Review: All Quiet on the Western Front
A war film that is anti-war.
I don’t usually like war films but I absolutely adored this one. A story of camaraderie, hope and loss.
Sound is the main character of this film, music being the most important. It establishes WW1 from the very first scene and puts us in the Western Front.
The cinematography, although grim, was beautiful in its own way. It demonstrated the gut-wrenching loneliness and horrors of the war in a beautiful way.
I wouldn’t recommend this to the faint of heart as we see truly horrific things but I thought this helped solidify the films experience in a positive way as it doesn’t shy away from the surreal deaths and goriness of the war. It is an accurate depiction of the time and it deserves praise for not being scared to show it, especially coming from Germany.
The most powerful scene, for me, is in the trenches, after the tanks show up. We see the humanization of your enemy and the shock and guilt that comes with the war.
Although the ending was predictable, the film ends very well and allows the viewer to breath and take in what just happened before the credits.
‘All Quiet on the Western Front’ is a Oscar nominee in a number of categories at the time publication.
More info & links:
- Director: Edward Berger
- Cast: Felix Kammerer, Albrecht Schuch, Aaron Hilmer
- All Quiet on the Western Front on IMDB
- All Quiet on the Western Front Official Website (Netflix)
Zach Chabot
Film Reviewer
Zach is a film lover at heart and director. Don’t get mad if he dislikes your favourite film because it is personal, and he does want you to tell him about it on social media. @ZachChabotURL
