All Quiet On The Western Font (2022) Movie Review


It's really hard to review this movie and analyze the subjects it addresses without dropping
spoilers, but I'll try as much as possible to make it spoiler free. 

This movie is not for the faint at heart, and if you can’t stomach violence, this movie is not for you.

All Quiet On the Western Front is a movie based on a German novel of the same name by Erich Maria Remarque. It is directed by Edward Berger and stars Felix Kammerer, Albrecht Schuch, Daniel Brühl, Sebastian Hülk, Aaron Hilmer, Edin Hasanovic, and Devid Striesow. 

The story is set in the closing days of World War I and follows the experience of a German soldier, Paul Bäumer, a schoolboy who enlisted in the German Army with his friends. On getting to the frontlines, Paul and his friends are exposed to the gruesome realities of war. The runtime is two hours and twenty minutes. Every minute spent can’t be called a waste, and events happening carries a level of weight to drive the message home.

The cinematography and direction are masterful. They capture the atmosphere in a realistic
manner. In fact, the first nine minutes of this movie show you exactly what to expect. The
harrowing scene depicted at the beginning of how uniforms are removed from the dead and
re-circulated for new recruits. Bullet holes on the uniform are patched, and sometimes the 
name tags of their previous owners are removed from the uniforms.

Another subtle detail I noticed that can be easily missed if you're not paying attention is Paul’s transformation. We see how Paul's face changes throughout the course of the movie. Paul transforms from a naïve schoolboy to a war-hardened soldier after spending time at the frontline and eventually becoming a “robot” that just follows orders.

The acting in this movie is one I was drawn to because of the weight it carries. Combining how
the actors carried their roles and the events unfolding you feel as if you were there with them.
The despair, the brief moments of joy, and the respite from the frontlines were quickly followed by chaos and more deaths. I found myself looking away during some of the gruesome scenes.

Yes, this movie can make you uncomfortable. War is brutal and disturbing, and this movie is not about cheering for the protagonist but actually feeling afraid for him. You can describe this
movie as a horror without it actually being in the horror genre.

The subject of death on the battlefield is one that this film nails perfectly. War brings meaningless and senseless deaths. Soldiers died like flies. Naïve young men are recruited without having a full idea of the horror that awaits them on the frontlines. The war is sold to them as something to be proud of as patriots, and the idea that they can become heroes. Many of them will die trying to claim a few meters at the frontline and this wasn’t an exception for the characters in this movie. Characters' deaths weren't depicted as "major." They were just another body that just dropped dead like extra characters on set.

The ugliness of war is well portrayed. War isn't glamorous when you look at its victims. Each
side believes they are fighting for the right cause and this movie brings up a question and the
question is: who is the man at the end of the barrel? The Enemy. The said enemy might just be a family man who led a normal life as a waiter in a restaurant before the war.  The enemy has a wife and family that he's praying to go back to. He’s there for patriotism. A scenario like this plays out during the runtime of this movie that really gets your attention as the audience.

All Quiet On The Western Front is a movie that leaves you with an empty feeling by the end. An empty feeling not because the movie is bad but because it's not a movie that romanticizes war.

War is not a pretty affair. There is no sense of heroism like in the war movies you're used to.
Therefore, it achieved its purpose of being an anti-war movie. All Quiet On The Western Front is a great movie and I haven’t seen anything like it. If you're able to sit through its presentation, you'll understand why nobody should ever wish for war. If you want to know what war feels like, you should watch this movie.

Olayinka Ajayi is a writer, creative director, and movie blogger from Nigeria. Having been involved in the entertainment circle since childhood, his interests range from comics, movies, and animations to video games. He has consistently developed his interest in the entertainment field which led to the creation of his movie review blog, 'Review Krunch', the blog is distinct for its engaging reviews and analysis. 

When he is not analyzing the latest movies or working on some creative designs and stories, he's helping out as a contributor in mobile game communities.

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