All Quiet on the Western Front 2022

Spoiler Alert! The opening sequence feels like it was painted by Bob Ross himself: serene, beautiful, almost peaceful. Then suddenly, without any warning or buildup, we’re thrown straight into the frontline chaos. Unlike 1917 na may build up, ito wala. The score has a non traditional structure and minimalism which gives a hauntingly unique touch for a war film. The mix of century old harmonium, and heavy percussions builds tension. It’s haunting, unpredictable, and perfect to set the unsettling tone of war. Hindi siya dramatic or patriotic, parang reminder ng kamatayan na paulit ulit bumabalik. It’s not just background music, it’s the heartbeat of war. The pep talk scene is both powerful and hopeful pero ramdam mo na false hope siya. The passing of the uniform says everything. It’s not just fabric. It’s a curse passed from one body to the next, a silent inheritance of surefire death and duty. The cinematography is excellent. I like the symmetrical and centered shots, the perfectly aligned blocking that look almost too orderly, like soldiers marching to their own deaths. The night scenes are stunning too, lalo na sa bunker, teal and orange grading ang ganda ng contrast. The production design deserves praise too. You can almost smell the mud and rain. Everything feels wet, heavy, and miserable. Then there’s that contrast, yung mga sundalo gutom at pagod sa trenches while negotiators dine with tea and pastries. It reminds me of The Platform. The difference between the top and bottom levels of humanity is absurd and sickening. The continuous shots are carefully crafted to keep the tension alive. I love the scene where they storm the enemy trench and feast AMIDST the chaos. Goes to show how famished they are, really desperate for food more than victory. Yung tank scene sobrang intense. You can feel the hopelessness as metal crushes flesh. Man versus machine talaga. And this is just half way the movie?! The flamethrower scene takes it even further, pure horror! Parang Saving Private Ryan all over again but from the other side. For the first time, you sympathize with the German soldiers. They don’t want this war either. They’re just following orders. Honor becomes meaningless. Leaders demand soldiers die with honor while they sit safe behind walls. Pride, ego, and bloodlust are the real enemies. That crater scene is pure acting brilliance. From rage to pity to guilt to desperation to acceptance, lahat nandoon. Grabe yung acting. It’s the emotional peak of the film. And then the suic*de scene... I had to close my eyes. The hopelessness is suffocating. The ending hits hard. They were so close to peace, yet the orders kept coming kaya don’t celebrate too early! Naalala ko yung line na “At least they are in peace. We are alive.” Grabe yun. Hindi gratitude yung pagkakabuhay/pagkakasurvive nila, kundi curse. Living becomes the curse, and death becomes mercy. It heavily implies that their survival isn’t rooted in gratitude, but in jealousy of those who perished before them. It is now race against time: 15 minutes left before the war ends and then bam! While I’m rooting for the main character to survive the last minutes of the war, imagine mo, nasaksak siya exactly sa ceasefire WTH. The director’s decision to linger on the final shot holding just long enough for us to hope he might still be alive is heartbreaking. Parang gusto mo pa umasa na unconscious lang siya. Ganun din kasi siya nung namatay kaibigan niya, umaasa rin siya. Pero deep inside, alam mo na. In the end, they are just names, numbers, and letters home. Dog tags turned into data. Nobody wins in war. Heavy, heavy feeling. This one stays with you. Available on Netflix