Blu-ray Movie Reviews

The story opens with a prologue in which a veteran brings his family to the American cemetery at Normandy, and a flashback then joins Capt. John Miller and GIs in a landing craft making the June 6, 1944, approach to Omaha Beach to face devastating German artillery fire. This mass slaughter of American soldiers is depicted in a compelling, unforgettable 24-minute sequence. Miller's men slowly move forward to finally take a concrete pillbox. On the beach littered with bodies is one with the name "Ryan" stenciled on his backpack. Army Chief of Staff Gen. George C. Marshall, learning that three Ryan brothers from the same family have all been killed in a single week, requests that the surviving brother, Pvt. James Ryan, be located and brought back to the United States. Capt. Miller gets the assignment, and he chooses a translator, Cpl. Upham, skilled in language but not in combat, to join his squad of right-hand man Sgt. Horvath, plus privates Mellish, Medic Wade, cynical Reiben from Brooklyn, Italian-American Caparzo, and religious Southerner Jackson, an ace sharpshooter who calls on the Lord while taking aim. Having previously experienced action in Italy and North Africa, the close-knit squad sets out through areas still thick with Nazis. After they lose one man in a skirmish at a bombed village, some in the group begin to question the logic of losing more lives to save a single soldier.

Too this date I still can’t believe this didn’t win Best Picture. I don’t think any film to date has captured the horror of war more than the opening and ending of this film. Spielberg redefined the war film with this superb production that didn’t drop the ball in any department. I’ve been waiting with bated breath for this to come out on Blu, and the wait was well worth it.

This has always been an A/V showcase title. The photography is gorgeous and stylized to the nth degree. And the soundtrack, amazing. This is one that will test the might of your system in every way. From subtle nuance to wall threatening bass, the 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio mix delivers one of the most jarring soundtracks ever delivered by Hollywood. I loved the strong contrast levels of the film and the gritty look. This isn’t razor sharp or crystal clear, but it was never supposed to be. Detail is still there in spades though and this looks considerably better than any version I’ve seen before. (Of note, some players are having some synch issues with this disc and Paramount is working on a new version that fixes the issue, so if you’re considering this title, you may want to hold off).

This two disc set includes all the goodies from the previous DVD version including a look at the production, interviews and retrospectives on the war. You also get a feature on photographers from the war and the trailers.

A masterpiece in every way. This is one of those films that is even more jolting on Blu-ray with its incredible soundtrack and artistry. A must have for any collection.