All Quiet on the Western Front Review
[Minor spoilers]
All Quiet on the Western Front, directed by Edward Berger, is a German film that has been taking the Western front of cinema by barrage, receiving 9 Oscar Nominations (including best picture) and being a success amongst critics and viewers alike. Based on a book released in 1929 by the same name, it follows the journey of that of a standard young German soldier in the height of World War 1, while adding a parallel storyline following the armistice negotiations between the German and the French. Ist gut!
By: Duronto Pablo
The plot of All Quiet on the Western front, or AQWF, begins in 1917, 3 years into the Great War. It focuses on four boys who’ve just enlisted, and after they get their uniforms, which are from deceased soldiers, they are sent to the frontlines. The film focuses on the futility of war and individual soldier’s experience, having scenes that are almost placid paired with scenes of devastation and blood. As a depiction of World War 1, it is of the highest quality, and the plot does not forget the ruthless times it is set in.
To complement the engaging and brutal plot, the acting in the movie is stellar. Felix Kammerer plays the role of Paul Bäumer excellently, at first with the zeal of a new recruit then the emotionally destroyed mind of the grizzled soldier, and his reactions to the raging frontlines and calm controlled territories are telling of the horrors of the Great War. Albrecht Schuch as “Kat” portrays the experienced soldier vividly as well, and the friendship between the two characters is very much enhanced by the two performances that have the quality of being above “an actor acting a role”. The supporting cast and those in the parallel story are also played very well, to the point where one could fully believe that they were their characters.
The sound effects in the movie of the world itself are faithfully done, with the guns having their respective signature firing effects, notably the mounted machine guns. The sounds of artillery fire paired with the rumbling of the trench is done masterfully to elicit fear, and the shouts and cries of men as they charge or are charged towards is equally very guttural. Outside of the world, the film uses a very unique electronic-bass effect that is present in a few scenes in the film. It is very imposing and dominant, almost mechanical, and it’s a sound that stays with the viewer.
The original soundtrack for AQWF is an orchestral suite, with shrieking string instruments, deep percussive rhythms, and blaring brass instruments. The string expresses fragility, beauty, and quiet moments, the percussive instruments impose danger and fear, and the blaring brass instruments melt into the sound of warfare. With that all, choir music is also present for scenes of great tragedy or moments of silence amidst chaos. Composed by Volker Bertelemann, it has been nominated for Best Original Score by both the Academy Awards and the British Academy Film Awards, and is praised individually at a huge scale.
However, one of the most noticeable, discussed topics of All Quiet on the Western is its cinematography. Using only a single filming camera, shot compositions in the film are not only of warfare and death, but of individual expression and natural beauty. The film uses a variety of color palettes, most dominantly a gray-blue haze. Here are some of the film’s notable stills.