I'm a huge fan of Private Ryan, so I was a bit surprised to hear so many criticisms of what I thought was an almost universally revered movie. Yes, I know the bookends are a problem for a lot of people. And some think that it's an overly simplified presentation of warfare. And maybe having seen it for the first time at age seventeen, i was more impressed by the spectacle, and the solemn "adultness" of it all, than i would have been in my more discerning years. But it still enthralls me every time I watch it. The cinematography dazzles, and the performances are extremely solid, especially Hanks and Davies. That John Williams score does a lot to heighten the emotions, even if the characters aren't fully fleshed out. However I would argue that the anonymity of the soldiers is an essential thematic thread that is carried throughout (Cpt. Miller's enigmatic origins, anyone?).
And also, I was a little irked by Amy's criticism that it doesn't pass the Bechdel test. Given the time, place and subject matter of the film, I feel it's an unfair, and (forgive me) an almost inane, critique. Social consciousness is extremely important for films, but i'm of the opinion that when creating art, one should not feel the need to reshape one's work in order to check all the appropriate boxes. Art should provoke and challenge, not placate and cajole.
