Saving Private Ryan

Ratings : * Avoidable ** Average *** Good **** Must Watch

An elderly veteran (Harrison Young) and his family visits the Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial in Normandy, France, where he collapses to one knee in front of a gravestone, overcome with emotion.

The scene changes to the beginning of the invasion of Normandy, with American soldiers landing on Omaha Beach and struggling against dug-in German Army infantry and machinegun nests. One of the men who survive the initial landing, Captain John H. Miller (Tom Hanks) of the 2nd Ranger Battalion, rallies a group of soldiers and slowly penetrates the German defenses leading to a breakout from the beach.

In the United States, General George C. Marshall discovers that three of the four brothers of the Ryan family have all died within days of each other and that their mother will receive all three notices on t he same day. He learns that the fourth son, Private First Class James Francis Ryan (Matt Damon) of the 1st Battalion 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment is missing in action somewhere in France. He orders that he be found and sent home immediately.

Back in France, Miller receives orders from Lieutenant Colonel Walter Anderson (Dennis Farina) to find Private Ryan, and assembles a squad of seven Rangers, plus one man detailed from the 29th Infantry Division (Tom Sizemore, Edward Burns, Barry Pepper, Vin Diesel, Giovanni Ribisi, Adam Goldberg and Jeremy Davies as the man from the 29th) to accomplish this task. With no information about Ryan's whereabouts, Miller and his men move from town to town, rendezvousing with other American units and trading information while venturing deeper into enemy territory. Following several false leads and the loss of Caparzo (Diesel) at the hands of a sniper, Miller locates a friend of Ryan’s, who reveals that Ryan is defending a strategically-important bridge over the Merderet River in the fictional town of Ramelle.

Along the Journey, Miller decides to take the opportunity to neutralize a small German machine gun position close to an abandoned radar station. In the ensuing skirmish the squad's medic, Wade (Ribisi) is fatally wounded. The last surviving German incurs the wrath of the squad members, except for Upham (Davies) who he befriends. Miller decides to let the German walk away and surrender himself to the next allied patrol, a decision viewed by Reiben (Burns) as letting the enemy go free. No longer confident in the leadership of Miller, Reiben declares his intention to desert, prompting a tense confrontation with Horvath (Sizemore) that threatens to tear the squad apart until Miller resolves the situation and Reiben decides to stay. The squad finally arrives on the outskirts of Ramell e where they destroy a German reconnaissance unit with the help of some American soldiers, one of them Ryan. The unit regroups in Ramelle, joining with the American paratroopers defending the town, where Captain Miller informs Ryan of his brothers' deaths and of their mission to bring him home. Ryan adamantly refuses to leave his makeshift unit, demanding that he remain to help defend the bridge against an impending German counter-attack. Miller reluctantly agrees and orders his unit to help defend the bridge in the upcoming battle, taking command and setting up the defense with what little manpower they have.

The Germans arrive in force supported by tanks and armored vehicles. Miller leads the defense but in spite of inflicting significant German casualties most of his remaining squad members are killed and the American unit is slowly pushed back by superior numbers and firepower. The defenders retreat across the bridge, suffering further casualties, pursued by gunfire and an advancing German Tiger Tank. In the middle of an American attempt to blow the bridge Miller is shot and fatally wounded. Just before the Tiger reaches the bridge, an American P-51 Mustang swoops down and destroys the tank, followed by more Mustang fighters and advancing American infantry who assault the town and rout the remaining German forces. Ryan, Reiben and Upham are the only main characters to survive the battle. Ryan is with Miller as he dies and hears his last words, "James... earn this. Earn it."

Back in the present, the elderly veteran is revealed to be Ryan and the grave Miller's. Ryan asks his wife to confirm that he has been a 'good man' and thus worthy of Miller's and the other's sacrifice as the camera pans down the gravestones to the American flag and fades out.

My Rating : ****
Genre : Action/War
Director : Steven Spielberg
Cast : Tom Hanks, Edward Burns, Tom Sizemore, Barry Pepper, Vin Diesel, Matt Damon.