All Quiet on the Western Front (2022)

Dir. Edward Beger | Based on the novel by Erich Maria Remarque | Action, Drama, War | R

"All Quiet on the Western Front," directed by Edward Berger, is not the first movie to portray the well-known premise that war is dreadful. But until now, the epic tale of World War I has never been adapted for the film in its original tongue.

The term "all quiet on the western front" was coined from a military report that was dripping with obscene sarcasm. Im Westen Nichts Neues ("In the West Nothing New"), the title's original German translation, was expertly rendered into English in 1929 by Australian translator Arthur Wheen.

Plot

Three years into the First World War, in 1917, Paul Bäumer - aged 17, joins his schoolmates in enlisting in the Imperial German Army after hearing a speech on patriotism and bravery from a school official. Eagerly anticipating an easy, swaggering march into Paris, Paul and his mates find themselves in a bloody, chaotic nightmare where all their heroic fantasies are crushed in the trench.

Acting Performances

Paul, the film's "Known Soldier," a representation of lost innocence, youth and naive openness obscured by a blood-and-mud atrociousness mask, is played by debut actor Felix Kammerer. Kammerer is a brilliant actor, and his portrayal of the anguish, dread and terrifying experience that all troops went through is extraordinarily moving. His portrayal forces you to see the soldiers as individuals rather than just numbers.

Müller (Moritz Klaus), Kropp (Aaron Hilmer), Tjaden (Edin Hasanovi), and most significantly the older and more worn-out soldier Katczinsky, or "Kat", are Paul's friends. Albrecht Schuch gives a superb portrayal of "Kat."

Although there aren't many people presented to us, we do encounter several troops whose wartime experiences are similar to Paul's.

We travel with our characters on a journey of thankfulness for the little things but also anxiety that they may not see another morning.

Visual Experience

The beginning of the film features breathtaking natural scenery that appears "quiet" and peaceful, yet it swiftly cuts to the loud brutality of war. This movie's visual experience is so exceptional that it completely submerges you in both the splendor of nature and the harsh atmosphere of the battlefield. The cinematography conveys the characters' emotions more accurately and sensibly than any spoken words ever could, and it does so in a way that leaves you speechless in the presence of its beauty.

Soundtrack

Every movie's soundtrack serves as the "mood-setter," combining and influencing our senses following the tones of the events occurring on display.

The music in All Quiet on the Western Front manages to strangely represent unpleasant emotions of fear, tension, and danger.

The use of precisely 3 notes that, whenever you encounter them, create the sensation as though something horrible is about to happen, this uncanny beat that sends shivers down your spine, and these grimy digital noises that are being utilized to depict the horror of historical events are all perfectly timed.

Thoughts on the film

Unlike other well-known war films, All Quiet on the Western Front portrays the tale of a regular soldier who has nothing noteworthy about him. The fact that this movie avoids "hero saves the day" scenarios and does not recount the tale of a soldier who rescued a whole troop, as we have seen in prior films like Hacksaw Ridge, is what I find to be so exceptional about it. Additionally, unlike in films like 1917 or Saving Private Ryan, it doesn't track a mission. It's possible to think of All Quiet on the Western Front as Paul's visual journal.

The movie takes a humanist stance while discussing the conflict. Because it tells the story from the German perspective, it dispels the widespread misconception that Germans are monsters. We see how German soldiers, like all soldiers, obey orders from their superiors, who may not even have ever fired a shot in combat and who live in rich mansions and enjoy luxurious meals.

Conclusion

A unique film that didn't just stop at using expert techniques to deliver its message; it also accomplishes this by telling a meaningful and moving story that keeps you curious to learn more about the war. The creators used all the elements that could indulge you in the horrifying atmosphere of the war using visuals, sounds, and editing. It's undoubtedly worth the watch!

Personal Rating: 9 out of 10