Saving Private Ryan [Sapphire Series] [2 Discs] [Blu-ray] [1998]

Some people advise others to close their eyes during the loooong opening scene of Spielberg's Saving Private Ryan. That would be a mistake. Yes, it's carnage, it's horrible, it's relentless, it's bloody, it's random death, it's a portrayal of fear and courage and raw coincidence. But it's also one of the most powerful pieces of cinematography ever filmed. There are many other scenes that have stayed with me during the years since I last saw this unforgettable film, perhaps Spielberg's best ever. Perhaps the most poignant one that comes immediately to mind is the woman whose sons are all away at war. She's on a remote farm, washing dishes, and thru her window she sees the dust of approaching cars. She goes outside to meet the visitors, tenses as she sees military brass and a chaplain step from the cars, then crumples wordlessly to the worn boards of her front porch as she tries to take in the news: all her boys have been killed, except for one: Private Ryan. Another related scene, the one that came just before this one, is equally gut-wrenching (and in both scenes, there is no dialogue, just heart-stabbing visuals that are more powerful than any words could have been) as a woman charged with sending out letters of the We Regret to Inform You variety realizes that she's seen three letters with the same address within the past few days, and she takes this terrible proof to her supervisor - and thus is born the search for the surviving son, to bring him home to his momma. Tom Hanks, with his own persona of morality and honesty, is perfectly cast as the good Captain Miller, a soldier's soldier charged with this onerous task, and of course there is terrible cost. Saving Private Ryan is the film Spielberg HAD to make. Outstanding, in every possible way.

First off, this is a fantastic movie. Hands down. I own the original DVD, blu-ray and now the 4k version. Unfortunately the 4k version is not much different from the blu-ray. Yes, it's definitely more crisp. And the sound is phenomenal. But they're still many scenes where there is a white glow and firery glow trail from fire's. The original DVD did not have this issue. Only the blu-ray and 4k disc have this problem. Also, there's a lot of grain in the 4k transfer. I understand it's an older movie and it was shot on film. But if you watch Leon (The professional) in 4k version. Which is a few year's older than Saving Private Ryan. You'll notice it's a lot cleaner with almost no grain. Personally I wouldn't buy the 4k version if you already have the blu-ray version. On the other hand, if you have a killer sound system like I do. I would definitely buy the 4k version. I give this 3 star's only because of the sound quality. The Dolby Atoms will blow you away.

I originally purchased this title back on DVD and intentionally searched for/purchased the DTS version of the movie over the Dolby Digital just for the sound. I didn't bother with it on Blu-ray only because the audio was so good on the original DVD encoded in DTS. Well, that's the past...this 4K version has both Dolby ATMOS and DTS:X so select your favorite option and have at it. As much of a fan as I was of DTS back in the day, Dolby ATMOS blows away DTS:X in my 5.1.2 audio set up (dedicated height/ceiling speakers in the configuration). This movie won an Academy Award in 1999 for Best Sound Effects Editing and it's absolutely validated here. The picture quality is fantastic and I'm in the camp that likes the grainy film like textures. Remember this won additional awards for Effects and Cinematography and is genuinely enjoyable still some 19 years after it was released. I recommend owning this movie in this format.

The movie that lost Best Picture to Shakespeare in Love. *sigh*. Anyways, the landmark war film is finally out in HD and it stands as one of the best films ever and one of the best Blu Ray's ever (And DVD.... laserdisc if it was released for that format...) that rightfully earns a place on your shelf at all costs. I am not even going to go over the film because everyone knows about already with the iconic 20 minute opening scene, the use of color that has become synonymous with the film and widely praised as the best war film ever made. It has gone above and beyond the call of duty to deliver some of the best PQ of all time on a Blu Ray disc, replicating the gritty grain structure, muted color palate, and amazing detail to each and every frame displayed across your TV. The sound mix is equally stunning, making you believe the taking of Omaha Beach is happening 10 ft. away from you. The extras are plentiful, and are on the second disc to give plenty of room to the film itself on disc one. Included is a full length documentary about WWII itself and how it was captured on film throughout the course of the war, an intro by Spielberg, several making of featurettes and a series of trailers. Go out and buy this now, no matter how much or format. It belongs in your home.

More than likely anybody browsing for this is simply upgrading from an old DVD, so those folks probably need no coaxing to buy this. For everyone else, this is movie that is among the best of any war film produced. It's gritty and holds no punches about the fact that, yes, war is the exact opposite of heaven (and really, Best Buy, you're going to make me censor a review for an R-rated movie?). It's about a bunch of average joes stuck in a situation that nobody would ever want to be in, and doesn't glorify anything in the process. The only reason I give this four stars instead of five is due to this not being a movie one watches very often. It can get pretty rough, but it's definitely something that everybody should watch at some point in their lives to see what many of our ancestors went through.

Even though I've just bought this at best buy not long ago on steelbook blue ray, I saw it was finally on 4k disc and re done audio from 5.1 DTS to Dolby Atmos, which if you have an AVR and 7.2 up to 11.2 ( 5.2.4 is typical) channel setup-- 5 main speakers,2 subwoofers, 4 Atmos/height speakers, you already know how amazing and with big powerful Klipsch subwoofers.. -bone shakingly- impressive 4k movies sound and look. In the end when I want to show a friend my Atmos system, I've finally found a 4k movie that can show off it's capabilities even more so than mad Max.. 5 stars .. worth 22 dollars for 4k just to hear this movie..

Seen through the eyes of a squad of U.S. soldiers, the story begins with World War II's historic D- Day invasion, then moves beyond the beach as the men embark on a dangerous special mission. Captain John Miller must take his men behind enemy lines to find Private James Ryan, whose three brothers have been killed in combat. Faced with impossible odds, the men question their orders. Why are eight men risking their lives to save just one? Surrounded by the brutal realities of war, each man searches for his own answer - and the strength to triumph over an uncertain future with honor, decency and courage.

This review isn’t about the movie itself but the conversion to 4k. Don’t get me wrong it’s better than the blu Ray the colors and blacks are pretty good. But the movie is FULL of grainy scenes in the majority of the movie, and sometimes it’s a distraction from the rest of the movie. They should of removed the grain, it’s pretty bad honestly . A 4k movie shouldn’t have that much as it does. The scenes aren’t as clear as they should be. It’s worth watching in 4k but it’s not that great of a “4k” movie. The action scenes are pretty good but that’s about it