Before we begin, I’d like to take a moment to give some recognition to my grandfathers. My paternal grandfather served in the South Pacific during WWII and the Korean War as part of the U.S. Marines. My maternal grandfather served with the Army in the Korean War. This entry is humbly dedicated to both of them, with great appreciation for all those who’ve bravely fought for this country.

First and foremost, Saving Private Ryan is quite a harsh movie. After a brief and uninteresting prologue at the Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial, we’re whisked away to the Normandy invasion itself for a scene goes on for something like 20 minutes. There are bodies dropping everywhere, the air is thick with bullets and the dialogue is barely audible over all the explosions. The scene does not let up for a single moment until the Germans have surrendered and the beach has been taken.

Right off the bat, this movie shows how superbly and exquisitely crafted it is. The color scheme is drab, but I suppose that’s to be expected and the film is still visually spectacular, with just the perfect amount of shaky-cam. The sound design throughout the entire movie is flawless and very inventive. I was particularly fond of a brief transition scene, in which the sounds of bullet fire and raindrops were mixed together. The amazing sound design and the staggering visuals blend together perfectly to lend the film a solid “you are here” feel. And the score by John Williams… well, need I say more?

The film is also beautifully acted, with superb performances from top to bottom. Leading the procession is Tom Hanks, who gives his captain the perfect mix of gruffness and kindness. Matt Damon has a very brief amount of screen time, but he gets a couple of scenes where he truly shines. Barry Pepper plays such an amazing badass that I found myself lamenting his career, since killed when he took the lead role in Battlefield: Earth. Paul Giamatti brightened the movie with his brief walk-on role. Even actors that I’ve become disillusioned with — Vin Diesel, Adam Goldberg and Giovanni Ribisi — turn in amazing work in this movie.

Of course, it helps that the writing is also quite good. The dialogue does have quite a few cliches, but the characters are still well-written. The requisite monologues and inspirational speeches are actually quite subdued and genuinely effective, though again, the acting helps a lot. All told, it’s a very good thing that this movie is such a technical marvel, because the story isn’t really all that good.

The premise of the film is that after the Normandy invasion, a U.S. general learns that three brothers were KIA within days of each other. The fourth brother, Private James Ryan, is missing in action. For the sake of PR and his own conscience, the general orders that Ryan be found and brought home alive.

The problem is that the soldiers sent to find him couldn’t care less about the guy. They’re just out to do their mission, finish their service and try to win the war along the way. To that end, the mission is really just an excuse to send our band of soldiers on a journey through hostile territory, going from one situation to another totally unrelated one. Ryan himself is totally beside the point of the movie, even though he’s the center of the premise. As a result, the movie goes from one unconnected point to the next with little to no thought of structure and the overarching storyline is nothing more than an afterthought.

(Side note: As a total geek, I’m obliged to mention that a pre-Firefly Nathan Fillion makes a very brief appearance as Private James Ryan. Not the eponymous one played by Matt Damon, but a completely different character of the same name. So, Fillion gets a one-scene joke that pretty much goes like this. It’s really the closest that the movie comes to humor.)

The narrative problems do briefly subside when Ryan joins our troop for a tense, shocking and lengthy climax. It’s like the Normandy landing all over again, but with tanks, CQC and even more explosives. It’s absolutely amazing… until that stupid deus ex machina ending. I have no idea how a film with so much great writing could have such a lazy resolution to its climax. It also doesn’t help that so many of the wrong characters die, though I suppose that doesn’t matter quite as much.

I found Saving Private Ryan to be a very disappointing narrative, but the technical skill on display is simply too good to ignore. Moreover, Spielberg clearly intended this as a tribute to all those who’ve served America in time of war and love for the subject matter is pouring out of every frame. For all its many faults, the film is still a fine way to pass time on this or any other Veteran’s Day.