Saving Private Ryan, directed by Steven Spielberg, may be one of the greatest war films of all time. It graphically shows the horror of the D-Day invasion and the horror of warfare in general. The D-Day invasion of the beaches of Normandy, France, was a turning point in World War II. It placed allied forces on the European continent, and eventually led to the defeat of the Germans and the end of the war. Thus, the film depicts a pivotal time in the war, and in world history. The men who fought in France were making history, but they did not know it.

The story itself is based on a true story of a family of brothers who all fought in the war. Private Ryan was the last surviving brother, and even the war department did not want to wipe out entire families in the name of freedom. The film represents the camaraderie and brotherhood that developed between fighting men - bonds that endured through time long after the war. A group of men risking their lives to rescue a man they do not even know epitomizes this camaraderie and brotherhood. Therefore, while the film depicts one of the most important elements of the war, it also symbolizes the personalities and strength of the men who fought in the war, and so, it is the epitome of a war film. It recognizes the individual and group effort that led to victory, and shows that even the most average men can be carried to greatness by the situation and necessity.

The film also recognizes the difficulties of war, and the seemingly senseless ways people kill each other in war. All of the men who died in this film, both German and American, died to save one man, who did not want to leave his unit. "Saving Private Ryan" is a graphic film, but it only shows a few of the many horrors of war. Watching it, the viewer gets an excellent idea of what the fighting forces endured during World War II.