"Saving Private Ryan"

     The movie "Saving Private Ryan" was directed by Steven Spielberg and was released in July 1998.  The movie casted many know actors such as Tom Hanks, Matt Damon, Tom Sizemore and Vin Diesal.  The opening scene of the movie is probably one of the most realistic reenactments of war ever displayed in a movie, it shows how intense and horrific war really is.  It also portrays the terrified expressions the American troops were just moments before the gates on the boats open and they storm the beach in Normandy.  The extremely real footage keeps you on the edge of your seat taking your breath away. 

     After the intense opening scene was over and the American took command of the hill, a special group of soldiers were put together to find the whereabouts of Pvt. James Francis Ryan (Matt Damon) Pvt. Ryan is one of four brothers who are all serving in war and he is the only one who is still alive.  A direct order was given from the Army Chief of Staff, George C. Marshall to find him and bring him back home to his mother.

     During the movie there are many horrific battles and stressful attempts crossing through enemy filled towns.  Within them are hundreds of food solders, massive machine guns, tanks and snipers.  With some casualties the squad finally found Pvt. Ryan defending the last of two bridges from the Germans.  In the attempt to bring Pvt. Ryan back with them he refused saying that, “The men whom I am standing next to right now are my family now”

     In the end the few American troops were able to defend the bridge and hold off the waves of German troops just as reinforcements and air cover came into help.  Tom Hanks who plays the leader of the squad looking for Pvt. Ryan dies at the end of the battle.  The movie ends in modern time with Pvt. Ryan as an old man with his family around him.  He begins to grow very emotional as he looks at the tombstone of John H. Miller. (Tom Hanks)

     I thought that this was a great movie and I would recommend it to anyone who hasn’t seen it already. The movie will keep you on the edge of the seat from beginning to end.  It shows you what people went through to give us the freedoms that we have today.  

--Carl Oberle