re: Great movie that had a terrible ending

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Saving Private Ryan...I even stayed for an after credit scene but pretty sure the last time we see Upham he is smirking after he killed the guy he let kill Mellish(at least that's how I remember it)

We never see Upham die, get sent to another battles front lines, never see him battle PTSD after going home ultimately taking his own life...Spielberg just let's us assume that that POS lives while almost every other person in his platoon all better men die

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I agree but for different reasons.

To have Captain Miller tell Ryan to "earn this", was an act of resentful pettiness that greatly diminished the character and it made Miller look like a complete dick.

Ryan did not ask to be saved. He did not want to be saved and he fought honorably. For Spielberg to have Captain Miller lay that bullshite guilt trip on him, made Miller look like an embittered a-hole instead of the collected, intelligent and mature leader he actually was.

Miller died organizing, fighting and winning a successful and important battle but instead of sending him out with his head held high. Spielberg sends him out as petulant frickhead who believes he's owed something.

Ryan didn't have to "earn" a goddamn thing and that ending sullied the entire movie for me.

Good topic OP. I've always hated how that movie wrapped up.