All Quiet on the Western Front (2022)
It's a remake of a 70s movie which is a remake of a 30s movie which in an adaptation of a novel that follows an innocent German solider who enlists to fight the French with his friends in World War 1. It's a classic war epic. They are optimistic, bright eyed and joking around, thinking about the adventure they're about to have, and then within days of getting to the front they have seen horrors that will last a lifetime.
I watched the 70s version of this movie as a high-school student and one scene in particular has stayed with me for nearly two decades. It is equally gut wrenching here. It is so simple, and such an obvious attempt to teach us about our common humanity, but effective in a timeless, classic way. It had me tearing up all over, and while I want to attribute this effect to Kammerer's amazing performance, obviously a whole different crew had the same effect! But the acting in this movie is terrific, with the standout being the lead.
I don't have much else to say. It's a classic among war movies, and this is a caring and effective recreation. I will say that the ending is a little more contrived here, a little more Netflixified I daresay, in a way that I didn't love. Trust the audience! We will understand even if you don't introduce a Dr Robotnic villain in the end! Obviously it didn't ruin the experience, but it was definitely a small downgrade in my books. But otherwise this is a gritty, oftentimes horrifying look at the senseless, fruitless violence of Would War 1, and a classic story for a reason.
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