Corrected entry: Contrary to what happens in the movie, commanders wouldn't have sent an army unit into enemy territory to save a single soldier. Some cities were still occupied, and heavily guarded by German military forces at the time in which the movie takes place, and commanders would have thought it would be too risky to send an army unit into enemy territory to save a single soldier. Instead, they would have had put the word out among troops to try to find private Ryan as they found each other after the air-drop out errors, and advanced inland.
Quantom X
19th Aug 2019
Saving Private Ryan (1998)
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Correction: This is not meant to be a true story based on true events. Only it's set around the events of D-Day and after. This is a fictional idea made into a story for heroics and therefore isn't a factual error. Artistic licences are taken into situations like this all the time in movies. If this was meant to be based on a true story, then this would be a factual error, but it's fantasy.
Quantom X ★
Not only would commanders not have sent into a unit into enemy territory to save one soldier, I don't believe it would make sense to send such a mission given the manpower, and resources that would be needed for such a mission.
It is a fantasy based around this premise, in a world where this would happen. Therefore, given that this movie revolves around this, it is not a mistake.
Quantom X ★
This can be a factual error whether the movie is based on a true story or not. There are tons of fantasy films with factual errors.
The main thing is that it's a story and a movie, not a documentary. You are supposed to go with the drama. It is not a mistake if they do it intentionally (may be categorized into a "deliberate mistake" though). It is a fine line, but in this movie it's pretty obvious.
lionhead