I must admit that I've always been disappointed in Spielberg since Jaws. The on the fly craftsmanship of that movie has been replaced by completely competent directing that entertains but seldom inspires. I've always assumed that this was because Spielberg seldom has a hand in writing the films he makes and always seems to have a view of film that comes from watching other films and not from real life.
Saving Private Ryan was another disappointment. Yes, the opening battle sequence was wonderful. But was it something that any other skilled director with the money couldn't have done? I doubt it. The sounds, muted visuals and chaotic horror are are artfully done.
But then Spielberg has to fill another 2 hours worth of movie. ANd what is it all about? I'm still not sure? It is a film of mixed messages. The first 30 minutes go a long way to show the sacrifice our men made during WWII and drive home the point of how much debt we owe them. Then the movie shifts gears and sends a contingent of men for what proves to be an ultimately stupid act, Saving Private Ryan. Therein lies the problem. The idea of risking so many men (many of whom die horrible deaths along the way) just so one can be rescued seems to indicate that the war was futile and had a lot of men losing their lives for a meaningless goal. Is Ryan supposed to represent those of us who live in the free world following WWII? Or is Ryan merely a dumb plot device to pad the movie. I vote for the latter. The characters in this movie are all cliches. Weakkneed one, gung ho one, tough guy, wisecracker, etc. There is very little that you can connect to, and the struggle to get Ryan seems ridiculous.
To top it off, Spielberg ended the film with his typical overkill. We see the elder Ryan returning to Arlington, looking out over the war dead. It is a poignant scene, and would have been powerful if he'd had let the images speak for themselves. Unfortunately, the much older Ryan opens his mouth to his wife and asks if he was a good man, questioning if he was worth the sacrifice. The scene drains the image of the graveyard of all emotion because, quite frankly, we have NO idea if Ryan was a good man, nor was it ever indicated that him being a good man was the point. He's never been a character in the film, he's been an idea, an endpoint to the quest. Are we supposed to be asking if WE were worth the fight? If so, how are we supposed to connect ourselves to Ryan. It's never clear.
In short, I wasn't surprised at Shakespeare In Love's win. SPR is not a great film, it is a film with a great opening scene padded out to 2 and 1/2 hours.
Seen through the eyes of a squad of American soldiers, the story begins with World War II's historic Omaha Beach D-Day invasion, then moves beyond the...More at HotMovieSale.com
Internationally acclaimed by critics and audiences alike, Steven Spielberg s Saving Private Ryan is an unforgettable film achievement that has had pro...More at Buy.com Marketplaces
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