'Greatest war film ever made' streaming now is a 'stone cold masterpiece'

The 1998 war epic, frequently praised as "a masterpiece in every sense of the word", is now available for streaming on Sky.

Helmed by Steven Spielberg, Saving Private Ryan is regularly considered the finest war film ever created, and it's not hard to understand why.

Written by Robert Rodat, this two hours and 49 minutes epic unfolds during World War II in 1944 Normandy, France.

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The story follows a group of soldiers - commanded by Captain John Miller, superbly played by Tom Hanks - who must locate (and rescue) Private James Francis Ryan, portrayed by Matt Damon, and guarantee his safe passage home after three of his brothers perish in combat.

Spielberg pursued realism in the production, which explains why the principal cast endured a week-long military training camp to better understand a World War soldier's ordeal.

The film's opening sequence, depicting the Omaha Beach assault, has frequently been celebrated as one of the most remarkable war scenes ever captured.

It was allegedly the most demanding sequence of the production, requiring $12 million to film over a three to four week span, and employed roughly 1,500 extras, reports the Express.

Starring Tom Hanks, Matt Damon, Tom Sizemore, Edward Burns, Barry Pepper, Vin Diesel, Giovanni Ribisi, and Adam Goldberg, the movie was filmed almost completely in sequential order, with some crew members allegedly finding it "a mentally demoralising experience" as performers left the set when their characters perished. Saving Private Ryan raked in $481.8 million worldwide, securing its place as 1998's second-highest grossing film.

The wartime masterpiece bagged countless accolades including five Oscars, two Golden Globes, two BAFTAs and Saturn awards, establishing itself as both a box office smash and critical darling.

Boasting an outstanding 94 per cent critics approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, one reviewer hailed the film: "One of the most impactful, immersive war movies of all time, Steven Spielberg's cinematic achievement takes us as close to the front line as possible offering a human take on the chaos of war."

Another critic highlighted the iconic opening battle sequence, saying: "The 24-minute sequence at the start of Steven Spielberg's Second World War drama is one of the greatest pieces of combat cinema yet made."

A third reviewer added: "Not simply a 1990s classic or among the better prestige films of my generation, Saving Private Ryan is a stone cold masterpiece ranking among the very best war films of all time."

Meanwhile, another glowing review said: "Saving Private Ryan is the war movie to end all war movies. It's the ultimate combat film, far outdistancing what until now had been the genre's World War II classics."

Viewers were equally bowled over, awarding the film an exceptional 95 per cent approval rating, with one fan added: "Honestly i can't see any flaws in this movie, it's perfect! Always worth a watch."

While a second viewer said: "This was one of the most intense and heartwrenching movies I have ever seen. It pulled me into the hardships and brutality endured by the soldiers of World War II, and it heightened the importance of 'no man left behind'. This was an incredible movie, and everybody should see it at least once in their lifetime."

Saving Private Ryan is available to stream on Sky Cinema and Amazon Prime Video.