War is hell. We know that by now, certainly beyond any doubt, but the latest adaptation of Erich Maria Remarque’s novel All Quiet on the Western Front still hammers home that sentiment. Edward Berger’s 2022 version loses impetus in comparison to the novel and the first filmic adaptation—inevitable considering both of those were released only a decade or so after the end of World War I, when anti-war sentiment was still controversial—but it remains an engaging and grounded portrayal of a devastating war. Bureaucratic negotiations parallel with the death and violence of the frontline, trench warfare is captured with outstanding technical prowess, and rightfully gruelling set pieces amplify the terror of war. These elements ensure All Quiet on the Western Front serves as a stark and brutal reminder of the senseless loss of lives, whatever age, from 1914 to 1918.

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