Edric William

The film displays a surprisingly accurate recreation of Nazi occupied France - during the initial phase of Operation Overlord (1944). A particularly moving shot features heavy rain drops on the leaves of Normandy hedgerows - your ears first interpret gunfire. Sharp direction by Steven Spielberg mirrors real life war reporting adding a level of grit and documentary terror not seen before or since. The first 30 minutes of Saving Private Ryan cannot be forgotten and may function as a tool to familiarize future generations on the scenarios of endless brutality generated by an environment of total war.