Saving Private Ryan, directed by Steven Spielberg, is regarded as one of the finest war films ever made, and it’s now available to watch on Sky Cinema and Amazon Prime Video
The film has been hailed as the greatest of all time(Image: Publicity Picture)
The 1998 war epic, frequently praised as “a masterpiece in every sense of the word”, can now be watched on Sky.
Helmed by Steven Spielberg, Saving Private Ryan is regularly described as the finest war film ever created, and the reasons are obvious.
Written by Robert Rodat, this two hours and 49 minutes long picture unfolds during World War II in 1944 Normandy, France.
The storyline follows a group of soldiers – commanded by Captain John Miller, superbly played by Tom Hanks – who must locate (and rescue) Private James Francis Ryan, portrayed by Matt Damon, and bring him safely home following the deaths of his three brothers in combat.
Spielberg pursued realism in the production, which led to the principal cast completing a week-long boot camp to gain deeper insight into a World War soldier’s reality.
The picture’s opening sequence, depicting the Omaha Beach assault, has regularly been celebrated as one of the most remarkable war scenes ever filmed.
It was apparently the most demanding sequence of the production, requiring $12 million to film across a three to four week duration, and employed roughly 1,500 extras, reports the Express.
The film stars Tom Hanks(Image: CBS via Getty Images)
Starring Tom Hanks, Matt Damon, Tom Sizemore, Edward Burns, Barry Pepper, Vin Diesel, Giovanni Ribisi, and Adam Goldberg, the picture was filmed almost completely in chronological sequence, with certain crew members apparently describing it as “a mentally demoralising experience” as performers left the shoot when their characters perished. Saving Private Ryan raked in $481.8 million worldwide, securing its place as 1998’s second-highest grossing film.
The wartime masterpiece claimed a haul of accolades including five Oscars, two Golden Globes, two BAFTAs and Saturn awards, establishing itself as both a box office sensation and critical darling.
Boasting an outstanding 94 per cent critics approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, one reviewer hailed the film: “One of the most impactful, immersive war movies of all time, Steven Spielberg’s cinematic achievement takes us as close to the front line as possible offering a human take on the chaos of war.”
Another critic highlighted the iconic opening battle sequence, saying: “The 24-minute sequence at the start of Steven Spielberg’s Second World War drama is one of the greatest pieces of combat cinema yet made.”
A third reviewer said: “Not simply a 1990s classic or among the better prestige films of my generation, Saving Private Ryan is a stone cold masterpiece ranking among the very best war films of all time.”
Meanwhile, another added: “Saving Private Ryan is the war movie to end all war movies. It’s the ultimate combat film, far outdistancing what until now had been the genre’s World War II classics.”
Cinema-goers were similarly captivated, awarding the picture an exceptional 95 per cent approval rating, with one admirer saying: “Honestly i can’t see any flaws in this movie, it’s perfect! Always worth a watch.”
A second viewer added: “This was one of the most intense and heartwrenching movies I have ever seen. It pulled me into the hardships and brutality endured by the soldiers of World War II, and it heightened the importance of ‘no man left behind’. This was an incredible movie, and everybody should see it at least once in their lifetime.”
Saving Private Ryan is available to stream on Sky Cinema and Amazon Prime Video.