All Quiet on the Western Front

Rating: 10/10 (22 February 2015)

Based on a novel and probably one of the most realistic war films I have ever see. WW1 is the setting for this unusual look at life for German troops on the front line. Its unusual because its a 30's American film focusing on German soldiers and not the more obvious Allies of Britain, France and Russia.
Starting off much like 'Full Metal Jacket' the film covers a group (a class fresh out of school) of young German lads ready to join the ranks and fight for their country. From here on we follow them through harsh training and into battle where they very quickly realise the horrors of war. One by one they are killed off as the film becomes more and more tragic, and all this in a 1930's film!
The first thing that hits you are the amazing visuals and hard work clearly put into the film, its incredible! The realism of the trenches, war torn no man's land, the uniforms for both sides and the brilliant special effects, mainly revolving around some pretty big explosions near actors, are all superbly created. By today's standards everything still looks good whilst the old black and white imagery only helps the film appear more realistic and authentic. The film could easily be the 'Saving Private Ryan' of its day, its almost as good as real footage.
Of course the actors are of a different era so one can expect performances without the type of grit that we are used to today. Some scenes are almost slightly pantomime-esque with some slightly funny moments of comedy and slapstick which do lighten the mood (mainly at the start before the characters enter the war). I think we all know sequences of corny acting and dialog tend to add to the charm of old movies like this, they are easily forgiven.
Make no mistake though this film is a history lesson and seeing as it was made about 12 years after WW1 actually ended its amazing people watched! especially as it followed the Central Powers (the enemy). Being so close to the war is obviously why its so accurate. The harrowing sequences of men being mown down by machine gun fire, one after another without a chance, the screams of the young troops as they go crazy from the constant shelling, the mud, barren landscapes, bodies, barbwire and of course the famous bleak depressing ending for the main lead nailing home how cheap life was.
I think the main point in the film is how the lead protagonist Paul Baumer (like his friends) starts out as a patriotic young German wanting to go off and fight for his country. Encouraged, motivated and inspired by his surroundings whilst being practically lied to by his school teacher Professor Kantorek into doing what is thought to be right, to save the Fatherland. Baumer then returns to his home town towards the end of the film only to find his school teacher spouting the same nonsense to more young boys, trying to get them to join up and fight.
He is invited in to speak of the glory of war but instead rages how its all lies and there is nothing but misery and death for all who join up. He is shunned by his old teacher and branded a coward by the young boys, so he returns to the front line. Not long after this the film ends with his pointless needless death. A strong message which we all know of now, yet at the time people just didn't understand or realise, war was glorious and made men of the young.
10/10