Based on the book written in 1929 by German author Erich Maria Remarque, “All Quiet on the Western Front” is a film set during World War I. It was released in October of 2022 and premiered on Netflix two weeks later. As of now, it has amassed more than 150 million views.
“All Quiet on the Western Front” has a long history. Nazi Germany banned the book during World War II, and the author was exiled. Other countries have censored or banned the book as well since its publication. Like the book, the latest film has a deep anti-war message, which is the work’s main theme.
The perspective of the film is that of the main character Paul, a young German soldier. Most of the movie scenes are shot as if the viewer were looking through the eyes of Paul. All of the elements used by the filmmakers work towards making the viewer aware of how the war was unlike the stereotypical portrayal of heroism.
During this year’s Oscars, “All Quiet on the Western Front” won four awards: Best International Feature Film, Best Production Design, Best Original Score and Best Cinematography. It was also nominated for Best Picture, Best Visual Effects, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Makeup and Hairstyling and Best Sound. The German film won numerous other awards since it first came out.
The film is in the top five most popular non-English movies on Netflix and was in the list of Top 10 Films on Netflix in more than ninety countries. Overall, the somber and suspenseful movie is a great piece of historical fiction. It remains on Netflix, still grabbing the interests of viewers worldwide, especially after its success in the Oscars.