I'll try to make a defense of SPR, my second favorite Tom Hanks film after Road To Perdition.

About Ed Burns and the beef about risking so many men's lives on a mission to save one soldier:
Hanks and his men were combat infantrymen liberating Europe, they were either going on this mission or another one that would have probably been much more dangerous on the surface. Put yourself in their shoes, would you rather be ordered to take a fortified enemy position- like an artillery battery, anti-aircraft guns, or some machine gun bunkers, or be sent to find and bring back one paratrooper? The only way they were getting out of that combat theater was death, serious injury, or the end of the war. I served in the Marine Corps infantry myself, and let me tell you that Ed Burns and the other guys' problems with the mission were just par for the course. Beefing, moaning, groaning, and complaining are perhaps the #1 past time of foot soldiers. It's normal that they would be complaining leading up to D-Day, the Ryan mission, and complaining about the next mission after this one as well, it's what these guys do. Of course, as the story went, most of them died. But any other mission could have resulted in high casualties just as easily. 20/20 hindsight and all that, but I'd rather be assigned that mission and look forward to it maybe stretching out to a month or so of roaming the French countryside for one guy while staying out of the bigger battles.

I disagree that the film tried to have it both ways regarding the subject of war. War is not a black & white affair. Sometimes it's senseless, horrific, and decisions are made that are totally indefensible. At other times nobility and honor show up, and the idea that being a part of something bigger than oneself makes total sense. I like how the film showed both sides of the coin.

Lastly, some people actually have sincere and genuine feelings when they see the American flag and hear some emotional music playing. Maybe they lost a loved one who died in service to our country. Maybe they know someone who works as a firefighter or in law enforcement, and they appreciate people willingly placing themselves in danger for the well being of others. When it comes to something obviously designed to pull on our hearts strings, I get it if it doesn't work for everyone. I don't think that justifies dismissing it as manipulative tripe.

That's just my opinion, sorry for my lack of brevity. It's a movie, and if you don't love it that's okay. I just don't like Goldman's wet blanket approach.