All Quiet on the Western Front (2022)

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ll Quiet on the Western Front is a 2022 German war film based on the 1929 German novel Im Westen nichts Neues by Erich Maria Remarque and a remake of the 1979 film of the same name. The story follows teenager Paul Bäumer and his group of friends as they join the German army during World War I in search of glory and heroism. However, shortly after they arrive at the front, they realize how grave their situation truly is. After its initial release at the 47th Toronto International Film Festival on September 12, 2022, the film saw its world debut via streaming on Netflix on October 14, 2022.

While both films cover the serious subject matter of war, loss, and the price of glory, the 2022 film directed by Edward Berger, is much darker in tone. It doesn’t take long for the boys to realize they have made a grave mistake in joining the war effort. They haven’t even stepped foot off their transport before a battlefield doctor demands that he commandeer the vehicle due to having fourty dying men that need serious medical attention. The boys share a glance and their songs and cheers quickly vanish. The remainder of the film focuses on Paul, and with each battle, he loses more and more of his friends. With each death he witnesses, Paul loses more and more of not just hope, but his sanity. We watch as the cheery boy at the beginning of the movie is reduced to nothing but a shell within the last ten minutes.

     It’s not just Paul and his friends that the movie focuses on. The B-story here follows a group of German politicians as they discuss the possibility of a ceasefire with France. The conflict is internal, as well as external, as they grapple with their pride and the decision to sign a peace treaty for the good of the young men dying for Germany. With each passing moment more die on the battlefield and we feel our frustration build as the men bicker like children over the decision. Most of the politicians see reason, with only one of them really holding out so Germany is not seen as weak. Lastly, there is a C-Story briefly touched on regarding a prideful German General and his lack of willingness to stand down, even if a treaty were to be struck. He has no issue sending his soldiers to their doom as long as it makes him look fearless and his country save face. It’s certainly a perspective that unfortunately still lives on today among the leaders of various world powers.

     The stand-out performance here is Felix Kammerer as Paul. He does an excellent job expressing Paul’s despair as well as his encroaching insanity as each death chips away more at the character’s soul. By the end of the film, there is nothing behind Paul’s eyes. He is nothing but a shell of the young man we saw at the beginning of the film. The other stand-out performance here is Albrecht Schuch as Stanislaus “Kat” Katczinsky, Paul’s friend and mentor. There is an optimistic somberness about him. There is a sadness in his eyes that’s been there since before the war, and after everything he has seen, he still is hopeful he will return home and back to his life as a shoemaker. 

     While I am still a huge fan of Delbert Mann’s 1979 version, I have to say that I like this version much more. Edward Berger is a master behind the camera and does an effective job of capturing, not just the horrors of war, but the hubris and pride of its orchestrators. The movie is in German, if you’re not a fan of subtitles, Netflix has the option to watch it as a British dub, but I recommend being an adult and watching it with the subtitles on. All Quiet on the Western Front is up there with being one of the best war movies I’ve seen, alongside the likes of Saving Private Ryan, 1917, and The Pianist. It would be a travesty to not see this movie nominated for Best Foreign Language Film in this year’s Oscars.