During the Normandy invasion of World War II, U.S. forces storm Omaha Beach in a brutal assault that results in heavy American casualties. Amidst the chaos, Captain John Miller and his squad survive the fierce battle and are tasked with a new mission: to find Private James Francis Ryan. Ryan is a paratrooper who landed somewhere in the French countryside, and all three of his brothers have been killed in action within days of each other. The Chief of Staff of the United States Army, General George C. Marshall, is moved by the Ryan family's loss and orders that James be found and sent home safely to his grieving mother.

Miller's team, composed of men from different backgrounds and with varying degrees of combat experience, embarks on this seemingly straightforward but morally complex mission behind enemy lines. The soldiers question the logic and value of risking their lives to save one man, debating the merits of such an order when so many have already died. As they journey through war-torn France, every town and skirmish potentially hides Private Ryan, and each encounter with German troops brings the grim reality of war into sharp focus. The squad witnesses the brutality and senselessness of combat, experiencing loss and moments of humanity, all while struggling with the implications of their orders and the rightness of their quest.