Lies! Lies have been told to the German youth as they prepare to enter World War I–forcing them to believe that their journey to and their time spent on the Western Front will be fun. All Quiet on the Western Front follows seventeen-year-old Paul Bäumer (Felix Kammerer) as he transitions from an excited young soldier to a scared boy, understanding that war is not a game, but rather the thing that will likely kill him. There is no telling what will happen to Paul and his comrades, but each minute appears more dismal than the last.
When I think of a war film, I think of Saving Private Ryan, and that’s now the film that I compare all others of the genre to. It’s nearly the perfect film, so everything that follows has the unfortunate task of attempting to compete with greatness. All Quiet on the Western Front shares many qualities with that aforementioned blockbuster hit. Things like the sound, effects, and set design are perfect–helping to create a film that not only resonates with viewers but scares the shit out of them as well.
The majority of viewers sitting down to watch All Quiet on the Western Front will have no war experience, creating a disconnect between them and the film. Every aspect of the film has to work toward bridging this gap, creating a bond with viewers and making it accessible to all. I have no choice but to believe the things I see on screen in regard to the Western Front and warfare in general–and everything, as harrowing as it is, is beautiful. The sound envelops viewers, as they hear every gun shot, every explosion, and every whimper and groan from one of the characters. Emotions run hot during times of stress, and there’s no doubt in my mind that the individuals forced into the trenches would have felt that stress, and struggled with their emotions as a result. These sounds transcend the entirety of All Quiet on the Western Front, and they reach viewers early and often throughout.
The effects, both practical and special in nature, deliver brilliantly–further attacking viewers’ senses and making them feel as if they, much like Paul, have been thrown into war. Without believability in this sector of the film, All Quiet on the Western Front fails to reach viewers effectively. The realistic nature of what viewers see on screen pairs wonderfully with the sound–creating something authentic and accessible.
Along with the effects is the cinematography–able to capture these effects and the high-octane action sequences that exist throughout the course of All Quiet on the Western Front. To be able to track everything happening on set, to really be able to bring this film to life, there is no room for mediocrity in regard to the cinematography. Director of Photography James Friend brings every moment to life with vim and vigor, and his passion transcends the entirety of the film–reeling in viewers and making these tragic historical events feel real.
2022 seemed to have been the year for beautiful and realistic set designs, presenting, again and again, films that feel like they were filmed in their specific time periods, on location. Films like Babylon and The Fabelmans transport viewers to places of organized chaos, ones where those viewers sort of become excited to exist in (despite the chaotic nature of what they see and hear). All Quiet on the Western Front does things similarly, but effectively different. Viewers are transported to early twentieth-century Europe–but to a place of pain, suffering, and imminent death. There are no fun and games here, nothing to appreciate about the things happening in front of them–but the sets reflect a truth that is often hard to replicate on screen.
All Quiet on the Western Front is one of the more visually appealing films of 2022–a year where perfection was achieved many times in this field. The things depicted on screen feel real, and every aspect of the film is geared toward ensuring that viewers are transported to this daunting time in history. Emotions are forced to the forefront of All Quiet on the Western Front from beginning to end, keeping viewers on the edges of their seat, eating them up from the inside. I said earlier that I have no choice but to gauge the success of war-related films by comparing them to Saving Private Ryan (regardless of whether that’s fair or not). All Quiet on the Western Front, while not quite as character-based as that blockbuster, does just about everything else as well. All Quiet on the Western Front is brilliant–and it deserves every bit of recognition that it receives.
Directed by Edward Berger.
Written by Edward Berger, Lesley Paterson, Ian Stokell, & Erich Maria Remarque.
Starring Felix Kammerer, Albrecht Schuch, Aaron Hilmer, Moritz Klaus, Adrian Grünewald, Edin Hasanovic, Daniel Brühl, etc.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐½/10
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