Ground Breaking anti war movie

Rating: 8/10 (27 March 2009)

While most movies made these days almost automatically take an anti war slant (eg Jarhead) back in the 1930's most war films had a Boys Own feel to them, emphasising only the glory and honour of battle. In it's day then, All Quiet on the Western Front really broke new ground by overtly criticising the pro-war rhetoric that was common on all sides in the First World War. It also shows in grim the detail the appalling conditions the soldiers lived in on the front and the inadequacy of the training the young volunteers received. There are some good scenes showing the soldiers coping as best they can with food shortages. The varied reaction to the soldiers to non stop artillery bombardment is also great , though tough to watch. Even though the famous final scene is familiar even to people who haven't seen the film it still has a great impact. The same goes for the replaying of the young friends first march to the front before the end titles. The scene showing the machine gunners slaughtering the soldiers in a frontal assault is also harrowing as first the French and then the German infantry die in their droves.
To a modern eye some aspects of the film jar slightly, such as the over the top acting (eg Lew Ayers in the main role) and a few melodramatic scenes.
Overrall, though it really is an excellent movie and has stood the test of time.