All quiet on the western front (2022)

Sometimes you watch a movie that just won't let go. And stay with you for a long time.

It all started with my father, who primarily watches war movies. He hinted to me about this one.

And he also warned me about it. So that was the moment this movie had already captured me.

So please let me warn you, too, because it is a depressing story.

Choosing a movie to watch is quite the ritual for me.

All kinds of questions go through my mind before making a decision. For example, what is my mood?

Am I watching it in the evening, afternoon, or morning?

Do I want a slow or high-paced movie, etc., etc.?

I just finished watching the series "Women at war," so this movie was right up my alley and took place during WWI. My mindset was ready to dive into the next war story. The timing was right, and the mood was excellent, so on a Sunday afternoon, I settled on the couch wrapped up in a warm blanket and a hot cup of coffee. Let's do this.

Oh, and watch all movies in their original language, please. Another language detracts from the overall experience. And the acting performances still need to be fully represented. An actor's timing, intonation, voice color, etc., and good acting, make or break a role.

After a short serene intro, you find yourself in the middle of the trenches between France and Germany during WWI, and a sharp picture is immediately drawn of what it was like at the front. After the introduction of the movie, you meet Paul Bäumer (Felix Kammerer) and his friends Stanislaus "Kat" Katczinsky ( Albrecht Schuch), Albert Kropp (Aaron Hilmer), Tjaden Stackfeet (Edin Hasanovic). Ready to enlist in the army of the German empire.

It is the spring of 1917, a year before the war's end. Full of enthusiasm, Paul and his friends leave for the front, but soon they discover that their expectations are not in line with the harsh and gruesome reality and have little to do with heroism. That they are utterly unprepared for what awaits them is clear from the first moment, but they all desperately do their best to survive. That this new crop of young soldiers is also cannon fodder is clear from the moment that the uniforms of fallen soldiers are refurbished and eventually passed on to Paul and his friends.

The action scenes at the front are visually spectacular, and the viewer is not spared from all the horror. From corpses meters high up in a tree, desperate soldiers .who commit suicide, and tanks that hurtle over the enemy without mercy.

Luckily I had my blanket that I could hide under now and then. Some scenes made an enormous impact on me. The desperation of the soldiers and the utter futility of war touched my soul.

What also really impressed me and set an important tone was the soundtrack, music, and sound effects used in the movie. Several times they gave me goosebumps and completed the scene.

Below is a link to the soundtrack. Check the music at 18.03. That music came back regularly and gave me the chills every time. So ominous and dark.

Director Edward Berger, hats off to you, and the anti-war message went over distinctly. It couldn't have been released better and is highly topical.

And also the entire cast, most of them relatively unknown to me, outstanding performances. CHAPEAU!

I'm not going to add more words; let the movie do the talking.