5 War Movies That Real Veterans Hated (And 5 They Approve Of)
1. Saving Private Ryan
Itll come as no surprise to see Spielbergs World War II masterpiece, long regarded as one of the finest war films to date, on this list, but it does deserve an extra pat on the back for being almost universally regarded - by cinema-goers and veterans alike - as unrelentingly authentic.
From minor technical details to the gritty realism of straddling the line between life and death, Saving Private Ryan got it all spot on. So frighteningly realistic was the opening scene depicting US troops landing on Omaha Beach, that many veterans had to leave the cinema early (some even needing counselling afterwards). But perhaps even more importantly than the better-than-real-life set pieces was the way the film captured the real atmosphere of a group of men fighting together. "The camaraderie, the team work, the joking around," former Airman Jacob Bertramsen says, "that's what it's like and it's what I miss about my military days."
However, there was one man who wasn't particularly keen. Hans Schmidt, a twice-wounded veteran of the Waffen SS, was so put out by the film's supposed inaccuracies that he wrote a strongly worded letter to Mister Spielberg complaining of an unrealistic and unfair portrayal if German soldiers. Whether or not Spielberg received or replied to the letter is unconfirmed, but given the fact that Band Of Brothers - his next foray into WW2 - was perhaps even more incredible than Saving Private Ryan, there's a good chance that he did in fact take Schmidt's advice on board.
What other war movies gained a strong response from veterans? Share any examples missed down in the comments.