#234. All Quiet On The Western Front

"Our bodies are earth. And our thoughts are clay. And we sleep and eat with death."

Unlike some other war movies, this film does not highlight the heroism of World War I, but the reality and drudgery of its constant adversities and a soldiers' undeniable struggle to survive. This movie basically follows the experiences of a group of young soldiers after being talked into enlisting the first world war.

I'll be very honest about this movie. I thought it was almost unbearably boring, especially the initial half hour. And I love history too, but I guess that I'm just too young to understand this movie's significance. Or maybe it's the fact that it was made 80 years ago; it's just out of my time.

I couldn't really tell who was the main character, or if there was even supposed to be one. I only heard a couple of select names through out the film. Paul did stick out to me though. I liked his character because he seemed very real. His speech near the end of the movie to the aspiring soldiers was an honest interpretation of what he felt about war, and I liked that he was almost warning them of the upcoming anguish they would face.

So I did like the ending because it captured my attention more than the rest of the movie did. And I know I missed a lot due to my mind drifting on-and-off, so it's probably a lot better than I say it is. But I'm guessing the main reason for this movie's acclaim is because it's known for being the first "good" movie of its time. It is from 1930 after all.

My immediate rating is a 6.3.

Characters: 5.8/10

Acting: 6.2/10

Storyline: 6.5/10
Entertainment Value: 5.8/10

Immediate Rating: 6.3/10

Total Score: 30.6/50