War, but most of all, they are looking for themselves, their decency, which they lost somewhere on the battle field where killing lost its meaning. That makes the film even more powerful than its realistic war scenes.

Tom Hanks gives a memorable performance - once again - as Captain Miller, a mysterious, yet well-drawn character that express everything this film is about. There is an amazing supporting cast which includes Edward Burns, Tom Sizemore and Matt Damon in great and intense performances, but should also be mentioned Barry Pepper, Jeremy Davies, Adam Goldberg and even Vin Diesel, all doing a terrific job at portraying those military men.

Saving Private Ryan also marks his fourth collaboration with cinematographer Janusz Kaminski. The saturated colors, the shaky camera and the grainy image gave the film the realistic feel and documentary feel Spielberg was looking for. The sound department needs to be mentioned, cause they did a terrific job, watching this movie feels like actually being in the middle of the war and that because of the way the sound works the images.

Steven Spielberg is a crafty man and movies like this one or Schindler's List show that he is so much more than just about entertainment. He handles his story with care and tells it like no one else. Its deep, moving and realistic. He basically captures the essence of the war, the hell, the chaos, the humanity behind all of it. One of the best war movies ever made.