“All Quiet on the Western Front” gives a no holds barred view of what the life of a German soldier was in World War One. The incredibly emotional and sometimes traumatic story takes place in World War One from northern France to Germany. The story follows 17-year-old Paul Bäumer as he enlists in the German army for a sense of pride and honor. The movie shows the gritty reality of how there is very little pride and honor to be taken in a war as such as theirs. As the story continues, Bäumer and his friends survive the first three years of the war, only for all of them to die so close to its armistice.

Something in this movie that is often overlooked is its soundtrack. In the most moving moments of the movie it is absent; letting the true gravity of the scene take hold and stick with the viewer. However, there is a sound that one will never forget from this movie. A three-note heavily edited harmonium that was taken from Volker Bertelmann’s (the writer for the movie’s music) grandmother’s house that sounds like a war horn. This motif sets the tone of the movie perfectly.

The cinematography of this movie is something that is really impressive. There were many shots in the movie that were incredibly powerful and profound as well as having scenes that would give anyone goosebumps and leave them at a loss for words. I was incredibly immersed in this film and if anyone chooses to watch this movie, do so in an environment with no distractions.

What is particularly impressive about this film is how it gave insight on how life was inside and outside of the trenches of World War One. The story begins with Bäumer enlisting and being given a uniform that was worn by a previous soldier showing how recyclable they were. The movie also showed how uniforms would be taken from the dead, cleaned and issued to the next recruit. With the incredible poetic nature of the film being masked behind an already moving and profound war story allows many to enjoy this movie’s many facets.

Felix Kammerer was the actor for Paul Bäumer, and with this being his first appearance in a major movie, he delivered a performance that is hard to forget. Kammerer’s performance was filled with such refined emotional detail that it makes it very hard to look at this movie as a movie and not a documentary. His acting prowess is something that is very inspiring and instills hope for the future of his acting career.

One of the most memorable moments of the film is the final charge just minutes away from the armistice. The scene shows the “Battle of Mons” showing how the desperate and prideful attempt to try to claw back whatever territory they could manage in the final moments of the war. This is where Bäumer ends up dying in a scene that is symbolic of him ascending to heaven being able to rest.

There have been many different variations of “All Quiet on the Western Front,” from a book to two separate movie adaptations before this one, released in 1930 and 1979. However, with the 2022 reimagining of the story, I think the director did a fantastic job.

It is worth noting that there are two ways to watch this movie language wise. There is the original language that the movie was shot in, German, and there is the Netflix English dubbed over audio. I watched the movie in German with subtitles and it wasn’t too difficult to understand and read with the dialogue.

Synopses and analyses don’t do this movie justice. With the sheer gravity and emotional breadth this movie conveys is astonishing and will continue to enamor viewers for years to come.