All Quiet on the Western Front [A Criticism]

War is business— making movies based on any warfare is the perfect of them; you make money from three sides— the invader, defender, and the rest of the world who were not involved in it.

That’s why I have credibility issues with war movies. When you are representing a situation on the battlefield, how do you know it was right in that way when actual things happened and there is no survivor to tell the tale? Even if there are survivors, I don’t think soldiers observe the whole scenario without focusing on shooting at enemies and defending themselves.

This long blabbering is because all of the central characters die on the battlefield, so, who narrated the series of events in such detail on which “All Quiet on the Western Front” is produced with the notion of “Based on a true story.” There must be some explanation but whatever you tell me, I don’t think they are even 70% legitimate. The thing I hate about war movies labelling “Based on a True Story” is, it’s more about fictional representation rather than actual narration.

Well, whatever.

The movie I am talking about has done well securing a good IMDb rating along with audiences’ appreciation. That’s why I decided to watch this. Also, the label “Based on a True Story” is something I don’t usually miss.

_IMDb

So, how’s the movie— to summarise, I am not satisfied; neither the battle scene nor the whole story makes sense to me. The story suggests the downfall of the German empire on the battlefield but I don’t see a sequential flow that takes us from the stronghold to the downfall. Most scenes are scattered, have unusual emotions, and to be honest, too straight. You gotta keep it interesting, but no, I don’t find it taking us that way.

The soldiers were hungry, desperate, and young— most of them lack the skills and experience required to make it through. But they were motivated, that’s for sure. However, we only know they were suffering from food shortage and a low supply of necessities through their words, not scenes. Although the food-shortage thing was highlighted a bit, that’s not adequate to describe the degree of intensity of actual events. The leaders eat luxury dishes at their safe residents, and they rant about failure but they don’t appear on the scene— it’s quite normal for most warfare situations but it deserves more intensified representation that shows hatred of the soldiers towards them for pushing the soldiers towards death while enjoying meals; given that most scenes are fictional.

Besides, the pride he possesses is not only dangerous to the country but as we can see, it led millions of people to their death. There should be a scene that drags the general to the bottom of muddy pits where brave soldiers fought to their last potential. He should have been shown like an overweight pig (his appearance resembles a pig tho) in its last days, dipped in stinky mud and its own faeces.