‘All Quiet on the Western Front’ is a Harrowing Depiction of War: Review

The third screen adaptation of the original novel All Quiet on the Western Front follows teenager Paul and his friends through their soul-destroying experience of war.

★★★✰✰

War is hell. We know that by now, certainly beyond any doubt, but the latest adaptation of Erich Maria Remarque’s novel All Quiet on the Western Front still hammers home that sentiment. Edward Berger’s 2022 version loses impetus in comparison to the novel and the first filmic adaptation—inevitable considering both of those were released only a decade or so after the end of World War I, when anti-war sentiment was still controversial—but it remains an engaging and grounded portrayal of a devastating war. Bureaucratic negotiations parallel with the death and violence of the frontline, trench warfare is captured with outstanding technical prowess, and rightfully gruelling set pieces amplify the terror of war. These elements ensure All Quiet on the Western Front serves as a stark and brutal reminder of the senseless loss of lives, whatever age, from 1914 to 1918. 

Titled Im Westen nichts Neues, which translates to In the West Nothing New, Remarque’s novel has been adapted three times now: most famously in 1930 by director Lewis Milestone; again for television in 1979 by Delbert Mann; and now by Edward Berger in 2022. The story follows 17-year-old Paul (Felix Kammerer) and his friends who enlist in the German Army during the First World War. Buoyed by patriotism, their harrowing experiences on the frontline quickly incinerate their romantic view of war. All Quiet on the Western Front begins in near silence, with cinematographer James Friend capturing trees, foxes, and mountain vistas at night-time. Flashes of light and far off explosions hint at a war sitting uneasily against this peaceful backdrop. Edward Berger places as much value on these quieter moments as he does the booming battle scenes, paralleling barbarity against innocence.

Just like Milestone’s adaptation, which featured fluid camerawork and ground-breaking crane shots, Berger’s All Quiet on the Western Front is technically magnificent. Jaw-dropping visuals of the surrounding environment stand on the same epic level as The Revenant (2015), whilst the action sequences are as jolting and unyielding as the infamous Normandy landing scene in Saving Private Ryan (1998). Stellar sound design and a brash, disconcerting original score contribute further to the necessarily bombastic harshness of the events. Mud and blood soak the characters at every possible moment. All Quiet on the Western Front is most impressive in these trench warfare scenes, not just because of the vivid visuals but also because these moments demonstrate the crux of the novel and subsequent adaptations: war is a horrific, relentless barrage toward those involved. 

All Quiet on the Western Front is less assured when it deals with the bureaucracy of World War I. It rightfully marks those in authority as hypocrites contributing to the death of innocent soldiers, but the screenplay lacks the depth needed to build on this message. Daniel Brühl’s real-life character of Matthias Erzberger feels underwritten, especially for a man of such importance in the war-ending armistice signed in 1918. In comparison to a film like Paths of Glory (1957), which similarly highlights the absurdity of authority during war, All Quiet on the Western Front falters, lacking the intelligence and fierce critique of something like Stanley Kubrick’s masterpiece.

For all its cinematic bravura and intense atmosphere, All Quiet on the Western Front adds little new to the war genre. The film is a well-oiled vehicle, just like the uncompromising war machine it portrays, and it is just about as slick as they come. Similar to 1917 (2019), All Quiet on the Western Front depicts the horrors of World War I in a visually impressive way but is let down by a flimsy screenplay, one which struggles to add depth to the characters. This results in a gritty and gripping experience, albeit one that leaves little impact in its aftermath. We know war is hell, and perhaps didn’t need another adaptation of this classic novel to further highlight that.

The Verdict

All Quiet on the Western Front is an outstanding technical achievement and a terrifying, propulsive experience, but it pales in comparison to both its source material and the original adaptation. Despite Berger’s faithfulness to the novel, there is a lack of real substance here.

Words by William Stottor

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