It's been more than 5 years since I posted one of these.
Time flies, when you are having fun, I guess...

I recycled that image from back then and replaced the chain.

All quiet on the Western Front (2022)

Im Westen nichts Neues

Warning: This movie is brutal.
Not as brutal as the book, though.
I've read it many, MANY years ago, so I don't remember all details, but this book and some passages in it really stuck with me.

As usual, I won't spoil the content; It is a movie about WW1.

What I can say is that the movie didn't stick to the book paragraph by paragraph, but they did an exceptionally good job turning it into a screenplay.

The story is timeless.

Like with many of those classics (1984, brave new world, animal farm), I feel like the people in power today take them as literal instructions and not as they were meant to be seen: a warning.
History repeats itself and parties on all sides ignore the lessons they should have learned.

Looking at Ukraine right now, I see too many similarities.
Germany has been through so much shit and yet we do nothing to prevent these terrible wars.
Right now they are sending weapons into this conflict.
It makes me sick.

I feel terrible for all victims on all sides and I can not see anyone winning this war.
What are they even fighting over? I don't get it.

As a German myself, I enjoyed watching a movie, where the Germans aren't portrayed as mindless monsters, but as humans. Mislead humans, fanatic humans, maybe - but humans.
I was afraid before watching this movie, it might be another piece that oversimplifies what was going on and why people acted the way they did.

Strong recommendation

10/10

Acting: perfect (especially in German)
Cinematography: perfect
Sound: perfect
Screenplay: epic and true to the original