Saving Private Ryan

It is certainly not a flawless film, but technically it is so brilliant that I’m happy to forgive all its shortcomings. Steven Spielberg shows us a real war like nobody has before. Tom Hanks is a genius, as well as Spielberg and Janusz Kaminski. For me, the best war film of all time. (08/11/2003)

My friend told me that during the opening scene of the landing on Omaha Beach, she wanted to run out of the theater, but she was so hypnotized by what was happening on the screen that she stayed seated. This is a film purely for the big screen and good sound, where bullets fly around you and you feel that you are physically there with them, that you are part of the action. The first half hour has become legendary. (13/04/2003)

Yes, I like war films. Yes, Spielberg's technical processing of the film seems to bring fiction as close as possible to the reality of war. Still, I consider this film to be only slightly above average, because it says nothing about the war as such. It's a nice recruitment drive on the subject of all of us in the army are friends and we love each other, which is nice, but it feels just like the colored drawings on the promotional posters from World War II. I don't believe even a syllable of the story, so the film only gets points with me for the fight sequences (which are truly riveting) and excellent acting performances. I prefer to overlook the agitation subtext... (27/01/2004)

Steven Spielberg directed undoubtedly the most impressive film about World War II. The opening D-Day landing alone shocked me with its brutal depiction, clearly showcasing the horrific slaughter it was. Then we got to know the main combat group that guided the viewers through the film. The cast is top-notch, led by Tom Hanks’s outstanding performance as Captain John Miller. In supporting roles, others also impressed, especially Jeremy Davies (his final near-redemption for a critical mistake was flawless) and Barry Pepper. The journey of all these characters was filmed so authentically by the creators that I believed their struggles with all the obstacles thrown in their path without reservation, and I experienced their encounters with Nazi forces fully, with no shortage of emotions. Technically, I simply have no words. The harmony of every image with accompanying sounds and music is rarely seen... I understand the Oscars received for this. And of course, the battles, which I believe still hold the status of the most successful in the history of cinema in this genre. The ending is epic but not exaggerated, and it is emotionally powerful, squeezing every bit of emotion out of the viewer, you can believe that. My heart swelled at many of the amazing scenes presented by this film. Spielberg made a genuine treasure that should be protected by all available means. Truly a masterpiece. I give it 93%. (02/09/2019)

From a formal point of view, i.e., from the perspective of the film craft, there is not much to criticize about the film, almost nothing. It is an emotionally and extremely expensive blockbuster, which rightfully belongs in film history, especially with its opening 15-minute battle sequence. There could be endless things to say about Steven Spielberg's directing abilities, about how he can work with visual composition, build up a scene, and direct actors - and it would all be praise. However, what concerns me more is the formulaic script, the same problem I had with Spielberg's Schindler's List. When I compare this film to Klimov's drama Come and See, for example, I clearly feel Spielberg's superficiality. To label this film as just a popcorn flick would be grossly unfair, as there are incomparably worse films of its kind. It is undoubtedly an attempt at a serious war drama, but I fail to understand why Spielberg is not satisfied with real stories and real war history and feels the need to produce fiction. Sometimes the unnecessary pathos also bothered me, especially toward the end. Overall impression: 70%. (13/06/2006)