Saving Private Ryan
Following the Normandy Landings, a group of U.S. soldiers go behind enemy lines to retrieve a paratrooper whose comrades have been killed in action.
Directed by Steven Spielberg · Drama · War · 169 min · 1998
Trailer
Director
Steven Spielberg
Writer
Robert Rodat
Studio
Amblin Entertainment / Mutual Film Company
Release
24 Jul 1998
Runtime
169 min
Genres
Drama, War
Full Plot
Opening with the Allied invasion of Normandy on 6 June 1944, members of the 2nd Ranger Battalion under Cpt. Miller fight ashore to secure a beachhead. Amidst the fighting, two brothers are killed in action. Earlier in New Guinea, a third brother is KIA. Their mother, Mrs. Ryan, is to receive all three of the grave telegrams on the same day. The United States Army Chief of Staff, George C. Marshall, is given an opportunity to alleviate some of her grief when he learns of a fourth brother, Private James Ryan, and decides to send out 8 men (Cpt. Miller and select members from 2nd Rangers) to find him and bring him back home to his mother...
Cast & Characters
Mike Horvath: Miller's long-time friend and second-in-command
Tom Sizemore
Richard Reiben: A rebellious soldier
Edward Burns
Timothy Upham: A staff assistant lacking any combat experience, recruited by Miller as a French and German interpreter
Jeremy Davies
Daniel Jackson: A religious sniper
Barry Pepper
Irwin Wade: The team's diligent and caring combat medic
Giovanni Ribisi
Walter Anderson: An American officer who tasks Miller with finding Ryan
Dennis Farina
Fred Hamill: A captain in the 101st Airborne Division's Pathfinders
Ted Danson
George C. Marshall: The Chief of Staff of the United States Army, who orders the mission to recover Ryan.
Harve Presnell
Mac: A staff officer in the War Department
Bryan Cranston
T. E. Sanders: An officer in the War Department
David Wohl
James Frederick Ryan: A soldier mistaken for James Francis Ryan (credited as Minnesota Ryan)
Nathan Fillion
Henderson: A soldier in Ryan's company
Max Martini
DeWindt: A lieutenant from the 99th Troop Carrier Squadron
Leland Orser
Did You Know?
Made on an estimated budget of $70.0M, Saving Private Ryan has grossed $481.8M worldwide — about 6.9x its budget.
Source: TMDb API · verified 2026-08-02
Steven Spielberg has directed 7 films in our catalog, including Jaws, Jurassic Park.
Source: theIReview.com catalog · verified 2026-08-02
Tom Hanks appears in 7 films in our catalog, including The Green Mile, Toy Story.
Source: theIReview.com catalog · verified 2026-08-02
The film was shot with handheld cameras, which added to the realism and intensity of the battle scenes.
Source: Wikipedia · verified 2026-08-13
The camera operator and Steadicam operator had to endure physical demands due to the proximity to the ground and movement through exploding scenery.
Source: Wikipedia · verified 2026-08-13
The filmmakers used extensive setup of explosives, smoke, and choreography of over a thousand characters, but were able to capture most scenes in less than four takes using up to three cameras simultaneously.
Source: Wikipedia · verified 2026-08-13
Spielberg was known for being demanding on set, often requiring multiple takes until he got what he wanted.
Source: Wikipedia · verified 2026-08-13
Critical Assessment
Saving Private Ryan holds 8.6/10 on IMDb (1,635,552 votes), 94% on Rotten Tomatoes, 91/100 on Metacritic.
Not enough independent critic/audience score breakdown available.
Ratings as of August 2, 2026
Where to Watch
United States
United Kingdom
India
Streaming data from JustWatch via TMDb. Availability changes often — confirm on the provider before watching.
AI Verdict
AI-generatedBased on aggregated scores (8.6/10 on IMDb (1,635,552 votes), 94% on Rotten Tomatoes, 91/100 on Metacritic), this is a data-driven snapshot rather than an editorial take.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Saving Private Ryan's Rotten Tomatoes score?+
Saving Private Ryan holds a 94% critics' score on Rotten Tomatoes.
What is Saving Private Ryan's IMDb rating?+
Saving Private Ryan has a 8.6/10 rating on IMDb from 1,635,552 votes.
What is Saving Private Ryan's Metacritic score?+
Saving Private Ryan has a Metascore of 91/100 on Metacritic.
Is Saving Private Ryan good? What are critics saying?+
Saving Private Ryan holds 8.6/10 on IMDb (1,635,552 votes), 94% on Rotten Tomatoes, 91/100 on Metacritic.
How long is Saving Private Ryan?+
Saving Private Ryan has a runtime of 169 min.
Who directed Saving Private Ryan?+
Saving Private Ryan was directed by Steven Spielberg.
Where can I watch Saving Private Ryan?+
Saving Private Ryan is available to stream, rent, or buy on Paramount Plus Premium, Paramount Plus Essential, Paramount+ Amazon Channel, Paramount+ Roku Premium Channel, JustWatch TV, Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, FlixFling, Plex, Amazon Prime Video, Paramount Plus, Amazon Prime Video with Ads, Paramount Plus Basic with Ads, Rakuten TV, Sky Store, JioHotstar, Zee5.
Fan & Critic Buzz
The movie received widespread critical acclaim for its realistic depiction of World War II and the D-Day landings. Reviewers praised Tom Hanks' performance as Captain Miller and Matt Damon's portrayal of Private Ryan. The film was also commended for its attention to historical detail, although some reviewers noted that certain plot points felt implausible or contrived.
Viewer Reviews (TMDb)
Great WWII war action in France, but too much of the drama is weak RELEASED IN 1998 and directed by Steven Spielberg, "Saving Private Ryan" (SPR) is about the Normandy invasion and its immediate aftermath from June 6-16, 1944. The focus is on a Captain (Tom Hanks) and his men who…
Wuchak · 6/10This movie should be known for changing Historical War Dramas as we know them. It was the first to accurately depict the carnage of war, and changed the direction of this genre of movies for all time. The initial D-Day scene was fantastic. Afterwards, Tom Hanks is ordered to chos…
E.J. Cummings · 10/10I watched this movie during a project at school. Saving Private Ryan was a beautiful and, above all, realistic film. The film presented in a realistic way how the war went then. Most of the film was set in Europe in 1944. The story is that American soldiers are being sent to Euro…
Recensie saving private Ryan Information about the movie Title: Saving Private Ryan Regisseur: Steven Spielberg Most important actors: Tom Hanks as Captain Miller en Matt Damon as Private Ryan Genre: War, Drama and history Setting: Normandy, France Plot: During WWII, Chief of Sta…
I don't think I can recall any Hollywood film that depicts the atrocities of the D-Day landings as effectively as this does at the start. Indeed, watching it you wonder just how any of the Allied soldiers managed to ever survive the water let alone fight their way up a beach crow…
CinemaSerf · 8/10Rating 70/100 Amazing start showcasing just how atrocious and disgusting war is. Followed by a non-sensical plot point to rescue one person in a war where millions died, because he's the last guy in his family. I really liked the interpersonal relationships between the cast, the…
attractor5454 · 7/10The opening scene on Omaha Beach lives rent-free in my head. Not because I want it to, but because my father — whose special interest is the World Wars — wanted me to "understand the horrors and reality of war" at 12 years old. I'm truly unsure why it couldn't have waited until I…
Reddazrael · 7/10
