All Quiet on the Western Front Review (TIFF)

PLOT: In this updated version of the classic World War I story, a German schoolboy named Paul (Felix Kammerer) and his school friends enlist in the army, only to find themselves cannon fodder in the endless war. Insight.

REVIEW: For those who don’t know, the 1930 version of nothing new in the West was widely acclaimed in its time, winning Oscars for Best Picture and Best Director, but also making history as the first film to win top awards after being based on a book (written by Erich Maria Remarque). It was also heavily controversial, as the Nazis were known to let rats loose in theaters that dared play it in Germany. Its anti-war message meant that re-releases of the film were severely cut – although the current version fully restores what the director (Lewis Milestone) originally intended.

As a film that’s ninety-two years old and was one of the early talkies, it’s a bit creaky these days, mostly because of the pantomime acting style, since it was the early days of talk. This new version of nothing new in the West is anything but creaky. Using Remarque’s book and 1930 film as a starting point, director Edward Berger has had a visceral anti-war experience that, along with Sam Mendes’ recent 1917, fully immerses the viewer in the hell of trench warfare in a way previous films never have. It is also the first German-language film adaptation of Remarque’s novel.

The underlying novel is a slim volume. Berger’s film expands the story into an epic exploration of Germany’s role in World War I, specifically the rift between the aristocratic Prussian generals and the working-class soldiers who send them to their graves by the millions. We also follow real-life German historical figure Matthias Erzberger (Daniel Brühl) who attempts to negotiate for peace but is stifled by the pride of the generals and France’s desire not only to achieve victory, but to humiliate his opponent and ultimately helping to pave the way for the tragedy of World War II.

Most of the film, however, follows German soldier Paul’s journey from a wide-eyed schoolboy eager for the adventure of war to a hardened soldier with a death wish. Felix Kammerer delivers a stunning performance that evokes Paul’s naivety and fear at the onset of his later disillusionment and fatalism in a way no other actor has done before. Berger helps him by staging some bravura sequences, such as a scene at the beginning where we see a young soldier dying only to be stripped naked so his uniform can be patched and reused and finally given to Paul.

The fight scenes are comparable to anything seen in Sam Mendes’ film. 1917featuring a massive tank and flamethrower sequence that’s among the most harrowing scenes of close quarters trench warfare I’ve seen in the genre since The soldier James Ryan. In addition to Kammerer, the film also has an excellent performance by Albrecht Schuch as “Kat” Katczinsky, the much older soldier who takes Paul under his wing and teaches him how to survive. He is portrayed as the only one who cares if any of these boys live or die, taking on a brotherly (or even fatherly) role in the squad despite being just a recruit like them at the end of the day.

Berger is operating on a big budget here, with Netflix pulling out all the stops to make this truly epic. While it was intended for the streamer, it played well on the big screen at TIFF, where it was incredibly captivating. Composer Hauschka’s grandiose score was impressive, with shrill industrial synthesizer notes particularly effective at underscoring the horror of what we see on screen.

nothing new in the West will hit Netflix this fall, and it’s certainly one to look out for. Typically, World War II is the war most often treated epicly. Nevertheless, the First World War was the first “total war” and was rarely portrayed so effectively – especially not by the German side. Remarque’s story has always been one of the great anti-war stories, and time has certainly not tarnished its power.

8th