“All Quiet on the Western Front” is an excellent film adaptation of Remarque and, perhaps, the best film of the year

On October 28, All Quiet on the Western Front premiered on Netflix.

The novel of the same name became a breakthrough for Erich Maria Remarque. In it, the writer spoke about the senselessness of the war, based on personal experience gained in the First World War. The book was first filmed in 1930. The film received two Oscars, and was banned from showing in Nazi Germany.

The director of the new picture was Edward Berger ("Your Honor", "Patrick Melrose"). He also adapted the book to the script of the picture, significantly changing the content. Starring Felix Kammerer, Albrecht Schuh, Aaron Hilmer, Edin Hasanovic. The most famous actor in the film is Daniel Brühl (Inglourious Basterds, Rush, Baron Zemo from The Avengers).

The events of the picture unfold in two time points of the First World War. 1917 - Germany cannot advance on the Western Front and suffers huge losses. A group of students, overcome by the desire to help the country, sign up as volunteers. But the very first clash with the French army turns their attitude towards the war.

1918 - the last weeks of the war, the exhausted army loses the ability to attack. One of the volunteers, Paul, is accustomed to life at the front. He has learned to kill and is ready to die. And while the politicians are arguing about what a truce should be, yesterday's student, like other soldiers, continues to fight - completely pointless, given the proximity of the end of the war.

Maximum departure from the original

All Quiet on the Western Front can hardly be called an adaptation of the book. It is more correct to say that the director used the novel as a source of inspiration. The First World War, several characters, horrific scenes of warfare - Berger took a minimum of texture from the original, focusing on the spirit of the book.

The picture fits perfectly with the novel. For example, the protagonist of the film does not return home on vacation and does not talk with the Germans about their attitude to the war - he is always at the front. The film explains why Paul from the book cannot even hear the arguments of his fellow citizens about the war.

The director allowed himself to deviate not only from the events of the book, but also from history. He adds a very peculiar ending, inventing a battle that didn't happen - but it seems to symbolize the entire First World War.

Three different visuals

Visually, the picture can be divided into three storylines, each of them has its own ending.

The first is the front. Ubiquitous dirt, blood, human bodies, rats - beautiful shots are missing as such. In personal conversations, close-ups are used, emphasis is placed on the characters. The scale of battles is not shown. The First World War was fought in the trenches and without major advances on either side, so fights between small groups are shown. There are several complex scenes shot in one shot in the film - this technique adds dynamics to the action.

The second storyline is nature. Operators are happy to shoot trees and meadows, sunsets and sunrises. It turns out really picturesque shots that inspire peace. It is noteworthy that there are never people there. As soon as war comes, nature becomes only a tool - for example, a place to hide - losing its self-sufficiency.

The third line is the life of officials who are filmed indoors. They are surrounded by warmth and comfort. It is transmitted with subdued light - through the fire of a fireplace and candles. And from these heated rooms, people send ordinary soldiers into trenches filled with dirt and blood.

Berger created three different worlds that are only indirectly related to each other. The constant shuffling of the scenes demonstrates the contrast between them. Probably, Berger even played a little, showing the difference between the war of a soldier and an official - the message "compare them" looks too intrusive. However, it is not without meaning, so even a deliberate emphasis on contrast does not cause rejection.

The strongest musical accompaniment

The music in the film serves not only as an emotional feed, but also as a kind of signal about a change of events, a warning about new horrors. As soon as the demonstration of the landscape begins to be accompanied by loud sounds (it is difficult to call them a melody), it becomes obvious that the war is near and it is about to destroy the idyll.

It is noteworthy that the usual musical instruments are practically not used in the soundtrack. In the same way as during the First World War, the remnants of the human, such as respect for the enemy and understanding, left the war, for which people die, and the soundtrack remains cold mechanization and almost complete indifference to what is happening.

Excellent cast

There are no stars in the film, little-known actors are in the foreground. Felix Kammerer (Paul) is practically making his debut - this is his second role in his career, the first was in 1998. The 27-year-old actor makes the most of the opportunity to make himself known. He plays a young man who is morally broken. He can joke and laugh, but this is just a way to distract from the reality in which he is ready to die at any moment.

Hopelessness of war

The film tries to convey the worldview of soldiers exhausted by long months of inconclusive war. Those who believed in victory begin to dream only of the end of this horror. They recall with bitter irony how newspapermen predicted the capture of Paris a few weeks after the start of the invasion.

The closer the soldiers are to returning home, the more they fear this event. They are not able to live normally after what they saw. And this demoralizes them more than a new attack by the enemy. When a military leader tries to explain to the rank and file that the Social Democrats are going to sell the country, it is not causes no emotions - political intrigues in Berlin seem to be something distant and completely meaningless.

At the same time, the horrors of war did not kill the natural human qualities in the soldiers. Hatred of the enemy goes hand in hand with the love and care that the military shows for their fellow soldiers. Both the script and the acting perfectly convey the strange combination of the humanity of the belligerent and the inhumanity of war.

In general, instead of a doomed attempt to film the novel, a unique work inspired by Remarque turned out. Excellent cinematography, excellent acting and musical accompaniment emphasize all the main ideas of the original book, reinforcing the anti-war message.

All Quiet on the Western Front is probably one of the best films of 2022.