---
title: "All Quiet on the Western Front"
year: 2022
kind: "film"
canonical: "https://film.one/film/all-quiet-on-the-western-front"
fi1m_id: "all-quiet-on-the-western-front"
imdb_id: "tt1016150"
tmdb_id: 49046
wikidata_id: "Q108837349"
fi1m_score: 71
critics_score: 75
critics_reviews: 18
published: "2026-09-19"
review_updated: "2026-09-20"
updated: "2026-09-20T08:33:55.290589+00:00"
region: "IE"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# All Quiet on the Western Front (2022)

Directed by Edward Berger · 2h 27m · IFCO 15 · War, Drama

## Identity

All Quiet on the Western Front

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/film/all-quiet-on-the-western-front
- **Type:** Film
- **Fi1m ID:** all-quiet-on-the-western-front
- **IMDb ID:** tt1016150
- **TMDB ID:** 49046
- **Wikidata ID:** Q108837349
- **Same entity:** https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1016150/, https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/49046, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q108837349

**Fi1m score: 71** · Critics 75 from 18 reviews

*In a sentence:* The uniform gets more of a story than the boy wearing it

> Edward Berger’s German-language return to Remarque is superbly made and hard to sit through in the way it means to be. But it has cut the novel’s people down to bodies in mud and added a cabinet drama it did not need.

## Synopsis

Northern France, spring 1917. A German soldier is killed going over the top, and his uniform is stripped, laundered, patched and reissued. It arrives at a recruiting hall in Germany, where Paul Bäumer (Felix Kammerer), seventeen and eager, has forged his parents’ signature to enlist alongside his school friends Albert Kropp (Aaron Hilmer), Franz Müller (Moritz Klaus) and Ludwig Behm (Adrian Grünewald). The boys expect Paris in a fortnight. They get a lorry to the front, a flooded trench, a first night of shelling that buries some of them alive, and the job of pulling identity tags from the dead. Under the wing of an older soldier, Stanislaus ‘Kat’ Katczinsky (Albrecht Schuch), and the joker Tjaden Stackfleet (Edin Hasanović), Paul learns how to stay wet, hungry and alive.

## Review

Erich Maria Remarque’s novel has been filmed in English twice and in German, until now, never. Edward Berger, who directs and shares the screenplay with Ian Stokell and Lesley Paterson, sends Paul Bäumer (Felix Kammerer) and his school friends to Northern France in 1917 and keeps them there for 147 minutes. It is a serious, punishing, handsomely built film. We recommend it, with reservations we will get to.

The opening is the best thing in it. A soldier we do not know climbs out of a trench and dies. His body goes onto a cart, his tunic goes into a laundry, women scrub the blood out and sew up the holes, a name tag is cut from the collar, and the tunic is handed across a counter to Paul, who finds the stranger’s name still inside and is told it was too small for its last owner. Sven Budelmann cuts this without a line of dialogue for several minutes and it made us cold before anyone we cared about had been shot at. The film has said everything it is going to say and it has taken six minutes.

James Friend shoots the war in green-grey, from a long way up and a long way back, so that the men are small and the mud goes on to the horizon. Christian M. Goldbeck’s trenches are flooded to the knee and his dressing stations are barns with the roofs blown off. Lisy Christl puts the boys in uniforms a size wrong, which is right. Hauschka’s score is three notes on a distorted harmonium, like a door being forced, and the first time it comes in we sat up. By the tenth it is a cue for something terrible, and the film uses it as one.

The terrible things arrive on schedule. In the film’s central assault, tanks come out of the fog with men in flame-throwers walking behind them, and Paul lies under a corpse while the ground around him burns. We were horrified. The sound department drops the music, the screams are close and the fire is closer, and Berger holds the wide shot long enough that we could see exactly how many were not getting up. It is as frightening a battle sequence as we have seen in some years and it does not flinch from what a shovel does to a face.

Kammerer is a round-faced, open boy at the start and Friend photographs him getting hollowed out, one close-up at a time. He is given almost nothing to say, which is the film’s choice and not his fault, and he manages a great deal with the way he looks at his own hands. Albrecht Schuch, as Kat, supplies what warmth there is: a cobbler who cannot read, steals a goose from a farmhouse in the dark and shares it out like a father at Christmas. Aaron Hilmer, Moritz Klaus and Edin Hasanović are good faces in the mud. They are not much more than faces, and that is the trouble.

Remarque’s book is full of people. It has a schoolmaster who talks the boys into the war, a drill sergeant they take revenge on, a spell of leave at home where Paul finds he cannot talk to his mother, a long stretch in a hospital. Berger has cut all of it. What is left is the front and the men dying on it, and by the second hour we had stopped being able to tell the friends apart except by who was still alive. Into the space the novel’s people used to fill, the film puts Daniel Brühl as Matthias Erzberger, riding to a railway carriage in a forest to ask Thibault de Montalembert’s General Foch for an armistice, and Devid Striesow as General Friedrichs, eating well in a château and talking about honour. These scenes are well played and they give the film a clock and a villain. The book refused to supply either. Its whole argument was that nobody in particular did this.

Set against the other trench films of the last few years, it is grimmer than [*1917*](https://film.one/film/1917) and less inventive, and its long looks at trees and fog owe something to the older war pictures it plainly admires. Set against the 1930 Lewis Milestone version, which let its boys talk, it is far more brutal and a good deal less sad. Watch it on the largest screen in the house and not late at night, because it does not let go for some time afterwards. The 15 certificate is a kindness.

*Fi1m score 71, published 19 September 2026.*

## What the critics say

Most critics admire this German-language adaptation, and the praise gathers around the battle scenes, which several reviews find more brutal, and more deliberately repetitive, than any earlier version of the novel. The opening sequence, in which a dead soldier’s uniform is stripped, washed and reissued, is singled out repeatedly as the film’s message in miniature. Cinematography, sound design and production design draw steady approval, and Collider picks out Felix Kammerer’s performance as the young recruit.

The reviews part over whether any of this is new. The Hollywood Reporter and IndieWire find it handsome but familiar, restating that war is hell without adding to the case. The armistice subplot divides them: Sight and Sound thinks it deepens the book’s plea, the Los Angeles Times calls it a distraction. Little White Lies finds the result workmanlike, and Variety goes furthest, judging it dull and without emotional weight. The spread is wide, from outright raves to one plain dismissal.

## Straight answers

**Is All Quiet on the Western Front worth watching?**

*All Quiet on the Western Front* is worth watching for anyone prepared for two and a half hours of trench warfare shown without mercy, and we scored it 71. It is superbly made and its central assault is as frightening as any we have seen in years. Its weakness is people: the boys are cut down to faces in the mud, and by the second hour we could barely tell them apart.

**How long is All Quiet on the Western Front, and what is it rated?**

*All Quiet on the Western Front* runs 2h 27m and is rated 15 by the IFCO in Ireland. It is a war and drama film.

**Where can I watch All Quiet on the Western Front in Ireland?**

*All Quiet on the Western Front* is streaming on Netflix in Ireland. Availability is checked daily; the links above go straight to each service.

**How violent or frightening is All Quiet on the Western Front, and is it suitable for children?**

*All Quiet on the Western Front* is a 15 certificate and earns it: sustained battlefield violence, men buried alive by shelling, flame-throwers, and a fight that does not flinch from what a shovel does to a face. It is not for children, and we would keep the squeamish away too. Older teenagers studying the war will cope, but not late at night.

**How does All Quiet on the Western Front compare to Paths of Glory?**

*All Quiet on the Western Front* is the more brutal film and [*Paths of Glory*](https://film.one/film/paths-of-glory) the better one. Kubrick puts the generals on trial while keeping his soldiers' faces and voices; Berger keeps the generals in a château and lets his soldiers become bodies. Choose the German film for the battles, Kubrick for the anger and the people it is spent on.

**Is All Quiet on the Western Front based on a true story or a book?**

*All Quiet on the Western Front* is based on Erich Maria Remarque's novel, filmed twice before in English and here for the first time in German. It is not faithful: Berger cuts the schoolmaster, the leave at home and the hospital, and adds armistice scenes the book never had. You need not know the novel, but readers will notice that its argument, that nobody in particular did this, has been given a villain.

**What should I watch after All Quiet on the Western Front?**

After *All Quiet on the Western Front*, try [*Paths of Glory*](https://film.one/film/paths-of-glory) (1957, Fi1m 93): Kubrick’s trench film puts the generals on trial and keeps the men’s faces. Then [*Come and See*](https://film.one/film/come-and-see) (1985, Fi1m 92): A boy in the war, filmed in Belarus, and the most frightening film we know; and [*They Shall Not Grow Old*](https://film.one/film/they-shall-not-grow-old) (2018, Fi1m 81): The real footage, restored and voiced by the men, for after the fiction.

### Reviews we read (18)

- **Radio Times**, Stephen Applebaum (5/5): The critic praises this as a brutal adaptation that does justice to the classic novel, instantly establishing its anti-war message through the recycling of soldiers' uniforms and staging battle scenes that reach new levels of horror while also capturing beauty, comradeship and the tragic loss of a generation. [Read](https://www.radiotimes.com/movie-guide/b-a927fd/all-quiet-on-the-western-front/)
- **The AV Club**, Matthew Jackson (A-): Berger’s adaptation is a powerful, bleakly honest and visually poetic take on the novel, emphasizing the human cost of war through visceral battles and quiet landscape framing. [Read](https://www.avclub.com/all-quiet-western-front-movie-review-2022-edward-berger-1849694837)
- **Empire**, John Nugent (85/100, inferred): The critic praises Berger's visceral and hard-nosed direction, which depicts trench warfare as a futile, repetitive horror machine with stunning production values that rival 1917. The film is lauded as a doom-laden, epic adaptation that powerfully conveys the wretched pointlessness of war. [Read](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/all-quiet-on-the-western-front/)
- **The Guardian**, Peter Bradshaw (80/100, inferred): The critic finds it a powerful, eloquent and conscientiously impassioned German-language adaptation of the classic anti-war novel. The film is praised for its substantial, serious approach and expertly melded battlefield scenes, though noted as perhaps overly conscious of its own classic status. [Read](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2022/oct/12/all-quiet-on-the-western-front-review-anti-war-nightmare-of-bloodshed-and-chaos)
- **Time Out**, Phil de Semlyen (4/5): The critic calls it a jaw-dropping, brutal and brilliant vision that movingly captures humanity amid the horror of the Great War, a leaner and more savage beast than previous adaptations. Smart Spielbergian grace notes and strong craft elevate the battle scenes, though the adaptation cuts too deeply into the book's character elements. [Read](https://www.timeout.com/movies/all-quiet-on-the-western-front-2022)
- **Los Angeles Times**, Justin Chang (75/100, inferred): The critic praises the film's visceral realism and the power of its German-language adaptation but criticizes the inclusion of a subplot about the armistice negotiations as unnecessary and a distraction from the soldiers' experiences. [Read](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/movies/story/2022-10-27/review-all-quiet-on-the-western-front-netflix)
- **Screen Daily** (70/100, inferred): The critic describes a wrenching, visceral adaptation that illustrates war’s bloody repetitiveness through cross-cutting between the front lines and peace negotiations, bringing home the message of all war films in a straightforward way as a tough, accomplished endurance test. [Read](https://www.screendaily.com/reviews/all-quiet-on-the-western-front-toronto-review/5174384.article)
- **Sight and Sound** (70/100, inferred): The critic highlights the film's intelligent references and inversions that expand on Remarque’s humanist plea, including the opening sequence tracking a recycled uniform and added negotiation scenes. It follows familiar technical choices from other recent war films but remains a powerful, visceral reminder of war's horrors on a continent again seeing young men sacrificed. [Read](https://www.bfi.org.uk/sight-and-sound/reviews/all-quiet-western-front-horror-horror)
- **Little White Lies**, Finlay Spencer (3/3/2): The film is viewed as a procedural and faceless exercise, interesting to observe but lacking originality in its brutality as the latest addition to Netflix’s war film landfill. Berger provides some nuance through the Brühl and Striesow subplot, but the overall result is a workmanlike, war-by-numbers entry that fails to find a harmonious balance. [Read](https://lwlies.com/reviews/all-quiet-on-the-western-front)
- **IndieWire**, Katie Rife (50/100, inferred): The remake is handsome and expected, delivering starkly beautiful imagery but adding little new to the anti-war canon beyond familiar points about the futility of conflict. [Read](https://www.indiewire.com/criticism/movies/all-quiet-on-the-western-front-review-german-remake-1234762459/)
- **The Hollywood Reporter**, John DeFore (50/100, inferred): Berger’s German adaptation is a skillfully made, visceral anti-war film that excels in photography and effects but offers little new beyond reminding viewers that war is hell. [Read](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/all-quiet-on-the-western-front-1235221454/)
- **Variety**, Owen Gleiberman (35/100, inferred): The review finds the film competently made but dull and lacking in dramatic depth or special flair, making its anti-war point repetitively without emotional impact. [Read](https://variety.com/2022/film/reviews/all-quiet-on-the-western-front-review-1235424169/)
- **Collider**, Maggie Lovitt (A): The critic finds Berger's adaptation a stunning, honest and devastating German take on the novel that avoids heroic narratives or positive outcomes, instead delivering a brutal yet non-voyeuristic portrait of war's horrors. It singles out the strong newcomer performance by Felix Kammerer, effective contrast between battlefield carnage and serene nature, and added historical elements underscoring war's shame. [Read](https://collider.com/all-quiet-on-the-western-front-review-daniel-bruhl/)
- **Consequence**, Clint Worthington (A-): The critic calls Berger's film a stark, visceral and urgent German adaptation with a singular purpose of hammering home the horrors of war through grisly detail and strong sound design. It praises the brilliant opening sequence and overall indictment of war while noting some streamlining of the book alongside needless complications. [Read](https://consequence.net/2022/10/all-quiet-on-the-western-front-review-netflix/)
- **Eye for Film**, Jennie Kermode (90/100, inferred): The critic calls it something special among Oscar contenders and praises its gripping, lived-in quality with strong performances and exquisite cinematography that finds beauty in grim scenes. [Read](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/all-quiet-on-the-western-front-2022-film-review-by-jennie-kermode)
- **/Film**, Sarah Milner (9/10): The film is a powerful, relentlessly bleak condemnation of war as a horrific waste of life, masterfully shot with the German perspective and a focus on the cycle of death and propaganda. [Read](https://www.slashfilm.com/1006030/all-quiet-on-the-western-front-review-a-bleak-beautiful-anti-war-film-tiff/)
- **Deadline**, Pete Hammond (80/100, inferred): The critic finds the film a strong and polished new German-language take on the classic novel that proves war is hell. He singles out the technical achievements in cinematography, production design, and score for praise. [Read](https://deadline.com/2022/09/all-quiet-on-the-western-front-toronto-review-1235115734/)
- **The Wrap**, Steve Pond (75/100, inferred): The critic calls the film a beautiful yet horrifying new adaptation that reclaims the anti-war story for Germany. He singles out its unflinching depiction of brutality from the German perspective and its visual spectacle. [Read](https://www.thewrap.com/all-quiet-on-the-western-front-2022-movie-review-german/)

## Details

- **Director:** Edward Berger
- **Director:** Edward Berger
- **Screenplay:** Lesley Paterson, Ian Stokell, Edward Berger
- **Novel:** Erich Maria Remarque
- **Cinematography:** James Friend
- **Editor:** Sven Budelmann
- **Music:** Hauschka
- **Production design:** Christian M. Goldbeck
- **Costume design:** Lisy Christl
- **Producer:** Edward Berger, Daniel Marc Dreifuss, Malte Grunert
- **Cast:** Felix Kammerer as Paul Bäumer; Albrecht Schuch as Stanislaus 'Kat' Katczinsky; Aaron Hilmer as Albert Kropp; Moritz Klaus as Franz Müller; Adrian Grünewald as Ludwig Behm; Edin Hasanović as Tjaden Stackfleet; Daniel Brühl as Matthias Erzberger; Thibault de Montalembert as General Ferdinand Foch
- **Runtime:** 2h 27m
- **Certificate (IFCO):** 15
- **Release (Ireland):** 28 October 2022
- **Genres:** War, Drama
- **Also in:** [Best Picture winners](https://film.one/collections/oscar-best-picture.md) (Nominee, 2022); [BAFTA Best Film winners](https://film.one/collections/bafta-best-film.md) (Winner, 2023)
- **Budget:** $20 million
- **Trailer:** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hf8EYbVxtCY

## Where to watch in Ireland

- Netflix: streaming

*Checked 2026-09-20.*

Also available in: AE, AR, AT, AU, AZ, BE, BG, BR, CA, CH, CL, CO, CZ, DE, DK, EC, EE, ES, FI, FR, GB, GR, HK, HR, HU, ID, IE, IL, IN, IS, IT, JP, KR, LT, MX, MY, NL, NO, NZ, PA, PE, PH, PL, PT, RO, RS, SE, SG, SI, SK, TH, TR, UA, US, VN, ZA. Add `?region=XX` to this URL for another country.

## Awards

- Academy Awards 2023: Best Picture (nominated); Best Writing, Adapted Screenplay (nominated); Best Cinematography (won); Best International Feature Film (won); Best Original Score (won); Best Production Design (won)
- BAFTA Film Awards 2023: Best Film (won)
- Golden Globes 2023: Best Non-English Language Film (nominated)
- International Submission to the Academy Awards 2023: International Submission to the Academy Awards (nominated)
- European Film Award for Best Hair and Makeup Artist 2022: European Film Award for Best Hair and Makeup Artist (won)
- European Film Award for Best Visual Effects 2022: European Film Award for Best Visual Effects (won)

## If you liked this

- *Paths of Glory* (1957), Fi1m 93: Kubrick’s trench film puts the generals on trial and keeps the men’s faces. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/paths-of-glory.md)
- *Come and See* (1985), Fi1m 92: A boy in the war, filmed in Belarus, and the most frightening film we know. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/come-and-see.md)
- *Westfront 1918* (1930): Pabst’s German Western Front, made by men who had been there a decade earlier.
- *Journey's End* (2017): The British dugout version: four days, one company, and the talk Berger cut.
- *They Shall Not Grow Old* (2018), Fi1m 81: The real footage, restored and voiced by the men, for after the fiction. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/they-shall-not-grow-old.md)

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/film/all-quiet-on-the-western-front