Saving Private Ryan, directed by Steven Spielberg, is a film set during World War II and it tells the story of Capt
ain Miller as he leads his squad to find a missing soldier who is to be sent home. With this plot in mind, it can be easy to see where the conflict arises; are the lives of his squad worth the life of one man who they must save? It is definitely not easy to answer, but throughout the movie we see events that push the emotional limits of the squad and eventually they come around.
What makes this movie so great in my opinion, is the realism
and amazing attention to detail that Spielberg puts into the film. A prime example of this can be seen in the opening scene of the film, where the Allies storm Omaha beach in Normandy. Watching this scene was definitely an emotional roller coaster. The profound realism mixed the incredible method of acting made it one of the greatest combat sequences I have ever seen, and I’m not alone! During the premier of the movie, many veterans who came to watch the movie had to leave prematurely because they said it was the most realistic combat scene that they had ever seen.
Along with the realism and attention to detail that the movie shows, it also presents a great moral challenge that many of the characters must overcome. This being the question of whether or not the life of this one soldier that Captain Miller’s squad is supposed to save is worth the lives of his own men. It is a difficult question to answer, tie this in with the fact that they also have to deal with a World War makes it that much more stressful for the audience.
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