I agree there is a difference between bashing and criticism and largely I was giving you shite.

There are problems with SPR, as there are problems with every film, but it is also one of the best films to have been made in the last 20 years.

The only thing about the opening and ending scenes that was not good, imo, was the actor who was supposed to be Matt Damon. Old dude didn't do very well.

But there are so many memorable scenes outside of that and even outside of the first 20 minutes, it's not really even funny.

When Vin Diesel is trying to get the note to his father to his buddy while shot and bleeding to death under sniper fire.

When Giovanni Ribisi exclaims "OH GOD! MY LIVER!"

Opum letting the Nazi run up the stairs because he's too paralyzed with fear (even thinking about it makes my blood boil).

Matt Damon having bullets sprayed all around him as he sits in a fetal position screaming while we see and hear through Hanks' POV.

The acting is superb. Hanks is fantastic. Damon is great. Even the bit parts, like Paul Giamatti are great. There was no real lull in the film and it was terrifically paced, with a unique (as you said) faded film approach that gave the movie an authentic feel. Everything about SPR felt real, even if you don't think the mission itself seemed real (me personally, I could see it happening).

At the end of the day, to me, SPR holds up even after multiple viewings like Braveheart and other action films that have a real heart to them.

In other words, you're entitled to your opinion, but SPR is a far superior to 98% of the films created in the past 20 years, maybe more. It has nothing to do with the WWII setting or the D-Day Invasion, and everything to do with its mechanics, with the superb acting, directing, and story that presented memorable character after memorable character seamlessly and effortlessly, right down to the German soldier they capture and have dig the graves.