Chapter 171: Gibson's Fury

Amidst vast expanses of wheat fields, a small house stood peacefully in the distance. A winding dirt road connected it to the horizon. A military vehicle entered the frame from the foreground, kicking up a trail of dust and shattering the pastoral tranquility.

As the most beautiful scene since the film began, this shot abandoned the previous stark, grayish-white tones for a palette dominated by muted yellows, offering a hint of warmth. Yet, the lingering dark clouds in the sky kept the overall visual tone leaning cold, seemingly hinting that the film's emotional core had yet to transition out of the tragic carnage of the Omaha Beach landings.

Todd McCarthy knew very well that this was the kind of emotional appeal Duke Rosenberg excelled at. Everything was laying the groundwork for the poignant scenes to come. However, compared to the crude and straightforward emotional hooks of the shower room shootout in The Rock and the President's speech in Independence Day, this felt far more subtle and moving. It was so effective that even a film critic like him, who despised Duke Rosenberg, found it hard to muster any resentment.

In this sequence, the young director used close-ups and tight shots to guide the audience to Ryan's mother, allowing them to intimately feel the profound agony of her peaceful life being shattered by war. Even without a single line of dialogue, even as she simply collapsed to the floor, viewers could fully grasp the absolute devastation and sorrow in her heart.

At the same time, the use of deep focus linked the general, representing the US military, with Ryan's mother, representing millions of ordinary American families. It made the audience realize that war destroyed not just individuals, but countless ordinary households. How could an elderly mother who had lost her sons bear such agonizing news?

The film brought the beauty of peace and the warmth of home into full view, seemingly implying that America was protected by these many families, and the nation had a duty to protect their integrity and happiness in return.

Duke Rosenberg had not only depicted the brutality of the front lines, but had also vividly conveyed the grief of the home front through an elderly mother's silence, delivering a tremendous shock to the soul!

"He has changed so much, and so successfully."

Todd McCarthy heard Kenneth Turan murmuring softly, "I originally thought he was just an excellent commercial film director. Even if he could evolve, I figured it would take more than a decade of refinement, just like Spielberg. But he has grown too fast! So fast it's almost hard to accept!"

Accompanying these words were the sounds of sobbing from the surrounding audience. It seemed many viewers had been moved by this unusually subtle emotional appeal, empathizing deeply with the mother on screen who had lost her three sons.

"I'm thinking about my mom," someone suddenly said. "She loves me so much, but I haven't gone to see her in a long time."

Mothers—the greatest beings in this world!

"The military isn't just saving Ryan's mother." Aerin Lauder seemed a bit emotional. "They are saving the hopes of all the mothers in America."

"Yes, and with this scene laying the groundwork," Anna replied, still analyzing it from a cinematic perspective, "the later rescue won't seem as abrupt or controversial."

'Duke's narrative techniques have clearly become much more experienced and mature. He really is growing up fast!' Anna sighed inwardly.

"...for you have paid a heavy price for freedom. Yours respectfully, Abraham Lincoln."

On screen, after General Marshall finished reading Lincoln's letter, he said firmly, "That boy is still alive. We are going to send someone to find him, and then get him off the battlefield!"

The film had finally made its central theme crystal clear. Compared to past Hollywood films, it seemed to arrive a bit late, yet the audience felt no dissatisfaction. Applause rang out without any warning.

First, solitary clapping echoed from the back rows, then it spread outward, gradually growing chaotic. The chaos lasted for less than two seconds before swelling into an ocean; the applause surged and roared like a tidal wave!

Someone in the middle was the first to stand up, and then more people rose to their feet!

The entire theater stood! They clapped! And clapped some more!

Aerin and Anna had long since stood up. They clapped their fair hands, applauding this film that had only just begun, applauding the director who had crafted such a masterpiece!

Allen, Jones, Kunitz, and Owen next to them all stood up, clapping without pause even as their hands stung! The opening battle had left them shell-shocked, and the dramatic scenes that followed had filled them with sorrow. The film had already mobilized their every emotion!

Tom Hanks and Eno Martin also stood up. They were acutely aware that accepting Duke Rosenberg's audition invitation had been an absolutely brilliant decision.

Kenneth Turan stood as well, applauding the young director. His immense progress had far exceeded even his highest estimates!

Todd McCarthy slowly stood up, too. Even though Duke had encroached on his interests, and he would inevitably nitpick and slam the film later, it didn't stop him from applauding such a brilliant work in this moment!

As the representative of a certain Black civil rights organization, Luther seemed to have forgotten his mission five minutes into the movie. He had been completely absorbed by the plot and atmosphere, and had even shed tears for the mother just moments ago. Right now, as though he hadn't noticed the complete lack of Black soldiers in the landing sequence at all, he merely clapped as hard as he could.

"This is the best war movie!"

It wasn't just Luther; Rodriguez, sitting on the other side, shared the sentiment. However, his mind was a bit sharper than theirs. He understood that liking the movie was one thing, and he could cheer for it to his heart's content right now, but once the screening ended, he would still do exactly what he came there to do.

Liking a movie couldn't replace real life! It couldn't replace crisp, green dollar bills!

Including Captain Miller, seven elite soldiers and one frail translator formed the squad tasked with rescuing Ryan. Was it really worth it for eight men to risk total annihilation just to save one person?

The audience took their seats again. Most of them didn't want to ponder such a heavy question. They just followed the rhythm of the film—feeling, experiencing, and undergoing an emotional impact and catharsis...

"They won't all die, will they?"

Owen asked Kunitz beside him. Kunitz shook his head. "Going by Duke's usual style, Captain Miller could take on the entire battlefield single-handedly and even fight his way to Berlin to kill that bastard Hitler. But for this movie, it's hard to say."

"People are definitely going to die!"

Taking advantage of the squad's marching sequence, Jones joined the little discussion. "The film's theme is pretty heavy. I think a lot of them are going to die. Did you see Upham? He's clumsy, clearly a rookie with zero combat experience. Guys like that usually end up getting their comrades killed."

Not long after they spoke, a gunshot rang out. Caparzo—who was built like an ox and looked for all the world like Rambo—collapsed in a pool of blood. There were no invulnerable heroes on a real battlefield. By the time Jackson took out the German sniper and combat medic Wade rushed over, Caparzo was already dead.

Before they had even secured any concrete news about Ryan, one soldier had already fallen. Eight men risking death at any moment, pushing deep into German territory to save one ordinary soldier for the sake of a single family—was it worth it or not?

The film provided no clear answer. Soldiers had to do their duty. Captain Miller led his squad onward. Even if none of them could understand this mission, they still had to complete it, and then more men died...

Kenneth Turan watched with exceptional focus. The opening sequence could indeed be described as classic, even epic, but he hadn't forgotten that Duke Rosenberg was an explosion maniac, the Duke of Destruction. Although his style had clearly shifted, strictly speaking, this still fell under the explosive, emotional spectacles he was known for.

The slightly subdued narrative pacing that followed was an equally important showcase of a director's skill. A director who only knew how to rely on explosions and emotional appeal could never become a true master.

"The quiet moments establishing the squad's backgrounds and personalities serve to flesh out the characters and the plot, simultaneously interspersed with minor climaxes to keep the audience hooked!"

Murmuring to himself, Kenneth Turan nodded. It was a very clever technique, and highly effective in practice.

In the first minor climax, Private Caparzo was hit by a sniper and tragically killed. The second climax came just two minutes later, when the Americans stumbled into a German patrol, leading to a tense, close-quarters standoff that ended with the enemy being gunned down.

The two climaxes were strung together so tightly, seemingly signaling that there could be no rest for their strained nerves. In war, this was only natural. Yet, constantly hammering home the vigilance and danger would string the audience's nerves too tight and exhaust them with unrelenting tension. Thus, a new element was introduced—the first "Ryan" made his entrance with a touch of comedic foolishness.

And after a brief wave of disappointment, the audience was left with renewed hope and anticipation.

The third climax arrived, using the counting of dog tags as a transition. Another member of the squad—combat medic Wade—died during the assault on the radar station. Immediately after, Upham letting the German soldier go sparked a fourth climax. While less action-oriented, it was even more critical: Private Reiben threatened to walk away, and Sergeant Horvath drew his pistol to stop him.

In this climax, character dynamics began to shift. It wasn't just about the chain of command within the squad anymore; rifts had formed between the men, culminating in the ultimate conflict—was this mission truly worth it!

Duke Rosenberg was exceptionally smart. He never provided a direct answer, instead leaving the audience to think for themselves.

"Exactly, the question itself is genuinely worth pondering!" Anna said to Aerin. After all, she was no longer a fresh graduate. Having spent a long time in Hollywood, she had some understanding of the mindset of most directors and producers in the industry. "But everyone stands in a different place, so their perspectives and ways of thinking about the issue will inevitably vary. A question like this easily breeds arguments, and arguments will inevitably turn into controversy. And only controversy will bring enough discussion to give the media the gimmick they need to hype it up, which in turn draws more audiences into the theaters."

"That makes sense." Aerin nodded. "I've only met Duke twice, but I've learned a bit about him from Aunt Leah. Duke is deeply influenced by Aunt Leah's business-first philosophy!"

An explosion on screen put an end to their whispered conversation. After the film was more than halfway through, the titular protagonist finally made his appearance!

As if they had been waiting for too long, as if infected by the film's atmosphere, enthusiastic applause broke out in the theater once more, welcoming the VIP both inside and outside the film—James Ryan had arrived!