The atrocities of WWI as seen through the eyes of a young soldier.
A brutal and soul-wrenching view of the real face of war, All Quiet on the Western Front earns its rightful place in the pantheon of war films. Walking on the shoulders of giants such as Apocalypse Now (1979), Saving Private Ryan (1998), and Red Thin Line (1998), it is a moving, heartbreaking, and evocative film.
The first element that stands out is James Friend’s captivating photography. The beautiful landscapes will be the first visual to catch your attention… followed by the human justification of the worst violence, called war. While perfectly framed, its ugliness remains daunting and always unspeakable.
Based on the book by Erich Maria Remarque, director Edward Berger has managed to pull off what seemed impossible in recent years: the atrocities of a war that tormented a whole continent and changed the fate of the rest of the world. While this is the third film based on the book, Berger claims it is another adaptation of the book and not a remake of the previous two films that owe their success to the horrendous events described by Remarque, who experienced that war firsthand. And so does this one. All Quiet on the Western Front is Germany’s official submission for the Best International Feature Film category of the 95th Academy Awards in 2023 and also Germany’s most expensive Netflix film. It is worth noting that none of the beautiful efforts behind the camera would matter if the people in front of it didn’t do such an excellent job. Felix Kammerer, Albrecht Schuh, Aaron Hilmer, Moritz Klaus, Edin Hasanovic, Daniel Brühl, and the rest of the cast’s performance is purely triumphant.
Warning: This is not an easy watch. It depicts realities that no generation can tolerate, especially ours. Yet, as I compose this, certain human monsters make people relive those abhorrent years while they enjoy the comfort of their own couch and warmth.
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Solidarity for all the innocent lives who suffer the atrocities of war!
Stay safe!
