Steven Spielberg directed this powerful, realistic re-creation of WWII's D-day invasion and the immediate aftermath based on a true occurrence in Stephen E. Ambrose's 1994 bestseller D-Day: June 6, 1944.
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 (Tom Hanks) must take his men behind enemy lines to find Private James Ryan (Matt Damon), 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.
"A movie of staggering virtuosity and raw lyric power, a masterpiece of terror, chaos, blood, and courage." —Owen Gleiberman, Entertainment Weekly