All Quiet on the Western Front

A fascinating film with potential that was never fully achieved. "All Quiet on the Western Front" does not rely solely on shock value to disturb its audience; instead, it uses the horrors of war to sober them with facts and dismal realities. The film's story was worth telling; it left an impression long after the credits rolled. It dealt with many weighty themes, including a young man's journey through war, the difficulties of combat, the cruelty of desperation, and the value of friendship and camaraderie, all of which were handled with grace and artistry. Furthermore, it boasted first-rate production values, breathtaking visuals, a terrific score (although maybe a tad bit over the top), and stellar acting. Although there is much to praise about the film, "All Quiet on the Western Front" is ultimately hampered by its drawn-out length, the plot dragging in spots, and several confusing moments. All the pieces were in place for "All Quiet on the Western Front" to be the best picture of the year, and in some respects, it is. Fans of the genre, or anyone who appreciates a well-made film, should not miss this film despite its limitations.

Rating: 7.5/10 (Impressive)

Never expected a netflix movie to shake me to my core but this film kept me frozen in my seat even after a few minutes into the ending credits. It made me think about war and what it does to people. Just as the book had done. But this time due to the superb acting, marvelous cinematography and flawless direction that feeling will stay with me for a long time. They took a great desicion by using an all German cast which made it feel ever more real. And the way they made me feel connected to the charecters. I mourned each one of them and kept praying for the movie to be war soon ,so they could get a happy ending.

This is not strictly-speaking an adaption of Erich Maria Remarque's classic. A few minor incidents from the novel are included, but Remarque's biggest contribution to this film is the title. Given the ending of the film (as opposed to the book) the title is somewhat misleading, but it's such a classic that the film-makers' decision is quite understandable.

This is a brutal and uncompromising study of the realities of war. The fact the the war depicted took place more than a hundred years ago doesn't make it any less relevant. It could be shown in Ukraine today, and soldiers on both sides would understand.

Nor is the film's anti-war message terribly new. It is, however, a message that needs to be repeated over and over again, until (maybe) enough people take it seriously.

The battle scenes are appallingly visceral - possibly the best of their type since the opening of Saving Private Ryan.

The history of any war is written by the winners, but that doesn't stop them being a tragedy for the poor grunts on the losing side as well.

Oh dear. I still feel bad. But not because the film is bad. Because it shows how incredibly bad that time was. Especially for the young men who were forced to go to war. I'm from Osnabrück - the city where Erich Maria Remarque was born - and when they named the city in the film... my body is still shaking. The actors were amazing. I dont like german films so much, but this is different. The camera, the sound. Its perfect (except one role - otherwise it would be a 10 for me). I even didn't touch my snacks in the cinema. You really have to see this movie. Because it shows the cruel time in a way that perhaps no film has ever done before. However, if you want to spend a nice evening in a good mood, don't watch it. Because it really pulls you down. But it's all worth it. Thanks for this history lesson!

Just got off watching this Netflix version of the classic.

I vaguely remember the 1979 version with Ernest Borgnine (7/10) and I certainly remember watching the original 1930 film. Both powerful in their own ways. The 1930 film is the best of the three - with first class black & white photography, and all done in that particular way of German story telling. In 1930, the events were very recent - just 13 years previous. Every male over age 30 in German cinemas would have had direct experience. It must have been awful for those audiences to watch the apocalyptic battlefield scenes - still some of the most graphic and numbing ever filmed. My rating 8/10.

So how does this one from Netflix in 2022 stand up then? Well sadly, not that tall.

It's bleak, graphic, actually depressing. An assault on the senses. Sure - it really conveys the impression of the horrors and desperation of trench warfare. But that's all. Maybe that's all it's supposed to do? Maybe that's, as a matter of fact all there was: mayhem and horror? There's nothing to redeem it. Again - that's the point: there's nothing good or glorius about war. Only the opposite.

The men who went to war then, as now, are not all evil men bent on barbarism and terror. All Quiet on the Western Front (all versions) shows us that those who go to war are just normal people - people like you and me. Good people go to war. Normal people. They end up having to see terrible things, do terrible things, to kill or be killed. That's the stark reality. This film certainly shows us that, but there is no upside, no redemption. There are little glimpses of humanity in the friendships, but that's all.