“I hate war as only a soldier who has lived it can, only as one who has seen its brutality, its stupidity (War/Defense).” Wars bring devastation to humanity while bringing out hidden qualities of character. War is necessary due to its ability to keep a check on societal values. The drastic effects of war on an individual are shown through the movies Saving Private Ryan by Steven Spielberg and Hacksaw Ridge by Mel Gibson. Spielberg and Gibson focus on the reality of war rather than a Hollywood version. War takes sacrifice, courage, selflessness, and many other characteristics to survive both mentally and physically. Heroism is a quality that is apparent in many soldiers’ lives but can be applied to everyone’s. Hidden qualities of heroism are shown in the movie Saving Private Ryan by Steven Spielberg. Steven Spielberg depicts, Ryan, the main character in Saving Private Ryan as a man that is selfless, courageous, and sacrificial. Ryan refuses to go home to his mother although his three brothers have been killed in combat of World War II (Spielberg). Spielberg characterizes Ryan in this
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The men were sent to find and rescue Ryan behind the German line. After refusing to go and risk their lives for one man, Lieutenant Colonel Anderson forced the men to go (Spielberg). Regardless of the fact that the soldiers did not necessarily want to go on the dangerous recovery mission, their selfless act illustrates sacrifice. However, in Hacksaw Ridge, the only character who displays the great heroic qualities that Gibson expresses is Desmond Doss. The other soldiers leave the ridge not thinking to save the many wounded soldiers left atop, while Doss stayed himself to save each one (Mechanic). Spielberg, unlike Gibson, uses a group of soldiers as an influence rather than an individual to express the reality of
The men were sent to find and rescue Ryan behind the German line. After refusing to go and risk their lives for one man, Lieutenant Colonel Anderson forced the men to go (Spielberg). Regardless of the fact that the soldiers did not necessarily want to go on the dangerous recovery mission, their selfless act illustrates sacrifice. However, in Hacksaw Ridge, the only character who displays the great heroic qualities that Gibson expresses is Desmond Doss. The other soldiers leave the ridge not thinking to save the many wounded soldiers left atop, while Doss stayed himself to save each one (Mechanic). Spielberg, unlike Gibson, uses a group of soldiers as an influence rather than an individual to express the reality of