"War is hell." Came from one of the Rangers in the Movie saving private ryan, and the entire country at that time could have said it in unison--but rarely does anyone ever give serious thought to what exactly it means. The opening 25-minute sequence of Steven Spielberg's Saving Private Ryan should change all that. Showing the invasion of France on D-day, June 6, 1944, as seen through the eyes of Capt. John Miller (Tom Hanks), this is …showed first 75 words of 772 total…

…showed last 75 words of 772 total…itself to be a rather ironic title. If he is indeed "saved," he is actually more damned--alive, yes, but living with the burden of the men who sacrificed and were willing to sacrifice themselves for his life, and the lingering doubt that the life he would go on to lead would fully amount to the ones it cost. Ultimately, it's not Pvt. Ryan's salvation that Capt. Miller and his crew are fighting for--it's their own.